Smif-N-Wessun to donate City Winery wine proceeds to sickle cell charity

Brooklyn hip-hop duo Smif-N-Wessun will give $1,993 to the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America during Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month. The donation honors Tiana Williams and Prodigy of Mobb Deep and comes from wine sales tied to the duo’s City Winery tour.

Why it matters: - Smif-N-Wessun is turning tour merchandise revenue into support for sickle cell disease advocacy and patient services. - The donation honors two people whose deaths were linked to complications from sickle cell disease. - The gift also ties Hip-Hop community loss to awareness during Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month.

What happened: - Brooklyn duo Smif-N-Wessun, Tek and Steele, will donate $1,993 to the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America. - The donation comes from proceeds from the duo’s artist wine bottles sold during their recent City Winery Tour. - Wine sales totaled $1,780, and Smif-N-Wessun rounded the gift up to $1,993. - The donation date is tied to September 22, 2026, the release date of the announcement.

The details: - The $1,993 figure is deliberate. - 1993 is the birth year of Tiana Williams and the release year of Mobb Deep’s debut album, Juvenile Hell. - Tiana Williams was Tek’s best friend and the daughter of his partner, Alana S. - Prodigy, born Albert Johnson, was one half of Mobb Deep with Havoc. - Prodigy lived with sickle cell disease from birth and died in 2017 at age 42 from complications tied to the illness. - Tek said he was proud to support SCDAA in memory of his best friend and described the experience of seeing the strength of people during sickle cell crises. - General Steele said giving back is essential to community growth and that the duo wanted to redirect the earnings toward a cause that can help others. - Steele has previously been open about his sobriety, and the donation reflects his decision not to keep money from alcohol-branded bottles. - SCDAA works to improve quality of life and health outcomes for individuals and families affected by sickle cell disease through advocacy, education, research support and direct services.

Between the lines: - The donation is smaller in dollar terms than many celebrity charitable gifts, but the symbolic math is the point. - Smif-N-Wessun is linking a business product, a personal loss and a public health cause into one message. - The move also keeps attention on sickle cell disease, which remains serious and incurable in universal terms.

What's next: - Fans and supporters can donate directly in honor of Tiana Williams and Prodigy through the campaign link. - SCDAA will continue using donations to support advocacy, education, research and services for people affected by sickle cell disease. - Smif-N-Wessun remains positioned to extend the donation’s visibility through its fan base and public appearances.

The bottom line: - Smif-N-Wessun is using tour proceeds to turn a commercial release into a memorial gift and a public health message.