HAVERHILL, Mass. (AP) - Logan Godfrey, 28, is not your typical hip-hop artist.
The 2005 Haverhill High School graduate is anathema to the more common hip-hop values of illicit drugs, money and degrading woman.
Godfrey, who goes by the stage-name Lucky, said he's been rapping against substance abuse, suicidal tendencies and other self-injurious behaviors since he uploaded his first song onto the Internet a little more than three years ago.
"I've seen how young, easily influenced, and impressionable my fans can be," said Godfrey, who has 30,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel and whose five rap videos and 76 songs have received around 2 million views.
"I want to inspire my fans to improve their lives and stay away from drugs and violence and improve their lives," he said.
Godfrey's latest music video "Rap Titan" - about the heroin epidemic that has exploded in the country and region and hit Haverhill especially hard -- is his most popular yet.
"Given the current opiate epidemic, the stars aligned for me," Godfrey said. "I felt like this was a great time to positively influence my fan base since I now have everyone's attention. My movement is something way bigger than just me. I'm not in this for the money, I'm in it to make a difference."
Godfrey and his friend Jonathan Harvey of Methuen, also 28, are the main actors in the "Rap Titan" video. Godfrey said they spent eight days filming the video, using 21 locations, four actors, eight wardrobes and numerous props to drive home their anti-drug message.
"In the video, I was able to display the dangers of the epidemic - withdrawal, violence, crime, and ultimately hitting rock bottom and reaching out to God," said Godfrey, who calls himself an "evangelist rapper."
In the video, the main character goes to purchase drugs, but a man in dark clothes stops him. The main character then goes to rob a store, but the man in dark clothes stops him again. He then runs away from the mysterious man and arrives at a church where he undergoes an emotional breakdown. He sees the man in dark clothes leaving one of the church pews and is fearful of what he may do. The man in black flips the troubled addict a penny to wish him luck, accompanied by his newly found faith to overcome his addiction.
The video is interspersed with religious scenes and includes graffiti depictions of pop culture iconic pacifists such as John Lennon, Bob Marley and Jimi Hendrix.
"Rap Titan" has reached roughly 280,000 YouTube audio and video views and received 6,000 "likes" and 3,000 comments since it was posted on YouTube almost two weeks ago, Godfrey said. The accompanying description of the video includes a hotline phone number for anyone with a drug problem or who wants to get help for someone they know with a problem.
"I am a strong advocate of Jesus Christ," Godfrey said. "Music has allowed me to preach his good word, but also strengthen my relationship with him. I intend to help educate and keep people aware of the dangers of the drugs. Someone needs to take a stand on this horrible epidemic now. My cause is necessary and I'm passionate about what I do."
Godfrey credits his fans for any success he has had.
"I'm not important," he said. "What's important is my message and my fans. I love my fans. They changed my life and I want to change theirs for the better. I've succeeded and I want them to succeed."
Godfrey said he got in to music to make traditional CD's, but eventually realized he could make a difference in people's lives.
"Instead go going to see a counselor, kids were coming to see me," he said. "Obviously I'm not a professional counselor. What I am is someone who can make a difference through my music by spreading a positive message that kids can relate to. The opportunity to do what I do best really presented itself with this heroin epidemic."
Godfrey and Harvey said they have seen kids they went to school with die from heroin overdoses.
According to Haverhill police, 200 people overdosed on heroin in 2014, including 25 deaths. Three more people have died in the city from suspected heroin overdoses in the first three weeks this year, police said.
"Everyone seems to know someone who has died from heroin recently," Godfrey said.