The Hip-Hop Pioneers’ Medical Health and Dental Care program began formulating after an interview with a hip-hop pioneer named Rodney Stone. Who is professionally known as Rodney C!, one-half of The Original Double Trouble, featured in the first Hip-Hop, Break-dance & Graffiti movie ever created entitled “Wildstyle”. He is also formerly of the Funky Four Plus One More and the Funky 4+1.

It wasn’t until after an interview, while taking pictures. It was noticed Mr. Stone only grinned and never smiled. He [Mr. Stone]then was asked, “Why don’t you smile?” He replied that he lost his partials and he had no insurance to cover replacements or the dental work that he preferred. That, instead of fixing his teeth, they would only pay to have them pulled. Now, because the work that was needed to save his teeth under his insurance policy [he then had] was considered to be cosmetic, Mr. Stone had to take what his insurance would cover (at that time) to relieve him from the crucial pain he was enduring.

During the time when he [Mr. Stone] had insurance, Rodney had over 10 teeth pulled including his Incisors 8 and 9 (the two top front teeth). At this time, Mr. Stone has no medical insurance at all.

Yes, he is one of over 70% of minority America with little or no medical insurance, and over 85% of those who are officially in the hip-hop culture with no insurance.