ABSTRACT
My work using rap music in a therapeutic setting first began in 2004. Since that time, I’ve focused my social work career on developing a communitydriven model for treatment for urban youth of color resistant to traditional therapy by using Hip-Hop as a catalyst for change and development. This journey has been both enlightening and rewarding. Over the years, I have observed the efficacy of Rap Therapy among youth of color in need of therapeutic intervention. These youth come from communities where stigma to mental health services and negative experiences with therapy discourage many young people from pursuing services. Especially noteworthy has been the impact of Rap Therapy in a group work setting for African American young men, a population that exhibits some of the most unfortunate social, mental, and academic outcomes throughout the nation including in Oakland, California, where I live and work as a social worker.
