RAPPER Tony Horton was up against danger every day growing up on the mean streets of South Central LA.

The tough-talking hip hop artist soon learned how to cope with losing friends to drugs or gang warfare.

But it was the death of a 15-year-old Scots schoolboy that led him to his biggest challenge yet.

And the result is a hard-hitting new rap album which warns against the dangers of drugs.

Tragic teen DJ Craig Stirling left behind a huge archive of his own music and remixes after dying from an ecstasy overdose in 2007.

The teenager, from Dalry, Ayrshire, collapsed on the street after taking the drug.

After his death, heartbroken parents Gordon, 49, and Jennifer, 50, could only listen to the recordings and mourn for their son's wasted life.

But then a chance meeting between Tony - who moved to Scotland two decades ago - and taxi driver Gordon changed all their lives.

Tony, 46, said: "I was taking a cab home one night and the driver started telling me about his son's music.

"I said I'd like to meet him and maybe collaborate. That's when he told me he'd passed away from ecstasy. It just hit me right there, man."

Tony, who's now based in Glasgow, pulled a few strings with music industry pals.

The result is the four-track CD Craig From The Grave, which blends Craig's remixes with original music by Tony and rapper B4.

Tony first came to Scotland as a professional basketball player in the 1980s.

Since then he has combined community hip hop projects and basketball clinics for disadvantaged youngsters with remixing and radio voiceovers.

He said: "I've made mistakes and I've lost people through drugs but Craig From The Grave is not glorifying doing anything bad.

"It's just bringing it up so the kids can look in the mirror and say, 'Right, how can I change myself?' " Gordon, Jennifer and Tony have formed the Craig Stirling Trust, which they hope to register as a drugs awareness charity following the release.

Tony's pals, top Scots record producers Duncan Cameron and Ian Morrow, weighed in with their support by remastering and marketing the record.

Duncan, who has produced Travis and Teenage Fanclub, said: "I was happy to help out. It's a very worthwhile project."

Ian, who's produced Wet Wet Wet, added: "I have kids myself and the message and the story about drugs is one I've told to them."

The CD is being promoted on Kerchoons.com, Ian's new online music platform and released on Tony's Imperial Shotgun label.

Ian added: "Any proceeds will be ploughed back into the trust. We'll be supporting and pushing the record."

Mum Jennifer said the project had given her hope and strength to carry on.

She added: "I can still hear my boy's voice in the music and I still feel I'm able to do something for him.

"If he was here now he's probably turn around and say, 'This is the business, man!'

"I can't thank Tony enough for what he's done."

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