Albuquerque rapper Andrew “Wake Self” Martinez was hit by a drunk driver on Sunday night (Nov. 3) in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He was transported to the Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center where he passed away. He was 30 years old.
The beloved artist had planned to perform at his album release party for his project Ready To Live in Santa Fe on Thursday, Nov. 7. On Oct. 15, Martinez posted a promo video telling everyone that his album was finally completed.
Sources report that 28-year-old Kevin Allende was in the vehicle with Martinez at the time of the accident. A Santa Fe police report revealed that a black truck was traveling west on an eastbound lane at 10 PM on Sunday, colliding into Martinez’s silver sedan.
The driver of the truck, Diego Pichardo, 24, was charged with DWI and two counts of causing great bodily harm and driving with a revoked license. Like most drunk drivers, Pichardo is a repeat offender with a history of DWI arrests.
Martinez was known for making music important to the culture and honoring the Latinx community. One of his last posts on social media talked about his devout commitment to living an inspiring life and his roots.
“My family lived in government housing,” he posted. “We had no carpet just a dirt floor, and the water quality was bad. Drinking the water got me really sick as an infant. I had to stay in intensive care for months without going home to my family. When my mom tells me this story, she says they weren’t sure I was going to make it, but when things were looking their worst a miracle happened and one of the doctors found a treatment that saved my life.”
He continued, “When my mother 1st told me all of this, it made me believe in miracles. Later, I learned that we are all miracles. We have this precious opportunity called life! Everyday, I wake up and give gratitude for this blessing to be alive. I pray a miracle happens to you and changes the way you think and see the world. You gon’ make it.”
The community shared their condolences for the late rapper.
Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller tweeted, “With the passing of Wake Self, ABQ lost a powerful voice. His music was about resilience and respect for young people, elders, and women and his legacy won’t be forgotten. We’re thinking of his family & friends today, and those he touched with his music.”
“Our hearts pour out to the family and friends of Andrew Martinez (@WakeSelf),” said a tweet from the venue, Meow Wolf, where Martinez was supposed to perform. “His energy will forever reverberate within the walls of our venue.”
Condolences to his family, friends and fans.
