How Freeway Turned A Health Crisis Into Investment In Philadelphia

When Freeway took the stage at the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl Ring Ceremony last month, it reminded the city why his voice will always be part of Philly’s soundtrack. But with Free Fest, the annual event that draws hundreds for a day of free health services, education resources, and community connection, Freeway showed that, beyond the music, he is invested in his hometown.

As parents left Free Fest with information about kidney health and other screenings, teens signed up for digital media workshops, and children left with painted faces and clutching balloon animals, Freeway himself was there, invested. Not just performing, but walking the grounds, talking with vendors, and thanking the volunteers who made it all possible.

That same investment in community led Freeway to found Freedom Thinkers Academy, an educational nonprofit that empowers community members through four pillars: music, health, education, and culture. Both Free Fest and Freedom Thinkers Academy haven’t grown in a vacuum. Freeway has built partnerships with both local organizations and national health groups. Gift of Life and National Kidney Foundation volunteers were on site offering health screenings and information. Workforce tables provided sign-ups for training programs, underscoring the festival’s importance as a communal event as much as a cultural one.

By partnering with nonprofits, medical institutions, and workforce organizations, Free Fest has become a hub where music fans leave with job leads, health referrals, and new community connections.

A few days before the festival, I had the opportunity to sit down to talk to Freeway about the vision behind it. From this conversation, you can hear Freeway’s passion and excitement for his community. Freeway was candid about his own health journey and how his own recovery journey led him to create something to help people in the city he loves.

Benzii Diaz (BD): How are you feeling heading into the second year (of Free Fest)?

Freeway: Man, I’m excited. This year’s going to be even bigger. We have free health screenings, activities for the kids, all kinds of vendors and community resources. And then from 4 to 6 p.m., it’s the “Freeway & Friends” performance. People can expect a real show.

BD:  What first inspired you to create this event?

Freeway: Back in 2015, I was diagnosed with kidney failure. That was a turning point in my life. My friend, Raekwon, helped me put on the 1st one that year to raise awareness, but after my recovery, I wanted to do more. That’s how Freedom Thinkers Academy started. It’s about music, health, education, and culture, things I care about deeply.

BD:  What does Freedom Thinkers Academy actually do?

Freeway: We have a partnership with OIC here in Philly. We do digital media training for students. Teach them production, recording, engineering, and we help them find job placements when they graduate. In Delaware, we run workforce development programs like phlebotomy, medical billing, and coding. The goal is to give people real, marketable skills so they can take care of themselves and their families.

BD:  So Free Fest is just one part of the bigger picture?

Freeway: Exactly. Free Fest is the celebration, the community pull-up. But it’s also a way to connect people with these resources in a setting that feels fun and welcoming. You come for the music, you leave with a health checkup or information about a program that could change your life.

BD: As a Philly legend, your name carries a lot of weight here. How does that influence your work?

Freeway: I’ve been blessed to have a platform through music. People listen when I speak. I want to use that for something lasting—something that’s still giving back decades from now. My vision is for the Academy to keep running, keep helping people, long after I’m gone.

BD: What do you hope for this year’s Free Fest, compared to the first one?

Freeway: We double the turnout. The health screenings are running all day, kids will have plenty of free activities to participate in, hundreds of vendor tables. And everything is completely free. That’s important to me. Removing the barriers so everybody can participate.

BD: What’s next? Where do you see Free Fest in five years?

Freeway: I want to take it national. Imagine Free Fest in different cities, all with that same mix of music, health, and opportunity. I want it to be a movement that doesn’t just entertain but uplifts.

For Freeway, the music will always be there. But it’s clear that his focus now is on something broader; bridging the gap between culture and community resources. The same persistence that kept him relevant in hip-hop is now driving him to keep building Freedom Thinkers Academy and Free Fest into institutions.

And if this year’s festival was any sign, he’s just getting started.