“A suicide occurs every 15 minutes.”

As seen in a recent issue of ours, depression and suicide are very real issues not only in society, but Hip-Hop. In the last year, we’ve lost Capital Steez and Freddy E due to this often ignored problem. So in order to raise more awareness and hopefully uplift those in need, Grassroots Suicide Prevention worked with three artists to create a PSA. Produced by Steel Tipped Dove and featuring Awkword and L*A*W (7 time Grammy nominee), “#AaronSwartz” was inspired by suicide victims, namely the creator of Reddit who took his own life after being systematically targeted, arrested, prosecuted and harassed by the federal government and others. Even when life gets tough, you need to remember it can always get better. You can watch a video explanation from Awkword here.

“#AaronSwartz” will appear on AWKWORD’s DJBooth-sponsored 100% for-charity global Hip Hop project World View, as well as Steel Tipped Dove’s & a whole bunch of crazy motherf*ckers mixtape (7/1/13).

You can buy the CDQ version of the track at Awkword’s Bandcamp and all proceeds go to World View charity Guns 4 Cameras, a 501c3 nonprofit that goes beyond the gun-exchange program, working to eradicate street violence through the Hip Hop-inspired education and empowerment of our at-risk youth.

Bryan Hahn (@notupstate)