Top Dawg Entertainment brings annual concert and toy drive to Nickerson Gardens

For the last 10 years, the Christmas spirit of Nickerson Gardens has been delivered by hip-hop and Top Dawg Entertainment.

This week, the taste-making L.A. hip-hop label celebrated a decade of dropping fun and festivities on the Watts housing project with its annual TDE Christmas concert, featuring performances by SZA, Schoolboy Q and other star talent on the label.

The event, held Tuesday and Wednesday, was hosted and headlined by rapper Jay Rock, a native of Nickerson Gardens who is also the longest-tenured TDE artist.

Highlights from the stage included R&B songstress SZA and rappers Schoolboy Q, Sir, Zacari and special guest 310Babii. At the end of the show, Jay Rock was joined by Compton rap star YG.

The second day of the event was centered on the passing out of gifts for the kids in the community as well as providing resources , including a job fair and free haircuts.

Below are some shots of the holiday block party and a few words from local residents, U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) and the TDE crew.

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1. SZA performs at Top Dawg Entertainment’s annual toy drive and concert at the Nickerson Gardens housing projects on Tuesday in Los Angeles. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 2. Jay Rock performs at Top Dawg Entertainment’s toy drive and concert in Nickerson Gardens Tuesday in Los Angeles. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 3. Ab-Soul performs at Top Dawg Entertainment’s annual toy drive and concert at the Nickerson Gardens housing projects Tuesday in Los Angeles. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Anthony Tiffith, (a.k.a. Top Dawg) chief executive and founder of Top Dawg Entertainment

This is our 10th year at it, and we had some of the biggest names in entertainment here. Being able to bring events like this to the neighborhood where I was raised means the world of me. I grew up not being able to have access to artists. All the entertainers dream about one day being able to give back. Events like this are inspirational and give the community hope. I just want them to know there is a way out. You just gotta work hard, stay dedicated to what you’re doing and it can happen.

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1. Residents of the Nickerson Gardens housing project gather for Top Dawg Entertainment’s annual toy drive and concert Tuesday in Los Angeles. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 2. A little girl is excited to put a new toy in her bag at Top Dawg Entertainment’s annual event at the Nickerson Gardens housing project Wednesday in Los Angeles. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 3. People drop off donations as they enter Top Dawg Entertainment’s annual toy drive and concert Tuesday in Los Angeles.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters

I’m in Washington, D.C., and I’m not afraid to fight for Watts. I had Watts a long time ago and they took it away from me, but I got it back. Now, I’m back in Watts, and the first thing I’m going to do is put air conditioning in all of Nickerson Gardens. We’re going to make the government do what it is supposed to do. And when those right wings get in my way, I’m going to tell them get the f— out of my way.

Tiny B (rapper)
I love my community. I have lived in Nickerson Gardens all my life. We are a great community. We have greatness over here. Everybody wants to look down on us, but we are great over here and we love everybody. Just come with some good vibes and we’re going to show you good vibes.

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1. Ray Vaughn addresses the crowd at Top Dawg Entertainment’s annual toy drive and concert at the Nickerson Gardens housing project Tuesday in Los Angeles. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 2. Los Angeles, CA - December 19: SCHOOLBOY Q performs at Top Dawg Entertainment’s (TDE) 10th annual toy drive and concert featuring SZA, Jay Rock, YG and other TDE artists in the Nickerson Gardens housing projects on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023 in Los Angeles, CA. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times) 3. Tiny B. and his godson Ckaelyn Wells, 7, wait for Top Dawg Entertainment’s annual toy drive and concert to start Tuesday at the Nickerson Gardens housing project in Los Angeles. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Janie Jones (Nickerson Gardens resident)
I’ve been living in these projects since I was 6 or 7.
This event means a lot for our community. There are young kids that don’t have anything. Top Dawg gives back to the community every year and it means a lot. A lot of people don’t have jobs right now and they have been laid off. The kids enjoy free festivities and events like this that bring the community together. We all come from the struggle. Rap music comes from the struggle. It has a different meaning if you’re struggling and you know where that music comes from. My hope for my community is that we stop killing each other. That we come together and love one another. Be happy, love more and hate less.

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1. Janie Jones, who has lived at Nickerson Gardens since she was 6, pauses before Top Dawg Entertainment’s annual event Tuesday in Los Angeles. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 2. Eboni Childress, center, who’s lived at Nickerson Gardens for 10 years, and her family await the start Tuesday of Top Dawg Entertainment’s annual toy drive and concert. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 3. Children enjoy a festive day at Nickerson Gardens as they wait for Top Dawg Entertainment’s event to begin Tuesday in Los Angeles. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

David Hollywood Harrell, manger at Top Dawg Entertainment
I’m still a part of this community born and raised and I love it. My moms struggled and my pops was pretty much barely making it, but if we had something like this growing up over here in Nickerson , it would’ve been phenomenal. Top came to me almost 10 years ago with this idea, and the plan he had and the mission he’s accomplished and still accomplishing up to this day. Top is not giving back just around the holidays; throughout the year he’s making it happen, from paying people to go to college, paying tuition, paying rent. My little brothers passed away from a drug overdose some years ago. I was in a financial situation where I couldn’t do it. Top asked me to get the total and gave me a check. Top buried my brother for my family. And he told me, don’t do it the cheap way, do it the way as if you guys had it. And made it happen. So I’ll forever be in debt with him because of that situation. Top has given me an opportunity to be a part of a label he had envisioned almost 20 years ago.