How rapper Aitch’s sister inspired him to climb one of the world’s toughest peaks
Image source, Aaron Fitzmaurice
Image caption, The Manchester rapper has been pursuing challenges to raise awareness and money for the Down’s Syndrome Association
ByEleanor Doyle and Naomi ClarkeBBC Newsbeat
He’s skydived, eaten raw fish eyes on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and now Aitch has reached new heights – literally – by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
The Manchester rapper has been pursuing some of these tasks to raise awareness and money for the Down’s Syndrome Association in honour of his younger sister Gracie, who has the condition.
Aitch tells BBC Newsbeat the 16-year-old is an “absolute legend in the streets of Manchester” and beyond.
“Everyone loves her. She’s just a big bottle of light in every room,” he says.
“She’s everyone’s best friend and she’s just got such a positive outlook on the world.
“I just feel like everyone should be more like her.”
The musician’s journey up Kilimanjaro has been captured in an upcoming Netflix documentary, Aitch: Don’t Be Afraid.
But he says the whole point of it was to share how having someone in his life with Down’s syndrome is “one of the best things in the world”.
However, the 26-year-old admits he does feel “a little bit of pressure” to up the scale and fundraising targets of his challenges.
“You’ve just got to think about the end goal, which is trying to raise the most money and make the most difference to what’s going on,” he says.
Image source, Handout
Image caption, Aitch says his sister Gracie is an “absolute legend in the streets of Manchester” and beyond
He has “smashed” his target this time by bringing in more than £160,000 so far from his climb of the highest peak in Africa.
The rapper says he was able to handle the altitude and physical elements of the hike, which others in his group struggled with.
But the “big mental challenge” was the biggest obstacle for him, he says.
Between the early mornings, late nights and the change of climate from rainforest conditions one minute to a blizzard the next, Aitch says it was “just all a lot”.
He confesses the group would probably have turned around if they hadn’t been doing the climb for “such a good cause”.
Down’s syndrome is when you’re born with an extra chromosome – and people with the condition are likely to have some level of learning disability.
Aitch’s fundraising efforts have been inspired by Gracie, who was also the subject of My G, a viral song he released in 2022.
He thinks it was so popular because it showed the bond between the siblings.
“People love genuine things,” he says.
“And that relationship there between me and my sister, both of my sisters, is just undeniable. Do you know what I’m saying? So I feel like that’s why people loved it.”
Image source, Down’s Syndrome Association
Image caption, The rapper’s fundraising efforts have been inspired by Gracie, who was also the subject of his viral song My G
Having grown up as a sibling carer, Aitch has faced challenges, and seen Gracie overcome obstacles.
Reflecting on how he would advise others in his position who are struggling, he says “you’ve got to see the blessing in it every time”.
“I suppose if you ask yourself the question, ‘would you change it for the world?’, there’s probably not a chance,” he says.
“So it’s always going to be a bit of a challenge, but sometimes you’ve got to just take it on the chin, keep it stepping and it’ll all be all right.”
He also feels there is “always more that can be done” to support young carers and improve understanding around various conditions and learning disabilities.
“Where I stand, I’m trying to do what I do to raise awareness,” he says.
“And hopefully that brings people in.
“Hopefully that makes people want to get a little bit more involved in the whole thing and just spread more awareness than ever.”
Aitch: Don’t Be Afraid is available to stream on Netflix from 26 July.
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays – or listen back here.
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