Tobe Nwigwe shares a moment with his crew as production for the video wraps at the Reinzi museum and art gallery on Wednesday August 28, 2019 in Houston.
Tobe Nwigwe is continuing his call to “make purpose popular.”
The viral Houston rapper has teamed up with LIFEWTR, the premium water brand, to announce the Black Art Rising Fund. Black creatives are encouraged to share original artwork on social media for a chance to earn a $500 stipend for art supplies and a spot on TheBlackArtRising.com.

ON PURPOSE: Tobe Nwigwe twists himself into Houston’s next big star
Nwigwe is a judge for the competition and one of seven artists featured in the Black Art Rising gallery launch, which spotlights “creative expressions of 2020’s civil rights movement.”
“People get easily distracted. It’s necessary we keep the conversations going and people focused on what really matters. Art is influence,” Nwigwe said in a statement.

The Nigerian-American rapper, who grew up in SWAT — Southwest Alief Texas — has built a fervent following with a weekly video series dubbed “#gettwistedsundays.” Since August 2016, he has posted an original song and video every Sunday across social media. He’s earned praise from Common, Michael B. Jordan, King Keraun, Luke James and Jill Scott.
LIFEWTR is donating $50,000 to the Black Art Rising Fund, and the competition is open to all art disciplines, from music to painting. Creators can share their art using the #BlackArtRisingContest and tag @LIFEWTR in any posts through Oct. 27.
LIFEWTR will also debut a limited-edition bottle series pack in February, Black History Month, to spotlight the work of emerging Black creators.