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REAL TALK: A Star hopes the message in his new single will boost the number of black blood donors in the UK

IN A MOVE designed to encouraged black people to give blood, Christian grime artist A Star recently released Hidden Pain, a single featuring Leke.

The song also shines a light on a previous hidden area of A Star’s life. And this popular grime artist suffers from sickle cell anaemia.

He’s hoping Hidden Pain will also increase awareness of the condition.

NHS joined forces with A Star to show the black community why it’s important to give blood, and that in doing so, they save lives.

At present just a small percentage of the black community give blood.

Writing on his Instagram page, A Star shared: “Did you know that only one per cent of black people in the UK give blood?

“People like myself get regular blood transfusions and the blood comes from donors. This year I’m encouraging more people to give blood.”

A Star is a UK artist, born and raised in east London. He uses his music to share his experiences growing up as a young black man and how his faith kept him from going down the wrong path.

He has performed across the UK and even sold out his first headline show in O2 Academy Islington.

He is currently working on his album, due for release later this year.

Since releasing the single Hidden Pain, A Star’s goal to educate the black community on the need for them to give blood, has been gaining traction.

People are getting a greater understanding of sickle cell anaemia and some have been inspired to give blood.

The B Positive Choir, who made it through to the finals of last year’s Britain’s Got Talent, are supporting A Star’s message, and he has been featured in numerous media outlets, including Channel 5, BBC Radio 1Xtra and Metro.

A ‘Give Blood’ Drive event will take place later this year and everyone involved hopes that the turn out will be just as great as the reaction to the track.

And it’s A Star’s hope that his song, and the accompanying campaign, will encourage up to 100 black people to donate blood in one day. He said: “If that one per cent of black people giving blood in the UK can be changed to at least two per cent, we’re moving forward.”

Hidden Pain is available on iTunes, Spotify, amazon music and Google Play.

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