Colicchie and Central Outreach are teaming up to spread awareness: Hep C is curable.
Music has the power to reach people where they are, and Colicchie knows that firsthand. As a rapper whose songs—like “Drug Addiction” Parts 1 and 2—have resonated with millions, he’s using his voice to help more people learn about treatment and take the next step toward getting cured.
Colicchie’s music career began in 2005 as a key part of his sobriety journey. He was sitting on his mother’s couch listening to Music On Demand when inspiration struck.
“I started writing poems and converting them into songs. Then I got this wild, crazy idea that I should start putting these poems and actually start recording them,” Colicchie said. “I started from scratch: zero friends, zero everything.”
After ripping from the white pages, he found a recording studio in Lawrenceville, where he would go to produce his music for another 10 years. “It was very therapeutic for me because it was an outlet like no other,” he said. “It has helped me on days that I wanted to use and has always kept me grounded.”
As his career started to take off, Colicchie found that his outlet had become an inspiration for other people who were walking similar paths to him. “That was one of the best things that I ever encountered, because it just fueled my motivation on the days when I just really didn't want to go anymore,” he said.
Today, Colicchie is sober, cured of Hepatitis C, and continues to use his art to connect with others in recovery from substance use disorder and Hepatitis C.
“My advice to anyone who is scared to get tested or someone who is seeking treatment is to give yourself a chance,” Colicchie said. “For the longest time, I didn't even think I was worthy of living a beautiful life.”
Now, almost 20 years into his career, Colicchie has teamed up with Central Outreach and its Hep C Cure Squad to deliver the message he needed when he first entered recovery.
“When I was in early recovery, I was petrified [to get help] because of all the damage I did to my body. I didn’t know where to turn to,” he said. “Now, there are actual resources for people to go and get tested for whatever it is that you're dealing with. I think it's absolutely beautiful and it should be more widespread.”
In 2024, the Hep C Cure Squad cured 3,527 cases of Hepatitis C across Pennsylvania and Ohio through accessible testing in recovery centers, community events, and home visits. Director of Ohio Mobile Outreach Christina Gast hopes that this collaboration with Colicchie will reach even more people who need the Squad’s services.
“We wish to decrease the stigma and dehumanization that so many of our community experience every day,” said Gast. “We want to let people know that there is someone out there who wants to help and support.”
Now, you can order a free rapid Hep C test straight to your home at HepCMyWay.com. Just a quick finger prick, and you’ll have results in 15 minutes.
If positive, Central Outreach’s Hep C Cure Squad can come to you, or you can visit one of our six clinics for a blood draw and telehealth visit. No insurance? No problem. Medications ship within a week, and in 8-12 weeks, you’re cured!
