Integrating Hip‐Hop Culture and Rap Music Into Social Justice Counseling With Black Males

Abstract

In this article, the author suggests that Hip‐Hop culture and rap music, in particular, can be integrated into individual counseling interactions with Black male clients to discuss the social injustices (e.g., hypercriminalization) they face. Literature examining the history of Hip‐Hop culture and how rap music has been used therapeutically with Black males is presented. The article concludes with a vignette illustrating how Elligan's () rap therapy framework can help explore experiences Black male clients encounter.

Hip-Hop and Spoken Word Therapy in Urban School Counseling

“…A few articles have explored the use of hip-hop as a culturally responsive counseling service in schools and other mental health settings (Elligan, 2004;Levy, Emdin, & Adjapong, 2018;Travis & Deepak, 2011;Tyson, 2002Tyson, , 2003Washington, 2018). Tyson (2002) engaged African American and Latinx youth in discussions of hip-hop music as a means to promote therapeutic dialogue, finding improvements in peer relations and preference for hip-hop-based counseling over traditional approaches.…”

Twice Exceptional Students: Gifts and Talents, the Performing Arts, and Juvenile Delinquency

“…The third type of evidence is related to the seemingly nonrandom clustering of preferences for particular types of performance art among at‐risk youth. Specifically, there is literature (Baker & Homan, 2007; Buffam, 2011; Miranda & Claes, 2004; Russell, 1997; Washington, 2018) highlighting rap music and breakdancing as particularly performed, composed, created, and viewed and listened to by these youth. This literature is not extensive and is nonsystematic, yet it may be perceived as circumstantial evidence of the presence of the association between delinquency and the performing arts.…”

“Real Recognize Real”: Hip‐Hop Spoken Word Therapy and Humanistic Practice

“…Given the need to offer culturally responsive counseling services, scholars have explored hip‐hop interventions in counseling practice to support youth in processing difficult emotions (Travis & Deepak, ; Tyson, ; Washington, ). Hip‐hop practices have also gained traction because of the labeling of youth culture as hip‐hop culture (Emdin, ; Tillie‐Allen, ).…”

“…In this article, I have explored the importance of the therapeutic relationship and how youth of color experience a lack of realness or authenticity when pursuing counseling services in order to offer the practical implementation of a hip‐hop‐based humanistic model that can be used to remedy these concerns. Although a handful of scholars have explored the uses of hip‐hop‐based practices in counseling as culturally sensitive responses to some of these concerns (Kobin & Tyson, ; Travis & Deepak, ; Tyson, ; Washington, ), only a small portion of this research has been connected directly to humanistic practices or to hip‐hop's definitions of authenticity. In the final section, I will detail how counseling professionals may use the HHSWT model to satisfy all dimensions of authenticity in hip‐hop culture.…”