Teen rapper diagnosed with deadly cancer lands record deal with Sony

theGRIO REPORT - 19-year-old Jeff Mortimer was diagnosed with spindle cell sarcoma three years ago but he won't let his sickness slow him down.

Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.

A talented teenage rapper in Florida has been diagnosed with a deadly disease, but he isn’t letting it get in the way of achieving his dreams.

Nineteen-year-old Jeff Mortimer was diagnosed with spindle cell sarcoma three years ago — it is a rare form of cancer that attacks the connective tissue in bones and muscle. He is currently battling a relapse after having gone through years of chemotherapy, but Mortimer won’t let his sickness slow him down.

Mortimer enjoys rapping and goes by the stage name “Young Jay.” What began as a hobby has quickly turned into one of his life goals.

“I always used to write … then put it to the side,” Mortimer told ABC. “But I never took advantage of the music until now.”

Mortimer quickly established himself as a man of talent and impressed family and friends when he performed for the first time.

“Jeff comes on the mike, and our hearts and our jaws just dropped,” Brittany Williams, a children’s specialist with Palm Beach Children’s Hospital, told WPBF-TV.

He even helped to launch a music program at the hospital inspiring kids to create music and pursue their creative vision.

Now, Mortimer has also impressed representatives at Sony — and last week, the talented teen signed a record deal with the music company.

“When doors are open you have to take them,” he said. “Because you never know when you’re going to see them again.”

ABC reports that Mortimer is still undergoing treatment, but doctors have prescribed medication that will allow him to be more mobile so he can tour.

Follow Lilly Workneh on Twitter @Lilly_Works

 

 

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