This is Your Brain on Hip Hop
[Shane Alexander, a writer at brother site Geeks&Beats, has this special report on our brains and the effect of hip hop. – AC]
Hip Hop is the most dominant musical culture. Based on this realization, an essay has been published by Mashable titled This is your brain on Hip Hop: how Rap music affects human emotion. It includes audio and informative graphics. The essay shares the growing presence of Hip Hop therapy. The goal is to investigate”the science behind how music moves us on a psychological, emotional, and physical level.
(Full disclosure: The essay was backed by Bose so it’s clear that it’s a marketing strategy for Bose’s QC35 II headphones.)
The paper does provide statistical data and informative content. For one, “[R]esearchers posit that Rap music and Hip-Hop may be useful tools for treating patients with depression or low self-esteem,” the essay says. The essay uses rap lyrics to discuss issues pertaining to mental health, known as Hip Hop Psych. As the essay explains, “The researchers hope the project will help break down barriers and stigmas within the Hip-Hop industry and will facilitate better conversations about mental health.
