Armen Rah’s Battle with Cancer

Update:

My father made his transition in his sleep Sunday, October 9th. We are in the process of planning for his memorial, scheduled for October 22nd, 2022. You can contact  anytime for more information. We are still accepting donations going towards this. 

His Story: 

My father, Armen Rah, needs our help to

get him through the most challenging time in his life.

Born in and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Armen Rah is an award-winning Poet, Emcee, and author. In October 2018, he was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon-rectal cancer. Now, in 2022, his doctors are stating there’s only a matter of time before his journey ends. By the grace of God, he is still here with us today. We’re asking for a tremendous amount of support to make this fight as comfortable as possible for Armen Rah.

His background:

Armen Rah is the Kemetic/ Egyptian name for God; this is the name of this ghetto griot from the Southside of Chicago. The chosen name represents the milestones that lead to the transformation of his life. Armen means darkness. Rah means the light; together, it means coming out of the darkness to be revealed into the light. His name is the story of a revolutionary poet, emcee, and activist who uses his past life experiences to uplift the misguided. In 2006 he was nominated for a Truth award in Chicago for Spoken word artist of the year. Armen’s militant rhymes and in-your-face battle-ready metaphors earned him three nominations for a Black Theatre Alliance Award. He won in 2005 for best performance in a music/dance program for the poem “Chains and Whips.” In 2000 he started the mentoring program P.O.E.M. (Poets Organized to Educate through Mentoring). In 2001 he toured the east coast and the Midwest with Frontline magazine. As a member of the Runaway Wordsmiths, Armen Rah is featured alongside many of Chicago’s best-spoken-word artists. In the spring of 2003, he opened for the revolutionary Hip Hop artist Dead Prez at the Dragon room. Later that year, he opened for Common and Erykah Badu At Union Hall. Also, in 2003 he won 1st place in Giovanni's spoken word competition. He also emceed and starred in the poetry/dance presentation “Tell it like it is” with the world-famous Najawa Dance corp. During his ‘off times’ when battling cancer, Armen Rah made his rounds throughout the Chicago poetry scene - you never know when and where you'll catch him seducing the audience with his stories and imagery.

What the funds will go towards:

Due to his battle with cancer, he’s been unable to work toward his career and maintain financial stability. While in hospice care, Armen’s battle has been challenging. During this time, we are asking for all the help we can get. The money raised will go towards needed medication, medical supplies, food, and his memorial service.