DJ Kool Herc highlights the problem with the US healthcare system

A wave of tweets this weekend hightlighted the plight of D.J. Kool Herc, the Father of Hip-Hop, and his struggle with large medical bills for procedures to remove kidney stones. I'm just glad it wasn't something more serious!

Bill Alder, ex-PR for Def Jam captured the reality of many hip hop legends: “This is just a disgrace that Kool Herc has to negotiate over the details of his health care. People who are not performers think that the musicians they love have a big house, lots of cars and more money than they’ll ever know. The reality is that the majority of people who choose a life in the arts make a tough economic choice. They’re almost choosing voluntary poverty.”

His sister, Cindy Campbell was interviewed by the New York Times: "There isn’t any type of medical program for these artists. Maybe it takes a visible person like Herc for people to pay attention. Maybe we can help set something up. My brother and I were trailblazers. We tried to save the building. Now we’re going to advocate for plenty of other artists and have a program to assist them."

There was a fundraising effort via Paypal, but that has been closed now! May be the profound tweet from one hip hopper caused a positive reaction! He said with so many hip hop millionaires why doesn't someone save Herc from his medical bills?!

Here's a Kool Herc mixtape shared by Old School Hip Hop Hour.