MC Lyte, African-American Celebs Support National Black HIV/AIDS Day

(AllHipHop News) Rap legend MC Lyte is one of 60 African-American stars who are banding together to bring awareness to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the black community.

MC Lyte joins actors and actresses like Nia Long, Affion Crockett, Samuel L. Jackson, Naturi Naughton, Jill Marie Jones and Tatyana Ali have teamed with organization Greater Than AIDS,

The celebs will use their star power to help shed light on the HIV/AIDS epidemic, which is impacting Black Americans in record numbers.

New data released shows that Black Americans account for half of the approximately 1.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS in United States.

To compound the problem, blacks represent 44 percent of new infections, although they make up just 12 percent of the population.

MC Lyte and the celebrities partnered with Greater Than AIDS and The Black AIDS Institute, to release a special PSA to mark National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, which is today (February 7).

“This is an unprecedented response from the Black Hollywood community to an issue that has touched so many of our lives,” said Phill Wilson, President and CEO, Black AIDS Institute.

Each celebrity in the campaign are all members of the Black AIDS Institute’s Black Hollywood Task Force on AIDS.

They works to engage the Hollywood community in an effort to fight HIV/AIDS.

“The artists and executives who have joined us in this campaign realize that no matter the celebrity, they are also members of the Black community, and they are trying to do their part,” Phill Wilson said.