JELLO BIAFRA HOSPITALIZED AFTER SUFFERING STROKE, PUNK ICON REPORTED STABLE
Punk icon and Dead Kennedys co-founder Jello Biafra was hospitalized over the weekend after suffering a stroke. The vocalist, activist, and longtime spoken-word artist is reportedly stable while receiving medical care.
The news was shared through the Instagram account for Alternative Tentacles Records, the independent label Biafra co-founded.
According to the statement, Biafra experienced a hemorrhagic stroke caused by high blood pressure on Saturday, March 7.
Biafra described the moment the stroke occurred in his own words:
“I hopped out of my bed because I needed to pee, and my left leg just collapsed under me and I fell to the floor. I couldn’t even break the fall with my left arm because it wasn’t working either. I tried to hop back up again, and I couldn’t. I realized I had ‘fallen and I can’t get up!’
It was this point I thought, ‘Oh shit, I’m having a stroke!’
I still have a lot of great stuff in me, but right now I got a lot of rehabbing to do.”
The label added that Biafra is “hospitalized but stable,” noting that everyone at Alternative Tentacles is grateful he is receiving the care he needs and that updates will be shared when possible.
Though Biafra has not performed with Dead Kennedys in decades, he remains a highly visible voice in punk culture and politics. Just weeks ago, he made headlines after responding to the current Dead Kennedys lineup’s decision to continue playing the controversial Punk in the Park festival despite backlash over the organizer’s political donations.
In a statement to Stereogum, Biafra said:
“They’re taking the money $$$, and THEN pulling out? The real Dead Kennedys would never have let this happen in the first place. One more sordid reason I don’t ever want to play with them again.”
The festival was eventually canceled after several bands withdrew.
For now, fans across the punk community are hoping Biafra makes a full recovery. Punk has never exactly been known for politeness, and few voices have been as sharp, fearless, or relentlessly outspoken as his.