EVENT

Dead Rappers Get Better Promotion? The Health Crisis in Hip-Hop

After giving the very best of themselves to the world, some of hip-hop’s most notable MCs have died seemingly premature deaths.

Despite the appearance of success and the global acclaim for which rap artists are celebrated, their lives are often a grueling 24 hours cycle of touring, appearances and recording designed to optimize the commodification of their bodies.  This continuous cycle of production is often coupled with indulgences that are often in direct opposition to the positive health of an artist and an absence of health care.  The truncated lifespan of many rap artists have experienced may be contextualized within institutional racism and be representative of negative health outcomes for Black men and women throughout American society.  What obligation do the institutions that extract the creativity and labor of Black bodies have to replenish and ensure they are healthy and properly maintained?

In this #BHeard Town Hall, BRIC will examine the health and mental health of rap artists and see how improving their health outcomes can become a model for all.