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Fresh off his Erys album release Friday, Jaden Smith is paying it forward. The singer — and son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith — opened a vegan food truck in downtown Los Angeles on Monday, July 8, to provide free meals to those experiencing homelessness.
He set up the black pop-up truck, called I Love You Restaurant, on Skid Row for the day to pass out brown bags with I Love You bowls of carrots and kale to some of the estimated 8,000 people who live in the area. A truck parked next to it promoted his latest album, reading “Erys: And Everything Bad for You.”
Smith wrote on Instagram that the truck “is a movement that is all about giving people what they deserve, healthy, vegan food for free.” He said it was the first of many food trucks to come, teasing, “Keep a look out.”
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Will Smith also pointed out that it was in celebration of Jaden’s 21st birthday, writing on Instagram, “Now THAT is the way to Celebrate your Bday!! I love U, Diggy.”
Several stars including Yara Shahidi, SZA, Nick Cannon, YG, La La Anthony, Bella Thorne, ASAP Ferg and Jordin Sparks took to social media to show their support for his venture. Kevin Hart praised his philanthropic efforts, writing, “This is so dope…. I love what you are doing man.” Taraji P. Henson, whose foundation provides mental health support to the African American community, wrote on Instagram, “PROUD OF YOU YOUNG MAN.”
Smith’s second studio album Erys follows his debut album Syre that dropped in 2017. He performed at Coachella 2019, where his father joined him onstage during the second weekend. A fan of gender-fluid dressing, Smith occasionally sports women’s pieces and has become a front-row staple at runway shows; in February, he attended the fall-winter 2019 Louis Vuitton womenswear show during Paris Fashion Week with his sister Willow Smith. In March, the Jaden Smith Foundation helped to bring clean water to Flint, Mich., with a water filtration system.
The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to Smith for comment.
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