GloRilla may be a bona fide star who is one of the hottest rappers of the year, but that doesn’t mean she forgot where she came from, as a $25,000 donation to her old high school this week showed.

On Wednesday (December 18), the Memphis rapper went back to her alma mater Melrose High School, in the city’s Orange Mound neighborhood. She presented the school with the large donation, which will go towards building a new media center for the school’s library. School officials said they would name the media center after her: the Gloria H. Woods Media Center.

The rapper’s appearance was secretly planned, and was a surprise to the students. She said that, growing up, she hoped for a library setup like the one she was now helping to provide.

“So the fact that I have the ability to do it now, it warms my heart,” she said.

The school’s principal shared a letter containing a breakdown of how the money will be spent.

$5,000 will be used to purchase flexible, comfortable seating that includes allergen-free carpets along with decorations to create study areas for students to meet.
$5,000 will be used to purchase updated learning software for the library computers to support student learning, research and overall productivity.
$5,000.00 will be used to support student incentives called Glo Bucks. Students will have the opportunity to earn money every nine weeks for grades earned, attendance achievements and improved behavior.
$5,000 will be used to support the GloRilla Mentorship Program. Participating students will be able to attend programs and field trips that will enhance their learning and overall wellness at Melrose High School. Students who participate in this program will have checkpoints that must be achieved. Monitored by our team and communicated with your team, at the end of the fall and spring semesters, students will have an opportunity to fellowship with you (via video appearance) to discuss the impact of the GloRilla Mentorship Program on their overall growth.
$2,500 will be used to purchase materials to support the Melrose Clothes Closet. This includes the purchase of toiletries, undergarments and clothing items for students who are in need.
$2,500 will be used within our Office of Family Engagement to develop programs and initiatives that support Melrose students and families to build a more solid community. Increasing community connections and support is what Melrose High School and the Orange Mound community will need to continue thriving.

While at Melrose, Glo posed in front of a trophy case, mirroring a photo of herself taken while she was a student. She shared the photos side-by-side on her Instagram Story.

GloRilla has ended up on many year-end lists, one of the most notable of which was by Time, which named her “TGIF” the Best Song of the Year.

Published on December 9, the publication noted that the songs “were selected with our list of the 10 Best Albums of 2024 in mind, so to showcase a greater range of music, no artists appear on both.”

Among songs like Beyoncé‘s “Riiverdance,” Kendrick Lamar‘s “Not Like Us” and Kehlani‘s “After Hours,” Big Glo holds down the top spot for her single-ladies anthem.