Rapper severs penis, jumps off building and survives

News of a bizarre tragedy is emerging out of Los Angeles today, with TMZ, CNN and other media outlets reporting that a rapper named Andre Johnson of Northstar cut off his penis and jumped off a building, and survived.

Johnson, also known as Andre Roxx and Christ Bearer, according to TMZ, was with other members of Northstar in a second-floor apartment of a building in North Hollywood early this morning when suddenly and without warning, he mutilated himself and jumped from the balcony.

When they raced downstairs to find him, he was up and running around, screaming, TMZ said.

CNN quoted Los Angeles Police Sgt. William Mann as confirming that Johnson survived the fall and was taken, along with his recovered penis, to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he was being treated.

No word yet on what might have triggered this but the people who were with him told TMZ that at the time they were not doing "the kind of drugs" that might cause such an act.

Initial reports claimed Johnson was "associated" with Wu-Tang Clan, but a publicist for the group, Heathcliff Berru, said Johnson is actually with Northstar. He's not in Wu-Tang Clan nor directly affiliated with it, Berru said, at least not in the eight years he's worked with the group.

However, Northstar, a Long Beach, California, hip-hop group, is on the list of WTC "affiliates," according to Wikipedia.

Johnson, who performs as Christ Bearer, has recording credits that include When the Guns Come Out, which was included on the soundtrack of the 2004 film Blade: Trinity, according to the Internet Movie Database.