Hip Hop + Life

Rap and Recovery: Harnessing the

Power of Hip Hop
BY: PATRICK SAINT CRAVEN
What is “Hip Hop”

 Hip hop, is a form of poetry that relies on what we call “16 bars”. To
create 16 bars, to a verse you need to master the art of freestying.
Freestyling is a key ingredient to the MC. It’s the art of making words
and syllables fit together like puzzle pieces, without looking at what
you’ve written.
Another form of hip hop is called chopping. Chopping needs 100%
focus, and concentration. It’s saying whatever is in your head,
making it rhyme WHILE counting the syllables faster than they can
be said.
 To be a true hip hop head, and appreciate the art of story telling,
you must understand what it does for your mind and body.
Hip Hop or “Rap
Music”, started as
what is commonly
referred to as DJ
Battling. A Disc
Jockey would spin his
records while the MC
or Mic Controller
rhymed over it.

The Idea was to hype

the crowd on the
DJ’s skills, but
eventually the MC
was the main
attraction
Hip Hop Then and Now
Now that you know a little history on the genre, you may wonder
how this is can help you in your life. Creative expression can actually
help you handle difficult stressors in your life and get through hard
times! For me, hip hop is creative expression. For you, it might be
painting, dancing, playing an instrument , you name it
These are some Hip Hop Beats.
How do they make you feel?
On this you may be a little
What about this?
upbeat.
Close your eyes and listen.
A study was made
about how the tempo’s
of certain genres
change brain waves,
ART can change your
brain!
When you are anxious, depressed,
upset, angry, craving, feeling low….

TRY ART!
A study used five personality traits
for a test on: openness to
experience, extraversion,
agreeableness, conscientiousness
and emotional stability.
The test proved that each
emotion and reaction to
the test were different.
These were the results of the test
 To break it down, here is the connection they have found:
• Blues fans have high self-esteem, are creative, outgoing, gentle and
at ease
• Jazz fans have high self-esteem, are creative, outgoing and at ease
• Classical music fans have high self-esteem, are creative, introvert
and at ease
• Rap fans have high self-esteem and are outgoing
• Opera fans have high self-esteem, are creative and gentle
• Country and western fans are hardworking and outgoing
• Reggae fans have high self-esteem, are creative, not hardworking,
outgoing, gentle and at ease
• Dance fans are creative and outgoing but not gentle
• Indie fans have low self-esteem, are creative, not hard working, and
not gentle
• Bollywood fans are creative and outgoing
• Rock/heavy metal fans have low self-esteem, are creative, not
hard-working, not outgoing, gentle, and at ease
• Chart pop fans have high self-esteem, are hardworking, outgoing
and gentle, but are not creative and not at ease
• Soul fans have high self-esteem, are creative, outgoing, gentle, and
at ease
SUMMARY

 How can you use this information to help YOU?

 FIND YOUR HIP HOP
 Find the creative expression that sets you free!
 Practice, perform, have fun, just do it!

 Creativity can change our brains, can help us heal, and can help us
get through challenges no matter what our ability or background.

 Thank you.