Is celebrity investment in grassroot change a good thing?

Stormzy and Beyonce are some of the latest public figures to use their wealth for social good. But are these endeavours just token gestures? 

In the past year, celebrities have been more open in sharing financial investments – specifically those aimed at supporting grassroots communities. Stars have been leveraging their wealth and status for the ostensible good of underprivileged people and organisations.

Stormzy recently invested in his childhood football club, Croydon Athletic, which has battled tough economic times over the past decade.

Last week, it was also announced that Beyoncé is supporting a new affordable housing development in Houston, which aims to combat the city’s homelessness epidemic.

You’d be hard pressed to argue that these initiatives aren’t well-intentioned. To have them is certainly better than a celebrity landscape void of philanthropy or socio-economic investment.

The issue is rather whether these endeavours can amount to substantial positive change, instead of shrouding the issues of underprivileged people in the shadow of a self-congratulatory celebrity.

Perhaps the latter doesn’t matter, if money is being donated and lives are being impacted. But it’s hard to avoid the portraits of smiling superstars beneath headlines about homelessness and grassroots underfunding. Real stories get lost in the mix.

While these celebrity investments are undoubtedly praiseworthy, it is crucial to question whether they can genuinely address systemic issues or merely provide temporary relief.

It’s often the case that a public-facing narrative of economic generosity and boundless empathy is at odds with the reality.

A striking example – more pertinent in the wake of her new homelessness project – is Beyoncé’s role in uprooting the lives of nearly 30 families in Tottenham during her Renaissance tour in May.

Due to a spiking demand for hotel rooms near Tottenham arena, families who had moved in due to rising rent were forced out on the streets. Many had young children.

None of this to say that Beyoncé had any direct hand in this upheaval. But it highlights the disparity between celebrities and the lives of everyday people. It’s a bridge so vast that attempts to cultivate positive socio-economic change can quickly seem gaudy or out-of-touch.

On the flip-side, figures like Stormzy are using their platform to leverage communities who have faced financial hardship while unpicking their own personal ties to said communities.

The musician’s investment in childhood football club, Croydon Athletic (alongside football player Wilf Zaha) has emerged as an opportunity to highlight community as an anchor for growth and success.

A public statement said of the investment, ‘A three-person consortium comprised of Wilfried Zaha, Stormzy and Danny Young has exchanged contracts with the existing ownership of AFC Croydon Athletic to acquire the assets of the club.’

‘Whilst completion is subject to legislative and governance procedures, the three consortium members are excited about developing a community asset in the borough that gave them their own opportunities. They hope to take the entire community on this exciting journey with them.’