WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – Rapper 22Jax wants to give a voice to families who have lost loved ones because of fentanyl and spread awareness about the drug.
On Sunday in Legion Stadium, rapper Alexander Whittington, also known as โ22Jax,โ held a music video shoot and fundraising event for fentanyl awareness.
โThe main purpose of this event is to inspire more people to speak up that felt as though they lost their voice or felt that the memory of their loved ones are lost,โ said 22Jax.
The music video shoot is for 22Jaxโs new song โFor Yโallโ featuring musician LadyDice. The song was released earlier this month, and 40% of the songโs proceeds will go to organizations helping raise fentanyl awareness.
22Jax says it is more than just addiction and overdoses. โThe insane thing is, all these things are happening and no one is doing anything, so I decided to use my platform to reach the youth and grab all of these organizations,โ said 22Jax.
โIt wasnโt until I really got involved with the song that I was really educated. The numbers and the statistics, itโs out of this world. I just feel like people need to know more and I am just trying to forward the education that I have received and try to save some lives,โ said LadyDice.
Michikoโs Voice is a non-profit based out of Johnson County and is one of the organizations that will receive proceeds from For Yโall. Kamaya Duff lost her 23-year-old sister Michiko, who died from fentanyl poisoning.
Duff says her sister unknowingly took 29mg of fentanyl.
โWhen my sister passed we were lost, it took us 15-18 months to get her toxicology back,โ said Duff.
Many families in attendance at the music video and fundraiser event say they waited months before finding out the cause of death of their loved ones. They say itโs a healing experience to be around other people who have experienced similar pain.
โThere is no stigma, it can happen to anyone, first-time users, non-users, addicts. It can happen to anyone,โ said Duff. โIt can be any adult or child it happens to the innocent and the non-innocent,โ she added.
The event also had free Naloxone and training to help prevent fentanyl poisoning and save lives. 22Jax says he appreciates the community support and hopes to keep spreading fentanyl awareness across the state and country.
โItโs overwhelming, I didnโt think the turnout would be so well,โ said 22Jax.
Read the article on the WECT News 6 website.