An English rapper’s insistence on paying homeless people to be extras in his music video has resulted in a long-lost family reunion.
Back in August, Manchester-based musician Bugzy Malone was shooting a music video for his song called “Run”.
Instead of recruiting actors for the shoot, however, he wanted to feature some of the city’s rough sleepers as a means of spotlighting homelessness.
“We went out and got proper homeless people. We had a chance to chat [with] them and give them a little something,” Malone told BBC 1Xtra’s DJ Target in the video interview below. “We got proper people off the streets of Manchester in there.”
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After the video was published, Malone received an email from a local mother who recognized one of the homeless men as her missing son.
The young man had reportedly been missing for almost a year – and his appearance in the video prompted his mother to go out and find him.
This is an incredible story.
— BBC Radio 1Xtra (@1Xtra) December 12, 2018
Here's how @BugzyMalone's music video for 'Run' helped to reunite a homeless man in Manchester with his family.
Bugzy joins @DJTarget from 7-9pm to break down his 'B.Inspired' album. #AlbumsOf2018 pic.twitter.com/On1vDbOY3R
Malone then goes on to say in the interview that the homeless man later ended up in the hospital after trying to commit suicide.
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As the mother was at his bedside, she showed her son all of Malone’s social media posts about the video shoot.
In one post, Malone says: “I’ve been at the bottom, it’s not easy. Homeless or not, you must treat people with respect, rich or poor. People that have struggled are the special ones out here!”
In another post, Malone can be seen giving some money to the man. The caption reads: “Life might get you down, just do your best not to stay there for too long. My guy was special regardless of his circumstances. You never know what people have been through. Good to meet you my brother.”
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The man was so touched by Malone’s kind words, he reunited with his family and committed to getting his life together.
According to Malone, the young man now has a job and a girlfriend – and the rapper says that his hand in the young man’s inspiring tale is easily the highlight of his entire career.
Be Sure And Share This Wonderful Story Of Fate And Family With Your Friends On Social Media – Feature photo by Riad Ariane via Instagram