Shortly after it was announced that Kool Herc had health issues involving kidneys, the pioneer spoke on the significance of health care reform in this country. Now, Russell Simmons has also used this situation as a platform to speak on health care reform, according to the Kim News Network. In an interview with KNN, Simmons asked the Hip Hop community to continue discussing the matter and asked that people support President Obama’s initiatives.

“We need real health care, that’s for sure. As far as helping out, I’d like to help out young kids but I’m going to help out Kool Herc as well. Yeah, I’m going to be one of them and so will a lot of other Hip Hoppers. [We’ll] bail him out but I don’t think it’s their job. I think it’s the government’s job to take care of people who can’t afford health care.,” he noted.

“That’s a different discussion but that’s what this should spark, more of a discussion or a reminder to some of the Hip Hop community that they have to keep talking about health care and keep supporting the President in his initiatives to get health care for everybody.”

Those who wish to help Kool Herc can do so by donating money to a family PayPal account.