Sacramento rapper raises awareness on fentanyl crisis through new music video

A new effort is underway to reduce Sacramento's drug overdose crisis.

More than 1,400 people in Sacramento have died from fentanyl in the last five years.

Local Christian rapper Exoduzmusic says he was inspired to write a song about fentanyl after seeing so many tragedies in his South Sacramento neighborhood.

"I see addictions, I hear about overdoses all the time, I see people that are dying," Exoduzmusic said.

The performer is now shooting a music video in the neighborhood to help raise awareness about the dangers of the potentially deadly drug.

"A lot of times in hip hop, a lot of people are glorifying the drugs and glorifying that lifestyle, so I just want to do something different and show them, 'look, there's a different side to rap,' " Exoduzmusic said.

Alyssa White is among those participating in the video performance. She says one of her family members died due to an overdose of the drug.

"It's really heartbreaking," White said.

Just this year, the Sacramento County coroner says 61 people died from fentanyl related overdoses, and last year, 253 people were killed.

"I think that's too many for Sac County," White said. "I think we have a problem."

State Attorney General Rob Bonta says keeping fentanyl off the streets is a top priority.

"Since 2022, the DOJ has seized more than 22 million fentanyl pills, more than 7,000 pounds of fentanyl powder," Bonta said. "That's enough to kill every Californian 40 times over."

Exoduzmusic is hoping his song will help prevent any more families from the sadness of losing a loved one to fentanyl.

"If we start making noise, we start raising about this issue, then I feel like we can make a difference," Exoduzmusic said.

The state attorney general says more than 620 people have been arrested across California in connection with fentanyl sales and distribution in the last four years.