Hip Hop Mourns New Mexico Hip Hop Staple Wake Self Following Fatal Car Accident

Posted by

Santa Fe, NM – A community is mourning after Albuquerque Hip Hop luminary Andrew “Wake Self” Martinez was struck by a drunk driver in Santa Fe, New Mexico on Sunday night (November 3). Although he was rushed to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, doctors were unable to save his life.

The Martinez family made the announcement on Tuesday morning (November 5), revealing he’d passed at 2:48 a.m. local time. The driven MC was just getting ready for his album release party on Thursday (November 7) at Meow Wolf in Santa Fe.

<![CDATA[
div {
line-height: 0;
position: relative;
margin-bottom: 16px;
}

#div-gpt-ad-body1 >div>iframe {
margin-bottom: 240px;
position: absolute;
}

.article-advertisement.article-body.article-news{
margin-top: 16px;
}

.article-advertisement.article-body.article-news p {
margin-top: 0;
}
]]]]>
]]>

[embedded content]

Nearly a week ago, Martinez shared his last Instagram post, being his usual reflective self and recalling how he almost died at six months old. The caption speaks volumes on his character.

“My family lived in government housing,” he explained. We had no carpet just a dirt floor, and the water quality was bad. Drinking the water got me really sick as an infant. I had to stay in Intensive care for months without going home to my family. When my mom tells me this story she says they weren’t sure I was going to make it, but when things were looking their worst a miracle happened and one of the doctors found a treatment that saved my life.

“When my mother 1st told me all of this, it made me believe in miracles. Later I learned that we are all miracles. We have this precious opportunity called life! Everyday i wake up and give gratitude for this blessing to be alive. I pray a miracle happens to you and changes the way you think and see the world. You gon make it.”

Last month, Martinez revealed he’d completed his album and was looking forward to sharing it with the rest of the world.

“IT’S FINALLY HAPPENING,” he captioned the Instagram video.

According to the Santa Fe New Mexican, 24-year-old Diego Alejandro Pichardo of Santa Fe faces four charges related to the incident, including aggravated DUI as well as driving with a license revoked.

Doctors told police Martinez, who was driving a silver Ford sedan, had “a very serious pulmonary contusion,” a smashed pelvis and a head injury. He also had lung injuries, multiple fractures on the right side of his ribs, a left wrist fracture, and fractures on his left and right femurs.

Martinez had collaborated and/or performed with a laundry list of notable artists, including Gift Of Gab, Souls Of Mischief and Masta Ace. He often traveled the world with his partner-in-rhyme Def-i and continually spread messages of positivity, hope and love.

The condolences are pouring in on social media from peers, friends and fans alike, including Freestyle Fellowship’s Myka 9 and Crown City Rockers’ Raashan Ahmad.

View this post on Instagram

11.05.2019: We are never guaranteed a new day, so when we are able to greet that first hint of daylight, feel blessed. A young Indigenous man is starting his journey to the other side today. A few months ago, a group of young artists (poets, writers, activists, hip hop rappers, multimedia gurus) were in Ignacio to inspire and guide some middle and high schoolers as part of a weeklong multimedia camp. That week, a few of these artists came to the weekly sweatlodge I attend. As we were sitting outside the lodge and waiting for ceremony to start, I talked with a young man. For 20 minutes, we shared so much with one another about the highs and lows of navigating this path of being Indigenous. To hear from him how he uses music and his lyrics to convey a message was beautiful. Once again, I go back to my mantra, music is medicine. I shared with him how that phrase is tied to my identity, my ceremonies, and my ways of being a Navajo woman, and explained that in his own way he is a healer like all the music makers, young and old, of the world. A few days ago, that young man was fatally injured in an automobile accident. For his brief time on Mother Earth, he made his mark. He is physically no longer here, but his music, his lyrics, his poetry, is here for time immemorial. Cherish the blessing of a new day. Give thanks to those who bring healing and compassion. Ugh, got some idiot in charge who contaminates everything with his flaccid existence, yet we lose the ones who matter much too soon. There is a lesson in this. Meanwhile as always be grateful for the new day. Honor your existence. 🌈💞✨🔥🌊🏞️🌬️ . . . . #wakeself #warriorway #musicismedicine #indigenousresistance #navajowoman #apachewoman #blessednewday #everydayisagooddaytobeindigenous #honoryourexistence #ceremony #prayerinonehand #arrowheadinmyotherhand

A post shared by Stephanie Dressen (@hermit_for_the_win) on Nov 5, 2019 at 9:55am PST


Source: Hip Hop DX