Using Therapeutic Beat Making and lyrics for empowerment

Abstract

Summary Mental health remains a significant issue among young people in the US and elsewhere. Evidence of the beneficial role Hip Hop-based approaches can play in this space is growing. The value of such approaches centers on links to community, culture, and the therapeutic potential of practicing certain Hip Hop elements. Yet, while there has been a steady growth in Hip Hop-based approaches, little work has explored how they can overlap, complement, or reinforce each other. In response, this article explores the theoretical synergies between two established Hip Hop-based models – “Hip Hop and Empowerment” (HHE) and “Therapeutic Beat Making” (TBM) – to offer an integrated approach that draws on the complementarity between and uniqueness of each. Findings Authors identify an integrated HHE–TBM model for supporting youth mental health which forefronts sense of community, cultural relevance, social justice, and empowerment. Authors outline a practice model, which leverages the best of activities, reflections, and discussions, and indicate its potential in working adaptively with diverse communities of young people. Applications When engaging Hip Hop for therapeutic means, whether for health promotion or complex therapy, it is a dynamic, creative, culturally sensitive, regulating, and developmental means for finding common ground and creating rapport. It bridges creative and insight-oriented practices. It embraces the ability to generate emotional responses from creating and analyzing music, including esthetic emotions (i.e. appreciation (of qualities)), utilitarian emotions (i.e. functional, motivational, relevant to immediate well-being, goal-oriented), and epistemic emotions (i.e. gained knowledge or insight, awareness).

Entering the Ambient

“…Wei (2020) noted that modern popular dance culture originated in Black and Brown communities as an act of necessary resistance against white 1 supremacy towards reclaiming joy and community on the dance floor. Authors such as Crooke (2018), Travis et al (2019), and Viega (2018) have stressed the importance of cultural responsiveness and reflexivity as central to clinical practice, especially when working with Black, Brown, Indigenous, and people of color and whose preferred music is created with the use of music technologies. Therefore, as the use of various music technologies increase in daily practice there is a need to nurture cultural humility and responsiveness, and to take an anti-oppressive stance within training, supervision, and practice.…”

“Now We’re All Family”: Exploring Social and Emotional Development in a Summer Hip Hop Mixtape Camp

“…Strategies to promote positive development and optimal mental health through music can range from informal to highly-structured, formal interventions. Effort may be informal self-care strategies by individuals, general prevention and education strategies guided by facilitators, or more structured and codified therapeutic regimens such as the Critical Cycle of Mixtape Creation (Levy & Travis, 2020), Hip Hop Therapy (Tyson, 2002), Rap Therapy (Elligan, 2000), Hip Hop Empowerment (Travis et al, 2020), and Therapeutic Beat Making (Travis et al, 2019a, b). Thus, people may choose to engage music in their everyday life for learning, growth, or coping, recognizing its empowering and health-enhancing effects, with or without any professional or facilitator-mediated support (Anyiwo et al, 2021;Batt-Rawden et al, 2007;Travis, 2013Travis, , 2016.…”

Exploring the Use of Hip Hop-Based Music Therapy to Address Trauma in Asylum Seeker and Unaccompanied Minor Migrant Youth

“…Hip Hop culture, which includes music (DJing/beat making), verbal expressions (rapping), visual arts (graffiti), and dance (breakdancing) (Rose, 1993), is gaining increasing attention in the creative arts therapy space (Travis et al, 2020). The academic discourse around the potential of Hip Hop culture in school and therapeutic spaces more generally has grown exponentially in recent decades (Crooke et al, 2020).…”

“…These days, a growing number of scholars indicate the positive impact of Hip Hop Culture and related activities on youth (Alvares, 2012). Travis et al (2020) presents the two known Hip Hop based models to enhance wellbeing. One of those models is called Hip Hop Empowerment (HHE); this model applies Hip Hop activities to facilitate empowerment opportunities for marginalized young people at risk.…”

“…One of those models is called Hip Hop Empowerment (HHE); this model applies Hip Hop activities to facilitate empowerment opportunities for marginalized young people at risk. The other model, called Therapeutic Beat Making™ (TBM), uses electronic music production as a multi-dimensional well-being enhancement tool (Travis et al, 2019;Travis et al, 2020). Those models and practices are taken into account by the therapists to design the activities related to Hip Hop Therapy and Hip Hop Culture because of the special interests of the participants in the Hip Hop-based activities.…”