Hip-Hop

A New Strategy

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes ONLY and is backed up by verifiable references. This is NOT a diagnostic tool; however, this IS a tool to create awareness of mental illness. Should you or a loved one have any concerns or exhibit any symptoms described here it is important to talk to your Physician as soon as possible, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or the SAMHSA National Helpline at (800) 662-4357.

It’s all entertainment when we think of notable celebrities who openly embrace the stigma of carrying a mental illness diagnosis. Some celebrities come to mind quickly than others at the mention of a mental illness pandemic amongst entertainment industry leaders.

Contrary to catching off guard paparazzi photographs of these entertainers during their most vulnerable moments. It’s not comedy in the least. In a recent article published by NBC News, a once stigmatized culture has taken the responsibility of incorporating Hip-Hop as a new strategy to cope with mental illness, grieving, loss, and stress. 

Wait! Did you say hip-hop? Unintelligent, degrading, lyrical worship of sex, drugs, money, and violence, hip-hop?  

Yes Chile!

I was all eyes in from there! Now I was reading, but let’s face it. Most negative connotations about today’s evolving Hip-Hop culture stems from a scared, uneducated community of opinionated assumptions. Which is why the idea that Hip-Hop culture has now taken the challenge to act outside of “status.”

To develop a healthy, outlet for those affected by mental illness and distress made me want to get up and C-walk like Serena Williams did at the Super Bowl Half Time Show!

Truth is, many people who are impacted by the complications of mental illness are often deterred from utilizing some of the most common resources out there to help. them cope because of vain repetition that does not carry the promise of healing, recovery, and hope.

These are the typical coping strategies taught to us growing up. A skill arsenal of stress relieving strategies taught from birth. “Breathe in through your nose, and out through your mouth,” “journal your thoughts,” “identify your surroundings to ground yourself,” “pop yourself with a rubber band,” “see a Clinician and get medication.” These “coping skills,” have been around for decades and only prove to be a bougie and ineffective idiocrasy (in my opinion). 

Hip-Hop Culture: Going Beyond The Music

Culture defined, is a way of life. It encompasses an elemental expression and living through various subcultures within the arts and entertainment industries. Through music, dance, fashion, language, and art. The movement was born out of South Bronx in the 70’s to cope and heal from social injustice amongst a community of people. Ones who harbored a deep love for that art of self-expression.

DJing, MCing, Graffiti art, B-Boy/Girl dancing. All of these are elemental of hip-hop culture. Music is one of the largest elements of the hip-hop culture, allowing it to be set apart from other cultural movements. The language and lyrical composition make it a great candidate for coping strategies. There is not a cap on the magnitude of emotion used in self-expression.

If there were a Hip-Hop Police Department, we may all be guilty of crime. It could be that reason alone causing the culture to become stigmatized by a community of people who has a misunderstanding of the various expressions of hip-hop. But there is more so much more. It’s not all negative.

“I didn’t think anyone wanted to hear what I had to say until it came out poetically to the people who hears poetically.”

Anonymous

When Hip-Hop Speaks

A young lady I had met some time ago had intrigued me with her expressive style in fashion. It did not come as a surprise when she told me that she was and entertainer. She had a very eccentric and artistic way of fashionable expression. She shared with me some of her music and poetry and I was very psychologically moved by the emotional delivery of it all.

Yet she seemed so quiet and timid through her loud fashion. I couldn’t imagine that she struggled with expressing herself after that presentation. She went onto reveal that she suffered from depression and was also amongst the community of neurodiverse minorities.

“Why haven’t you shared this with the world?” I asked her. I wanted to know why her talent was not mainstreamed or heard of.

She replied, “I didn’t think anyone wanted to hear what I had to say until it came out poetically to the people who hears poetically.”

She went on to express to me that she has had the most success in recovering from depression using art as emotional expression and that hip-hop gives her the opportunity to be part of a culture and community that understands.

CONCLUSION

Today we find a generation that avoids reaching out for clinical help for few reasons. They don’t believe the Clinicians understand, and because they just don’t have the access to the services. Hip-Hop was born out of a deep urge to express the hardships of life as urban youth in a time where minorities were encouraged to stay silent.

The social injustice fueled the development of a culture that defends and protects the creative expression of those who experience the lifestyle. Today, it defeats the stats on hip-hop as a gateway to sex, drugs, and violence by way of giving hope to a community of the underprivileged.

Hip-Hop therapy does not disregard proven traditional coping strategies. The goal is to capture raw emotion. It allows for a diverse community of people to exercise versatile creative expressions while maintaining and developing healthy boundaries. Engross in the culture and you will find a diverse community all on one accord. With respect to hip-hop culture for allowing them what would not otherwise accept in the world. The safest way to cry out for change is in a poetic delivery (my opinion again).

Whatever strategy appeal to you whether it is traditional coping strategies or developing coping strategies, I am extremely proud of you if you have read this far. 

Take every day one second at a time.

Encourage yourself.

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