Hip-hop interventions have been accredited for boosting mental and physical health in the youth. Some of its effects are not scientifically proven but can be explained by social and cultural factors. Here, I will explore the benefits of both listening and creating hip-hop music as they provide insight into how the brain operates fundamentally.
Background on Hip-Hop
In the US specifically, hip-hop has been given a bad reputation because of its association with certain elements of rap like crime, drug use, and profanity. The industry turned towards those kinds of songs in the 1990s when record labels began promoting and popularizing these issues.(1) Artists who were spreading positive messages of hope and prosperity would get turned down because the songs didn't sell as well. But, at its core, hip-hop has many positive benefits and especially resonates with young people regardless of where they come from. In fact, hip-hop became the most downloaded genre of music in the United States in 2017(2). Typically, hip-hop songs spread knowledge of unique cultures or places and share success stories of people who came from nothing that uplift the listeners.
The Benefits of Listening to Hip-Hop
Hip-Hop and the Brain
Three main brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters are released when listening to one’s favorite genre: dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin(3). When a person listens to music that gives them chills, the neurotransmitter dopamine is released into the brain. Hip-hop music has gained popularity in youths because it generally expresses personal feelings and thoughts directly to the listener. As the individual develops an emotional connection, it creates these chills also known as musical frissons(3). These chills are produced from the interaction between the cerebral cortex and hypothalamus(4). The cerebral cortex interprets the musical signal and stimulates the pleasure, emotional, and creative centers which then triggers the hypothalamus that controls the skin nerves. Dopamine helps us enter into a state of high happiness and pleasure which excites and motivates us.
In contrast to dopamine, endorphins are typically released by our body in response to pain or stress. But, research has shown that while listening to our favorite music, people suffer from less anxiety or stress and feel more energetic and active(5). They call these music boosting endorphins. Our favorite music can also raise the levels of serotonin in our blood. Serotonin is produced by nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord and is responsible for regulating our emotions. It can modulate dopamine levels during high pleasure states so that we remain calm and peaceful. Due to the strong popularity of hip-hop among youth, researchers believe using hip-hop for music therapy would elicit more relaxed and calm feelings, improving our daily mood.
Hip-Hop and Immune System
The same sensations of pleasure and happiness also stimulate an output of antibodies that improve the immune system. The immune system consists of organs like the spleen, thymus, tonsils, and skin that protects our body from outside invaders and germs. Certain antibodies that are produced, like immunoglobulin A, boost the effectiveness of the immune system by recognizing and binding to particular antigens of bacteria and viruses.(6) In addition, natural killer cells, which are white blood cells that bind to infected cells, are released and attack viruses invading the body. This type of natural protection that music stimulates prevents an individual from getting sick or falling ill.
Music also reduces levels of stress hormones like cortisol and lowers anxiety. This is extremely helpful during medical procedures when one’s body is undergoing a lot of pain and stress. Dr. Paul Paterson, an orthopedic hand surgeon, discusses employing personalized music to reduce anxiety when treating Carpal Tunnel syndrome. This Carpal Tunnel relief and release procedure helps patients get through the surgery with less invasive treatments and allows them to recover better as well(General Physician PC Blog). This shows the benefits of music not only on the mood but also on the physical aspects of the body like stress tolerance and healthy living.
Creating Hip-Hop Music Benefits
While listening to hip-hop music has great benefits for oneself, creating the music can be even more powerful. Hip-hop expressive arts therapy (HEAT) developed by Dr. Edgar Tyson in 2011 is a type of therapy that uses hip-hop cultural elements of music, art, poetry and dance to promote individual transformation and healing. The music interventions strategies are synchronized and rhythmic, evolving beyond traditional therapy methods like talk therapy. This type of therapy has been applied to treat depression and anxiety within disenfranchised youth(7).
Freestyling Effects
While the therapeutic framework is still being consolidated, the expression of individuals through hip-hop has been proven beneficial in increasing efficiency and productivity. Researchers at Cambridge University have explored the brains of rappers while they were freestyling, an impromptu form of rap. They recognized that it puts their brains into a flow state, a state of full task engagement and low levels of worrying or self-reflection(8). The flow state is triggered by the Locus Coeruleus Norepinephrine(LC-NE) system which controls the blood flow, metabolism, and distribution of oxygen and glucose. The most direct impacts are higher creativity and increased attention span and focus, which allows individuals to perform at a higher level. Additionally, the flow state is associated with increased happiness, motivation, and emotional regulation which is attributed to the hormonal releases described earlier. While people who are not rappers may not enter this flow state while freestyling specifically, expression through the arts can be a powerful way to keep your body in a healthy state while being creative and innovative at the highest level. Paying attention to activities that put you in the zone can help you get into the flow state.
Experimental Studies on Hip-Hop
After understanding how hip-hop music theoretically works in improving mood and creativity, I looked at experimental studies to see whether it actually produces these benefits for young people and adolescents in real life. When looking at previous studies that tested this claim, the studies have generally been favorable to supporting hip-hop’s positive effects.
The first study, a survey done on the use of rap music in music therapy for young adults by Sarah Renshaw in 2015, concluded that musical improvisation had a “clinically significant positive effect on depressive symptoms of adolescents and young adults with substance abuse issues.”(9) Another exploratory study done by Edgar Tyson, the founder of HEAT, also concluded that adolescents who listened or chose to listen to hip hop music formed better relationships with better communication indicated by the Index of Peer Relations(IPR) scale.(7)
However, some studies do disagree with the claim that hip-hop improves mental and physical outcomes. When looking at a comprehensive study of hip-hop based interventions by Robinson et al, the studies that used the experimental designs suggested that hip-hop may not improve outcomes on mood and behavior compared to control interventions.(10) Further research was needed because the interventions vary across health behavior and the environment.
In conclusion, music therapy as a whole can have significant benefits for individuals. As such, hip-hop in particular should be considered as a viable option for the youth considering its ability to produce an emotional connection which boosts happiness and also the way creating hip-hop music can put the brain and body in a healthier, more productive state. But, music is highly individualized and people should explore what puts them in the best state of mind that then allows them to be creative and innovative.
Sources
(1)Sunday Morning “Hip hop: a ‘positive and generous force in our society”. RNZ October 2017 ’
(2) John Lynch “For the first time in history, hip-hop has surpassed rock to become the most popular music genre, according to Nielsen” Insider January 2018
(3) Sonya McGilchrist “Music 'releases mood-enhancing chemical in the brain'” BBC News January 2011
(4) “Music’s Impact on Medical Outcomes” Cloud Cover.
(5) Vanessa Van Edwards “ The Benefits of Music: How the Science of Music Can Help You” Science of People
(6) Amy Novotney. “Music as Medicine” American Psychological Association November 2013
(7)Hip Hop Therapy: An Exploratory Study of a Rap Music Intervention with At-Risk and Delinquent Youth Edgar H. Tyson, MSW 2002
(8) Joshua Espinoza “Researchers Are Exploring the Ways Hip-Hop Can Heal the Brain” Complex December 2017
(9)THE USE OF RAP MUSIC IN MUSIC THERAPY TREATMENT WITH ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS”: A SURVEY Sarah Renshaw 2015
(10) “A Review of Hip Hop-Based Interventions for Health Literacy,Health Behaviors, and Mental Health”
Cendrine Robinson1, Elizabeth L. Seaman2, LaTrice Montgomery3, and Adia Winfrey4