XXXTentacion’s death came as a sudden surprise to his poor mother.
And while she continues to deal with her emotions around her son’s death, the highs and lows that come with his unfortunate passing and the problems are the estates are dropping in her lap. According to The Blast, the North Broward Medical Center has filed a claim against XXXTentacion’s estate. His mother actually runs the estate and would be responsible for figuring out how to handle the debt.
Like so many gifted emcees, XXXTentacion’s life was cut short due to street violence on June 18, 2018, during a robbery outside an auto shop in Deerfield Beach, Florida. After being rushed to the hospital after the shooting, doctors pronounced him dead… breaking the hearts of millions of fans.
While many are concentrating on the unpaid bill, this proposes a larger story. How come so many rap artists have no health insurance, and whose responsibility is it to educate them on this necessity, or pay these expenses? They appear to be just as vulnerable as any of their fans who lack health insurance due to high costs or inaccessibility.
Last year alone, the rising star was worth $2 million. This year, his estate is worth $5 million (more than doubled). Yet without the proper insurance, that means nothing. Particularly, since the estate is currently figuring out various personal and professional obligations that the artist made before his demise.
I think it’s funny how record labels don’t provide health insurance but have life insurance policies on their artists.” -Crooked I
But what does that say about the artists that many fans look up to?
Many of them do not have proper health care or insurance. Like any ordinary person that you might find on any given street in America, rappers without health care and find themselves in a hospital are just as liable for the bills that come from the visits. Those bills that are often times outrageous. This is where the universal health insurance discussion, that is such a heavy topic during this upcoming presidential election, should make entertainers take note.
Its been going on for years.
In an interview with Okayplayer, Def Jam Recordings pioneer T La Rock said that had he not had health insurance, in 1994 when he suffered brain aneurysm he might have died or simply not have received proper medical treatment that he needed. “A lot of hospitals will not take you if you don’t have proper insurance,” said T La Rock.
When Kool Herc fell sick in 2011, the entire community was up in arms that he had to ask people for support because he did not have insurance…Bill Adler, Def Jam exec and a historian of the genre told NYTimes.com, “This is just a disgrace that Kool Herc has to negotiate over the details of his health care.”
There are many rappers that have been compromised because they have not been informed or encouraged about using their money to invest in care. Blame it on being young and feeling invincible, or being distracted and not focused on health as a priority.
However, what we do know, is that the bill must get paid… and the creditor is knocking on Momma XXX’s door.
