A Los Angeles rapper was rushed to the hospital early Wednesday (Apr. 16) morning for an apparent suicide attempt. Law enforcement officials told TMZ that Andre Johnson, a rapper affiliated with Wu-Tang Clan, was found in critical condition outside a North Hollywood apartment building after he cut off his penis and jumped from a second-floor balcony.
According to the site, Johnson (who used the name Christ Bearer and was a member of the rap group Northstar) was taken Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. The incident happened around 1:00 a.m. Members of the group who live in the same apartment building told TMZ that they were all hanging out early in the morning when Johnson suddenly and without warning, severed his penis and leapt from balcony.
The group told TMZ that by the time they reached the rapper he was up, running around and screaming. According to the site, members of the group said they were not using "any hard drugs that would cause him to do such a thing." The members said the whole thing happened so fast. It's not clear if doctors plan on reattaching Johnson's penis.
According to Gawker, just yesterday (Apr. 15) the rapper released a music video with Rugged Monk of Wu-Tang group Black Knights. In a report by the New York Daily News, police officials initially confirmed that a man was found with self-inflicted wounds to the testicles and penis but later retracted it.
Northstar was discovered in 1998 by RZA outside a Los Angeles radio station. RZA took the group on and also provided beats for them to use for their debut album, RZA Presents Northstar. Johnson was also in the group with rapper Meko the Pharaoh.
Their second album, West Coast Killa Beez, was released in 2005 and a third in 2008.
