Hip Hop Pioneer DJ Kool Herc Sick, Needs Surgery

[Sapphire]

www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/01/31/2011-01-31_nyc_hip_hop_pioneer_dj_kool_herc_very_sick_has_no_health_insurance_cant_afford_s.html

Hip hop pioneer DJ Kool Herc is "very sick" but has no health insurance and cannot afford much-needed surgery, friends say.

"[He] who we call the father of hip-hop, Kool Herc, is not doing well," DJ Premier announced on his Sirius XM radio program over the weekend.

"Since he's very sick and has no insurance ... [he] needs to pay his bills so he can get out of the hospital."

The nature of his illness has not been disclosed, but relatives are asking for help from his fans to raise money to pay for his care.

The Bronx man is a legend of early rap music, helping create key DJ techniques in the 1970s like the break beat that greatly influenced generations of performers in the decades that followed.

But since he never had any major hits, the 55-year-old born Clive Campbell, has struggled financially.

"We spoke today, and he needs some help to pay his bills for the hospital because he can't hold it down," DJ Premier said. "Being that he is the man who set this whole culture off, ya'll should be wanting to do it any type of way that you can."

[Sapphire]

This is very sad. And although this message seems to be marketed to the fans I hope that industry folks and hip hop artists step up, support the cause and come to his aid. He's one of the originators of a movement... so many people are successful today because of his contributions. I'd like to see Nas (although Kelis may have put him on welfare LOL) who mention Kool Herc in his Hip Hop is Dead CD, Jay Z, Puffy or some other music mogul pay his fees.

[T-Rex91]

This is very sad. Like the old school pro athletes, the founding rappers never saw a millifraction of the dollars that the worst of today's rappers make. Hopefully, someone will step in and help him out.

[Sapphire]

Agreed.

[Vudu_Prince]

dizam. I would say set up a website for him with a pay pal link and then spread the word on the different hip hop websites. Honestly rappers probably won't help much but the DJ's would. All the mixtape and party DJ's could contribute $10-20 a month of something. It's thousands of DJ's on the net.

[Sapphire]

Vudu, according to MTV.com you can send donations to Kool Herc at: Kool Herc Productions PO Box 20472 Huntington Station, NY 11746, or paypal donations to [e-mail].

Yes, I would think (at least I hope) that some of the DJs or radio stations might pitch in and the rappers will help out one of their own. We're not always in a position to make a difference, but it seems from the reports that this time we can.

[Sapphire]

Here's another story about it:

Kool Herc: Should Labels and Artists Foot His Medical Bill?

Similar to blues, hip-hop is an industry that has built on its own history while often leaving its true forefathers in the dust as others experience success on their backs. Cite the case of the genre's "Godfather" Kool Herc as an example.

The world of hip-hop received some horrible news over the weekend with word that Kool Herc is in poor health and needs money to cover his medical bills. DJ Premier broke the news that the 55-year-old DJ has no health insurance and is reaching out for donations to pay for upcoming procedures. Near instantaneously, news spread and fans began a viral campaign to make sure Herc would have the money necessary to move forward with a surgery planned for tomorrow.

Yet where are the labels and artists in this matter? They're mostly silent.

By the time Run-D.M.C. topped charts and went gold with 'Sucker MCs' in 1983, Herc was already broke, drug-addled and struggling to get by. Cut to 2010: Jay-Z pulled in $63 million in a single year, and Diddy, in a relatively slow year, netted approximately $30 million. Both artists, as well as a whole slew of those who have risen since Puffy first wore his shiny suits, could easily pay for Herc's surgery.

But hip-hop artists aren't responsible, not directly. There's a better argument to be made for record labels footing the bill. Without Herc's turntable innovations, there would be no hip-hop artists. As Q-Tip put it this morning, without Herc, there's no Kanye. As multimillion dollar recording and marketing budgets are being doled out everyday, the music industry itself could step up and thank hip-hop's inventor by saving his life.

We encourage readers to also look to Music Maker Relief Foundation -- a nonprofit that "helps pioneers and forgotten heroes of Southern music gain recognition and meet their day to day needs." While this organization handles blues musicians, an enterprising hip-hop fan could easily create something similar for this generation to ensure that its innovators don't have to struggle with health care late in life.

Donations for Kool Herc can be sent to: Kool Herc Production, P.O. Box 20472, Huntington Station, N.Y. 11746.

[T-Rex91]

you ain't gettin ish out of the labels. They don't even wanna pay the current artists let alone a pioneer. the viral campaign will be more successful. Thanks for the details Sapph.

[T-Rex91]

word on the street is that Pick Ross, Diddy, and Pharrell dropped a million dollars in King of Diamonds "shoes store" in Miami last night. Gives a little perspective doesn't it?