Brothers Theron and Timothy Thomas left the Virgin Islands for the states with $35 and a crazy island dream between them.
It has been a long and hard journey, but 20 years later, the Charlotte Amalie High School graduates – known today as R. City – are among the top rap and R&B recording artists worldwide.
This weekend is a big and noisy celebration of their success. Events kicked off at a Friday press conference on St. Thomas Friday featuring the artists, legislators and VI tourism officials.
R.City is touring their home islands today and tomorrow as a part of the Key to the City Celebration Weekend, hosted by the USVI Department of Tourism, along with Sen. Javan James and sponsors, Community by Southland Gaming, Sen. Allison DeGazon, Sen. Steven Payne, Sr., Sen. Stedmann Hodge Jr., DJ Slik, Henessey and the West Indian Company.
The rap and R&B sensation will appear at a Meet and Greet event at 9:00 p.m. tonight at Chicken N’ Bowling in Havensight on St. Thomas, where they are expected to perform, and tomorrow on St. Croix at the Starlight Lounge at 8:00 p.m., which will also include a number of deejays and other performers.
“It is always good to recognize some of the biggest contributors to our territory when they are young … the impact that you make on our young people, and on my generation is incredible. Every time I see you perform on a stage with the VI flag, the pride that exudes is amazing,” said Joseph Boschulte, Commissioner of the V.I. Department of Tourism.
Mr. James, chairman of the Senate Committee on Youth, Sports, Parks and Recreation and strong advocate for the tourism department’s Ambassadors program, said Key to the City Celebration goal is putting on display the territory’s brightest stars.
“Our aim is to continue celebrating and producing future ambassadors, whose amazing minds and talents will take the U.S. Virgin Islands to many places around the world and would attract visitors to our shores,” he said. “We are inviting the Virgin Islands community to come out and help us celebrate these Virgin Island ambassadors.”
“We have so many ideas, so many, many plans for what we can do here,” said Timothy Thomas, the youngest of the R.City brothers.
With the events this weekend, R. City becomes the latest addition to the territory’s Ambassadors program, which spotlights Virgin Islanders of exceeding professional success.
“With dedication and perseverance everything is possible, and R. City is the epitome of such principles. They have taught our youth of the Virgin Islands that if you put your mind and time in perfecting your craft, at the end of all that sacrifice, you will be the creator of a beautiful masterpiece. We must never underestimate how the power of music can influence our society”, Mr. James said.
Share On Facebook
Tweet It
