Erykah Badu holds concert with Detroit activist group for untested rape kits

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A Grammy Award winning artist is in Detroit using her talent to raise awareness and money.

Singer Eryka Badu's aim is to help rape survivors get justice. Along with singing, song-writing, record producing and acting, Badu is also an activist.

The African American 490 challenge is working hard to pay for all the city's untested rape kits. On Friday it hosted a concert was held by the very soulful Grammy-award winning artist.

She was invited to Chene Park Friday night to spread soul and raise up the crowd, together fighting to put an end to an injustice. 

Partnered with Right Productions Incorporated, the concert is set to raise $50,000 toward the cost of 11,341 rape kits found untested in the city seven years ago.

"It's hugely important, not only for Detroit, but all over the country," Shahida Mausi-Johnson, president & CEO, Right Productions Inc.

About $5 from each ticket goes toward the cause and about 10,000 have now been paid for.

"We're really looking to put a serious dent in that last thousand," Johnson said.

The African-American 490 Challenge of the group Enough SAID says they're trying to raise about $300,000 more to pay for the rest. The 490 stands for the $490 dollars it costs to process one of the kits.

"As we've come to find out, it didn't happen just in Detroit," Johnson said. "This has happened in other city's as well. So call your sister, call your aunt, find out if this is happening in their cities as well."

Besides ticket sales, a lot of the proceeds are coming from a reception after the concert, where people are paying $1,000 to eat and hang out with Erykah.

For more information on how to donate or volunteer for the African-American 490 Challenge, go to http://www.aa490challenge.org/