Introduction

The Healing Power of Hip Hop, whose authors are Alexander Crooke and Raphael Travis Jr., was published in The Conversation, an independent non-profit source of news, commentary and analysis, on July 27, 2017. The thesis of this article is that Hip Hop has healing properties, that is, it can and should be used as a therapy or health strategy and should be celebrated for its numerous transformative and liberating values, powers and tools. The purpose and intention of the authors when writing it is to convince that Hip Hop has a lot to offer for the benefit of society. This article was written considering the statements by William Bratton, a police commissioner, who accused rap music, more precisely the whole movement, for a backstage shooting that caused a death at a concert by the rapper T.I. and also for the cultivation and celebration of violence, discarding key and bigger issues such as gun control.

Summary of the Content 

Following the line of reasoning and the guiding thread of the article, according to the authors, Hip Hop culture, more precisely rap (one of its pillars), has been pursued over the years for its influence and its negative impacts on society, especially on children, once it is often linked to profanity, misogyny, violence, crime, materialism and substance abuse. All of these topics do appear in the songs, but this is only one side of the coin, as these themes are celebrated mostly in mainstream rap. While many look only this way, Hip Hop culture must be celebrated in its pure and raw state, as being based on values of social justice, fidelity, peace, respect, self-esteem, community, fun, etc. These values are increasingly being used as a form of therapy to work with young people. Hip Hop has been normalized as a mental health strategy and as a form of therapy by school counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, etc. Whether analyzing existing music or creating new content, the wide range of themes found in the songs allows therapists to talk about topics that would otherwise be difficult to address.
Hip Hop is a phenomenon that is spread worldwide and that has spread through two main factors. One is the commercialization of culture as a commodity or merchandise, which has made it one of the most influential industries in the world. Another is that it is easily accessible and popular. You can create a beat easily using your own mouth via beatbox. The expansion of free or economical programs that allow the creation and access to music allows greater reach and accessibility, causing greater flexibility as to creativity and even opens doors for entrepreneurship.

One of the purposes and one of the basic concepts of this culture is to fight against exclusion and discrimination in order to achieve equity and justice, which is one of the reasons why it is very inclusive, leaving no one aside. Another reason is the fact that there is space and there is something for everyone and it is not necessary to practice one of the 5 elements (Beatbox, Mc, DJ, Breakdance or Graffiti), it is only necessary to have the same values that identify it, aiming at self-consciousness and social awareness.
This movement emerged on the heels of the civil rights movement as a reaction to the gang culture, violence and brutality of the South Bronx police in the 1970s and the daily experiences of poverty, racism, exclusion, crime, violence and neglect. Necessarily, it integrates and praises resilience, understanding, community and social justice. Many communities still face the effects of discrimination, segregation and injustice and Hip Hop is a powerful voice for combating these problems.

Analysis of the Content and Structure 

I am completely in accordance with what is presented in the article. Hip Hop, its brightest side and its maximum and finest expression, can and should be used as a deliberate and expansive instrument in the construction of a broader imaginary or as a key to understanding the world and the diverse realities that characterize them. There are countless ways to explore the world using Hip Hop tools: through mcing (which involves rapping and wordplay), djing and production (which is the musical part itself), beatboxing (vocal percussion), graffiti (at its core it is the writing or drawings made on any surface) and breakdancing (the dancing part). All these 5 elements come together and form one mass and function as a whole. We can also create a melody or rhythm through our vocal cords and record them using a recording device (loop station for example) or use our body to produce body beatbox. It is possible to create it using a table, wall, bench, etc. We may not even use any melody on you and bet on an acappella, the important thing is to be creative!
This art can be healing as the title indicates, through self-knowledge that is automatically linked to identity, continuous self-reflection, improvement for both the individual and the community, from reunion on the idea of peace and unity to the fact that there is another direction other than the criminal life, substance abuse, etc. This art can also be used as a learning strategy at a time when it is necessary to innovate the teaching method. Teachers can teach classes that are more animated and that are more easily remembered through music, more precisely through rhyming patterns, but above all, to develop skills it is necessary to reach the end of the day and students are able to ask themselves: what and how can I learn and how can I grow? Since education must not only be the transmission of knowledge, it must also address people's needs and the motivating factor that is one of the keys to education, thus trying to avoid a law that marks academic goals. In this way, children develop their own intellect, their own critical spirit and their own ideas and concepts. According to Christopher Emdin: "Education is not memorization. It is the activation of the imagination and a path towards liberation". Being inspired is a vital form of energy, it is a component that motivates us to explore and go further and helps us discover who we really are and what we want to do. Thus, what you want to transmit becomes much more colorful, since everything becomes much more expressive, flourishing, fluent and dynamic.

Through artists or educators and tutors who occupy a role as role models, words of advice should be given to help in reflections and decision making. This can be a gateway to a more positive way to be the best version of ourselves and to find our place in society and to help us to be better. It can also be used as a venting strategy or to relieve pain in the songwriting process, or even through painting, etc. We buy so much from the outside when the greatest energy is within us, we can express it by producing the soundtrack or painting of our life. We can also connect and identify with the content of other artistic elements, thus bringing a voice to something that we might not be able to articulate on our own. In this way, it is possible to express ourselves fully and as we are besides developing self-esteem and resilience, since there are many adversities, challenges and obstacles that we have to face, and it is important to learn how to deal with all these barriers. Hip Hop merges with other styles and crosses other cultures, therefore, it is possible to say that it is a complete artform.

Hip Hop may also be harmful. This dark side of the coin is presented in the main mainstream media, where only a limited portion of what exists in Hip Hop is being promoted for 40 years now (it was a subculture and then entered the radio when people realized that money could be made and the market got involved), which has to do with changes in the entertainment industry, especially regarding the content of songs, where there is a clear exposure to risky behaviors and attitudes. Hip Hop has been turned into a product to sell, rather than simply an art. This affects people's view of the culture, which have access to a very limited part of it. It was born with a meaning that has been distorted over time, but little by little the original message on which it was created is being recovered. As KRS-One mentions in his song Hip Hop is One: "If Hip Hop has the ability to corrupt young minds, it also has the ability to uplift them". That said, it is important to find a space to discuss these issues.

The message in this article is relevant, valuable and has been successfully transmitted, doing justice to its title and to the good use of rhetorical modes effectively. The language presented is informal, which facilitates its understanding and makes the message objective, in addition to manifesting sufficient and well-structured arguments that culminate in a well-segmented and organized text.

Conclusion

It is important that we use Hip Hop as a source of positive energy or as a healing power, that is, in the right way. It is more than music, it is a complete and vibrant culture that over the past four decades has spoken for generations, giving voice to excluded populations and those who are not heard. Many criticize the culture when mentioning that its music promotes aggressiveness, brutality and other bad behaviors by nature. To change and clean this image it is necessary to use Hip Hop correctly using positive themes, at a time when it is so easy to access content it is necessary to demonstrate that it is possible to it is possible to combat the structural problems that are present in society, such as sexism, racism, etc., develop projects that contribute to society and the well-being of all, as well as its use to learn and grow, in order to expand and open its horizons along with its vision. All of this is possible if we celebrate culture according to its foundations of respect, education, love, humility, complicity, etc. At its core, Hip Hop is a renewable food, since there is no end, and this is its rejuvenating and healing power. It is not only for the younger generation, it is also for the older generation, since everyone is included. 

Bibliography