Award-winning rapper Macklemore surprised youth at Green Hill School last week by attending the watch party for the youth-produced anti-fentanyl campaign video, Dark Road. The video was created in partnership with The Bridge Music Project for the SAMHSA Fentanyl Awareness Youth Challenge to help raise awareness about fentanyl, empower youth to develop a strategy to educate their peers about fentanyl, and prevent drug overdose deaths.
You can watch Dark Road- Created by Artists from Green Hill School, on YouTube.
Seven residents at Green Hill School took on the challenge to write, produce, and create a music video to uplift those struggling with addiction, share its effect on people's lives, and create hope for recovery. Through this creative opportunity, the young people working on this project became friends and shared their personal experiences of loss due to addiction. Each participant had a personal connection to the issue, whether it was a parent, cousin, or friend they had lost.
After the video premiere, the talented young people shared powerful messages about the impact of fentanyl, the importance of creating art in their rehabilitative journey, and reflections on what they would tell their younger selves.
One young person explained that “the issue is sad, and people fall victim, and there needs to be a way to overcome it and have people by their side. People struggle with loneliness or poverty when fighting addiction and need people in their corner.”
Throughout the event, Macklemore shared his recovery journey and support for the artists. He also took the time to have impactful conversations with those in attendance.
When reflecting on the music video, Macklemore said, “As someone that is in recovery, has the disease of addiction, and I think even with the intent of potentially reaching the youth, you know I am a grown man, and it reached me because I think you are speaking to that hopelessness.” He later ended the discussion by saying, “Thank you for sharing your stories…This is a community, this is an opportunity, and you are taking advantage of it by being here today.”
Green Hill School in Chehalis is a medium/maximum security fenced facility that provides older males sentenced to Juvenile Rehabilitation treatment with education and vocational training.