Hip Hop may not be your favorite genre of music but for millions of fans worldwide it is their preferred type of music, especially the old-school Hip Hop. The father of Hip Hop, MC Kurtis Blow, is an organ transplant recipient. He is also a living legend who became the first rapper signed to a major label in 1979. His hit single, “The Breaks”, with its clean lyrics and foot-tapping beat, was a favorite at house parties and the discotheque. It was the first Hip Hop tune to be certified gold.
A born-again Christian, Kurtis is lucky to be alive. He received a life-saving heart transplant on December. 6, 2020 just months after his doctors told him he had less than a year to live.
According to reporter, Jim Harrington, of the Mercury News, Kurtis was quoted as saying, “It’s incredible just to be in this position, waking up in the morning . . .I use to say this on Twitter all the time — ‘Good morning, thank God we all woke up.’ I have been doing that for about 10 years.
He now greets every day as a second chance at life. “When I wake up in the morning, I am living that statement — actually, literally thanking God when I open up my eyes,” he said to Harrington.
The Mercury News reports that this week, Kurtis is living his second chance at life to the fullest, “He [Kurtis] is performing as part of “The Hip Hop Nutcracker” tour, a breakdancing, DJ-spinning take on Tchaikovsky’s 129-year-old ballet that plays the Paramount Theatre in Oakland.”
Photo Credit: Villar Performing Arts Center
Blow as an ordained minister has hosted hip-hop church services for many years, one in about 70 such churches in the country
In his interview with Harrington, Blow shared these thoughts, “My faith in God is everything. That is why — I really believe — I’m still here today. I am a walking, living, breathing testimony of the power of God and the fact that God is still in the miracle business. Let me tell you, what I’ve been through in the last two years, I have testimony after testimony of how God has come in and spared my life — at least three or four times with life-altering operations. Even the last one, with the transplant — I’m telling you, wow, wow. What a miracle to be able to breathe again.”
Every day, the National Foundation for Transplants works to help give a transplant patient in need a second chance at life. Our fundraising tools and consultant services help them raise funds to cover out-of-pocket medical expenses. We’re on a life-saving mission to level the field and make it possible for anyone to receive their second chance at life.
You can help us help others with a gift made in recognition of #GivingTuesday. No need to wait until November 30th, your gift can be put to good use today. Go to donate.transplants.org/NFTGT
