VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Something in the Water was created after Virginia Beach officials asked for help.
That's the latest word from Beach native and music producer Pharrell Williams.
Williams talked about the event in a Masterclass video for LeBron James' Springhill Media Company. He said that in 2018, Chief of Police James Cervera asked him for help with what was known as College Beach Weekend.
The last weekend in April was thousands of visitors come to the city, and usually, there is a lot of crime.
That's when Williams pointed out the city had an issue with violence and racism and in response, pitched the idea for Something in the Water.
"A lot of these kids don't look or live like you do. Their experiences are not like yours," he said. "If we give them a place where they can have fun, and experience things along with these good students, we allow the locals air to breathe."
And we all know how it turned out. The first Something in the Water festival went off peacefully and was a huge success for the city.