Hip-hop, Suicide, and Hope
by Dr. Vernon C. Lindsay, Dr. Damien Danielly, and Mr. Na’eem Wilkins
Hip-hop still lives. Its music and culture can prevent deaths by suicide. Nino Paid’s song, Joey Story offers us an example.
Nino Paid rhymes,
“Let me tell y’all a story
About somebody that I used to know
But for right now
We just gon’ call him Joey
We’ll call it “Joey story” for right now
Huh, huh (and I can’t go back)
Joey woke up one morning, he was tired of the world
He was tired of the dreams that he saw
He lived in the city in Cali, but now he in debt
‘Cause of all of the shit he done bought
He tired, just lookin’ to God and he losin’ his faith”
In Nino Paid’s song about a young man who chooses suicide rather than professional or familial help during a difficult time, there exists potential. Teachers can use Joe Story to facilitate difficult conversations, share mental health resources, stir creativity, and inspire leadership.
Approximately 28% of the 7,643 Black middle school participants reported suicidal thoughts, plans, or attempts in a study conducted by researchers Richardson and Gunn.
Hip-hop’s truths and lies
Our music needs to foster awareness. It should uplift Black children from low self-esteem and feelings of despair. Despite the “needs” and the “should” of hip-hop, it’s not a reality.
Hip-hop reflects the challenges in our communities and the influence of corporate marketing strategies. Misogyny, sex, and violence sell albums and fill concert venues. Many artists lack the courage and knowledge to embrace African-centered, womanist, or feminist values.
Women get disregarded, disrespected, and dissed through poorly crafted profane lyrics.
The social consciousness, youth empowerment, and “Fight the Power” message in tracks by Public Enemy, Common, The Roots, KRS-One, Talib Kweli, and others have stopped rotating as frequently on radio stations, streaming services, and other music-sharing platforms. To honor the life of Assata Shakur, listen to Common’s track, “A Song for Assata,” after reading this article. Common and other “conscious emcees” had their moments, too, when their music didn’t reflect justice and awareness.
However, in what some call “real hip-hop,” it’s possible to hear empowering messages between the bass and treble.
Beyond its role in mental health awareness and suicide prevention, hip-hop has the power to foster revolutionary creativity. From its origins in the 1970s to the present day, it can serve as a political tool for activism, racial awareness, resilience, equity, and social justice. More contemporary examples include the late Nipsey Hussle and YG.
Hip-hop Pedagogy
Over the summer, two of this article’s co-authors, Dr. Damien Danielly and Mr. Na’eem Wilkins, led the workshop, “Let’s get it: Hip-Hop as Pedagogy.” They discussed how student leaders can use hip-hop to create change movements. College Students at the Umoja Community Education Foundation’s Student Leadership Summit ate the content up, meaning they enjoyed the interactive workshop.
What is hip-hop pedagogy?
According to this resource, hip-hop pedagogy is the use of “learning activities through hip-hop elements in formal or informal learning environments.”
Through the Emcee, Break-dancing, Graffiti, DJ, Beat boxin’, and Do The Knowledge elements of hip-hop, educators, mental health professionals, and other community leaders can tune young minds into societal challenges and solutions.
Dr. Danielly started the workshop with a leadership call. “If you’re a leader, stand up!” Almost seventy-five percent of the room stood in response to his baritone voice. He followed up and asked everyone to stand.
The room applauded when every Umoja scholar stood.
During the presentation, Dr. Danielly and Mr. Wilkins discussed historical figures in freedom movements, referencing hip-hop artists, music, and images. They shared about Fred Hampton, Claudette Colvin, and Kendrick Lamar. With interactive group work, vibrant slides with album covers, and a DJ playing music during transitions, they delivered a dynamic lesson.
Hip-hop as suicide prevention
Suicide did not get addressed in the Student Leadership Summit workshop. However, the song, Joe Story, by Nino Paid and the artist Logic’s song, 1-800-273-8255, embody the hope in hip-hop to create awareness and inspire action.
Logic raps,
“All this other shit I’m talkin’ bout’, they think they know it
I’ve been praying for somebody to save me,
no one’s heroic
And my life don’t even matter, I know it, I know it
I know I’m hurting deep down, but can’t show it
I never had a place to call my own
I never had a home,
ain’t nobody callin’ my phone
Where you been?
Where you at? What’s on your mind?
They say every life precious but nobody care about mine”
The title of Logic’s song references the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number. Released in April 2017, the song narrates the journey of a distressed young man, struggling with his sexual identity, who reaches out for help and ultimately chooses to continue living after receiving support.
In the three weeks following its release, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline reported a 27% increase in call volume. Furthermore, after Logic’s live performance of the song at the MTV Video Music Awards in August 2017, calls to the Lifeline surged by 50%. Subsequent studies demonstrated that during periods when the song was released or performed at major music award shows, an estimated 245 fewer suicides occurred.
Teachers can do this.
Hip-hop can encourage students to engage with messages of activism, self-empowerment, and communal responsibility. It can act as protest music alongside suicide prevention. Songs like Joe Story and 1-800-273-8255 can support a multidimensional framework for exploring methods to mobilize, heal, and educate.
It’s important to have an open mind. A teacher does not need to enjoy hip-hop to find it useful. Authenticity and the willingness to learn are crucial for an effective class.
A hip-hop pedagogical lesson plan could include playing a song about suicide in the classroom and allowing time for students to analyze the lyrics. It would be helpful if students read the lyrics on a device or received them printed on a worksheet. Once the song ends, the teacher should provide five minutes of journaling time.
Either allow a free-write, or create guiding questions like, “What do you know about suicide?” “How did the song resonate with you?” “How do you think hip-hop influences your values and ways of seeing yourself?”
We also recommend consulting a professional therapist or a school counselor to join you in the class. The Association of Black Psychologists has a directory of mental health resources. Some students may struggle with the topic.
It’s important to create a safe, culturally responsive, and inclusive learning environment.
Assessments can vary. Options can include writing a song or poem in response to either Nino Paid or Logic’s songs. Another option can include creating an infographic about youth suicide that incorporates graffiti or another hip-hop element.
In this month of suicide awareness, explore innovative teaching methods and Black psychology resources to effectively reach students and provide them with solutions. Connect with the authors of this article at Umoja’s Annual Conference and share this resource in your teaching circles.
Dr. Vernon C. Lindsay, PhD
Dr. Vernon C. Lindsay, PhD is the Umoja Community Education Foundation’s Scholar in Residence. As a former associate professor at an international medical school in the Caribbean, he supports the foundation in conducting research, writing articles, developing curricula, and leading professional development sessions that incorporate culturally relevant practices and student-centered strategies.
Dr. Damien Danielly, EdD
Dr. Damien Danielly is the Regional Coordinator for Region 5 of the Umja Community Education Foundation.
He is an accomplished professional who completed his Doctor of Education (EdD) degree in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California. He has gained recognition as “The Hip-Hop Equity Doctor,” reflecting his deep commitment to addressing equity issues in education.
Na'eem Wilkins, MBA
Na’eem’s journey exemplifies resilience, leadership, and social impact. From Norfolk to Shaw University, he excelled academically and led multiple student organizations. Globally recognized and a White House HBCU Ambassador, he champions social justice, mentors youth, and empowers communities through his professional and entrepreneurial work, inspiring young men of color to overcome adversity.
A similar version of this article appeared on Dr. Vernon C. Lindsay’s blog.
Header image from Leo_Visions on Unsplash