Diabetes

Rhymefest Diagnosed With Type Two Diabetes

Chicago MC Rhymefest was hospitalized last week and diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The rapper, born Che Smith, checked himself into the emergency room due to high sugar levels in his body.

Ryhmefest has returned home and seemingly adopted new plan for the future regarding his health.

Most recently, West Coast rapper Lil B called out the Chicago rapper for stating that he needed a father figure in his life. “Got a new work out plan and lease on life. Gotta get off this insulin, ” he tweeted. “Now that my sugar is down I feel much better I was operating on overdrive for years and had no idea.”

Rhymefest joins a long list of hip hop artists including Ghostface, Prodigy, Phife Dawg (of A Tribe Called Quest) and Shawty Lo who have come out publicly about their condition with diabetes and sickle cell anemia in Prodigy’s case. He and Ghostface recorded  a song together addressing their health issues entitled “Trials of Life.”

Earlier this year, Rhymefest made headlines as he ran, albeit unsuccessfully, for the position of 20th Ward Alderman in Chicago. Despite the loss, he remains heavily involved in social activism and posted this video in support of bringing a much needed trauma center to the South Side of Chicago.