African Hip Hop and Mental Health

toni blackman

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

Video: WTFIMH—What The Fuck Is Mental Health?

Song: https://youtu.be/6EkBXb1vaHU

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