Kurtis Blow, the golden age rapper who gave hip hop its first RIAA gold album, suffered a severe heart attack last Friday. Thankfully, Blow's life was saved thanks to the quick response of police and EMT, and now the pioneering musician wants everyone to know how thankful he is.
"I died and these officers saved my life," Blow told NBC News. "The police saved my life, a black man. In this day and age, people need to hear that."
Blow reportedly collapsed near a bus stop following a verbal argument with another man on Friday. Two LAPD police officers, who had just arrived on scene to settle the argument, immediately began performing CPR on Blow moments later, reportedly saving his life.
"They got there so fast. If they got there any later, I would have died. I want to thank the officers from the bottom of my heart, no pun intended,” Blow told reporters.
Kurtis Blow was the first solo hip hop artist to be signed to a major label, and his 1980 single "The Breaks" was the first hip hop single to earn a gold record, with over half-a-million in sales. Many younger hip hop artists, including Nas, 2Pac, and The Notorious B.I.G., have cited Blow as a major influence. In addition to his music career, Blow is also well known for his work as a licensed minister and a social activist, who campaigned against apartheid and institutionalized racism for many years.
By Michael Lacerna for RAPstation.com
