Rapper Aitch to tap up millionaire pals including Ed Sheeran as he takes on epic Mount Kilimanjaro charity challenge
RAPPER Aitch has vowed to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for the Down’s Syndrome Association – inspired by his little sister.
The Brit Award winner said gorgeous Gracie, 14, who has the chromosome condition, encouraged him to tackle the massive challenge.
She became a star in her own right after appearing in the Manchester rapper’s video for single Round 2 and being the muse for track My G, his Ed Sheeran collab which saw a portion of the budget donated to the DSA.
And in an exclusive chat ahead of climbing Africa’s tallest peak in January, Aitch, 24, tells me: “My mates walk past me and go straight to Gracie.
“She is like the queen in our area.”
The star, pictured performing at the Summertime Ball, said Gracie was at the gig to watch him — and revellers kept asking for her photo.
Aitch, who has nine Top Ten singles and collabs with Stormzy and AJ Tracey under his belt, raised more than £54,000 for the DSA with a 15,000ft skydive in March.
And it was Gracie who told him his next challenge had to be “something madder”.
Aitch certainly didn’t disappoint, signing up for a seven-day trek to the top of the 19,340ft mountain in Tanzania, East Africa.
He says with a laugh: “That little woman’s never satisfied, so we had to go bigger and better.”
Aitch, who has been a DSA ambassador for two years, is bidding to raise £70,000 from the climb with dad Mike and members of his management team.
I tell him I hope his famous pals, including minted Ed, will be donating. “Maybe I can hit the target just with him,” he jokes.
Aitch has a run of summer gigs lined up but adds: “In a few weeks we will start our training.
“I’m not scared of heights but this challenge is mental as well as physical.”
Aitch says he wants to raise awareness of Down’s syndrome and end the stigma attached to it.
“The simplest way of explaining it is that Gracie is just the same as everyone else,” he tells me.
“She’s smart and very funny. People should know that those with Down’s syndrome can live a normal life.
“They should have the same opportunities other people have. My job is to make people realise.”
Much like Imogen, the niece of my second mum Karen, I have found people with Down’s syndrome are the most loving, fun and kind people you could meet.
Aitch — who released new single Baddies this month — agrees, telling me: “Sometimes I just want to get into Gracie’s head, because Gracie is happy all the time.”
At Christmas she asked Aitch for a Rolex watch in a video which has had 6.7million views.
Did she get it? “Not a chance,” says the rapper with a laugh.
Gracie, maybe this is the next challenge for your big brother . . .
- To support Aitch’s fundraiser, visit downssyndrome.enthuse.com/cf/big shellsbigsteppaz.