Authors: Vanessa Coker, Venus Johnson, Briana Stephenson
The goal of this podcast was to address various aspects of mental health. We began with a dissection of a few verses by African artists who explicitly spoke about their battles with depression. This led to conversations covering creative expression, drug abuse, spirituality and more. Next, we transitioned into a very honest and open discussion with hip hop ambassador, poet, and rapper Toni Blackman. She detailed bridging the gap between the privilege of mental health and hip hop culture. Toni Blackman expounds upon her own personal advocacies, projects, and efforts geared towards bridging the gap between the two worlds while using her platform as a international rapper.
Artists Mentioned:
Gigi Lamayne – https://soundcloud.com/gigi_lamayne
PatricKxxLee – https://soundcloud.com/patrickxxlee
Nthabi – https://soundcloud.com/msnthabi
Toni Blackman website: https://www.toniblackmanpresents.com
Hip Hop meditation soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/missblackman1
Research –
Hip hop and mental health – https://www.newframe.com/hip-hop-and-mental-health
Mental Illness: Invisible but devastating – https://www.un.org/africarenewal/magazine/december-2016-march-2017/mental-illness-invisible-devastating