Chapter Ten

FROM VIOLENT RAP TO LOVELY BLUES:

THE TRANSFORMATION OF AGGRESSIVE
BEHAVIOR THROUGH VOCAL MUSIC
THERAPY
All rights reserved. May not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except fair uses permitted under U.S. or applicable copyright law.

Sylka Uhlig

INTRODUCTION

The voice as a primary therapeutic instrument will be addressed in this

chapter. Through vocal expression, chaos can be transformed into order –
crying into singing, aggressive shouting into the structure of a rap song.
This transformation of emotions demonstrates the ability to change be-
havior and to stimulate neurological development (Uhlig, 2006; Cramer,
1998). This remarkable learning capacity will be evidenced by children
with special needs in a public school setting in New York City. Children
‘at-risk’ demonstrate honesty in expressing their most personal desires
and fears through vocal music therapy. Through this process, they disco-
ver their pure musicality. Cursing, shouting, singing, rapping, chanting
and songwriting help them to survive their personal and familiar envi-
ronments and increase their learning potential.

FOUNDATIONAL CONCEPTS

The idea of transforming emotions through music is rooted in the origins

of spontaneous vocalizations in a speech-like (recitative) style (Uhlig,
2006; Clayton & Sager, 2005; Karolyi, 1998). Since the voice is our first
instrument, we always use it as a primary form of expression: sighing,
babbling, laughing, crying, shouting, screaming and groaning. More
Copyright 2011. Barcelona Publishers.

sophisticated forms of vocalization include humming, calling, talking

and singing (Uhlig, 2006). I interpret these primary forms as ancient

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Account: s5672343.main.eds
 From Violent Rap to Lovely Blues 183

forms of rap because they include a recitative structure and melodic

phrasing (see appendix A for an introduction to rap).
This primary form of vocal expression has been used for centu-
ries to help transform emotions (Clayton, et al., 2005; Austin, 2009; Uh-
lig, 2006; Bossinger, 2005; Karolyi, 1998; Cramer, 1998). We cope with
myriad issues through vocalization: working through sadness and pain,
grief and loss, hard labor, along with happiness and pleasure. In the reci-
tative songs of the slaves, for example, working men were able to
express their frustrations with extremely hard labor, and directly trans-
form these emotions into a spontaneous vocalization by putting shouts or
strident words into a regular rhythm (Uhlig, 2006). In so doing, the Neg-
ro song was created. These simple, rhythmical songs helped to structure
emotions in order to ease their hours, days and years of hard labor and
oppression (Allen, Ware & Garrison, 1867).
The same transformational process is common for other emo-
tions. By putting words of grief in a rhythm, weeping rituals were created
by women all over the world to mourn death (Holst-Warhaft, 1992). By
putting words of happiness and pleasure in a rhythm, like those used in
sporting competitions, songs of encouragement and strength are sponta-
neously created (Uhlig, 2006). The lullaby is another example of placing
vocal sounds in a simple rhythm: softly singing soothing sounds and
words that are calming to a child (Austin, 2009; Aldridge, 2008; Bos-
singer, 2005; Cramer, 1998). These are all natural, culturally derived
forms of human vocalization used as authentic tools for coping, healing
and well-being (Austin, 2009; Uhlig, 2006). Clayton et. al. (2005)
described these various vocal utterances as attempts for rhythmic coordi-
nation and entrainment, a natural search for homeostasis.
Throughout the world people have created these forms without
musical training or instruction (Clayton, et. al., 2005; Uhlig, 2006). But
the effect can be even stronger and more directed through musical
instruction and repetition within the context of a helping relationship. In
the section that follows, I link behavioral adaptation and academic lear-
ning with deeper neurological processes. My premise is that singing acti-
vates deeper brain structures, and in so doing, stimulates neurological
development, healing emotional trauma and activating the child’s lear-
ning potential.

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 184 Sylka Uhlig

Behavioral Adaptation

Research has shown that music therapy has the potential to transform
aggressive behavior, resulting in a form of aggression regulation (Hak-
voort, 2008; Turry & Marcus, 2004). For example. Choi, Lee and Lee
(2008) demonstrated the effects of a group music intervention on aggres-
sion regulation and improved self-esteem in children with highly aggres-
sive behavior. Similarly, Fouche and Torrance (2005) described how rap
and hip-hop music brought local gangs and group members together,
enabling them to address agressiveness and social differences within the
gangs.

Academic Achievement

A growing body of literature suggests that music leaning promotes skill

development in other areas. For example, Rauscher (2003) found that ‘at-
risk’ children who received two years of individual keyboard instruction
scored higher on a standardized arithmetic test than children in control
groups. Similarly, Douglas and Willatts (1994) found that 8-11 year-old
children with reading problems who received music instruction showed a
significant improvement in overall reading performance when compared
to children who did not receive instruction.

Speech and Language Development

Music experiences that focus on singing, including aural skills develop-

ment, appear to remediate deficits in both reading and language deve-
lopment. Overy (2003) examined the connection between dyslexia and
music perception, demonstrating how dyslectic children experience diffi-
culties with musical timing, but not with musical pitch. Through careful
intervention, she showed how focusing music instruction on pitch and
tonal skills improved both phonological and spelling skills. Overy (2003)
hypothesized that “singing might lead directly to phonologic develop-
ment, while learning to read music might help with learning to read text”
(p. 503).
Further, Kennedy & Scott (2005) examined the effect of music
therapy interventions on the development of English as a second langua-

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 From Violent Rap to Lovely Blues 185

ge for children of Hispanic ethnicity (ages 10-12). They developed an

intervention that included storytelling, singing, chanting, playing instru-
ments and engaging in musical games (like fill-in songs – providing
answers in rhythm to therapist-chanted questions). Through listening to
and singing songs while viewing the lyrics on a white board, children
improved their speaking and writing skills after each month of interven-
tion. Importantly, even after the intervention finished, children were able
to continue using the vocal techniques in order to maintain and improve
their language skills, particularly fluency, diction and rate of speech.
Finally, the emotional potential natural to the singing experience
also seems important for the development of language. Singing can
transform aggression into a personal experience of being heard, un-
derstood and accepted (Uhlig, 2006; Bossinger, 2005; Turry & Marcus,
2004). Singing can extend communication from inside into the world
outside. Being heard and understood in the world outside improves self-
identity and self esteem (Uhlig, 2006). Thus, for children who live in
stressful environments, transforming difficult feelings into music under-
lies the learning process. Feelings need to be released, and in so doing
they are transformed into healthy expression.

Neurological Development

Underlying the child’s ability to learn music, and the implications this
has for learning in other areas, is the specific effect this learning has on
neurological processes. Schellenberg (2004) found that children with
music instruction in keyboard and voice groups showed significant
improvement in general intelligence compared to children in control
groups who received drama or no lessons. In particular, singing activates
sophisticated neurological processing within the brain (Cramer, 1998),
bringing about the potential to heal trauma, change behavior and stimula-
te brain development at a neurological level (Schneck & Berger, 2006).
This potential is particularly significant for children who are “at risk”
because it suggests that musical experiences, and singing in particular,
facilitate both primary emotional expression and behavioral adaptation
necessary for learning and development.
Rohmert (1994, cited in Cramer, 1998) suggested that through
singing, specific neurological areas are stimulated by vocal vibrations,
spreading impulses to the cerebral cortex and transporting vital energy in

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 186 Sylka Uhlig

the form of stimuli. These stimuli arouse the capacity for concentration,
balance in the body and sensorial movement. Vocal activity stimulates
concentration and cognition through articulating and memorizing words,
and coordinates speech and movement through simultaneously singing,
playing and dancing (Cramer, 1998; Schneck & Berger, 2006; Uhlig,
2006) . When vocalizing, the relaxing elements of this vibration, and the
rhythmical pattern of breath control, carry the potential to decrease anx-
iety and develop entrainment (Clayton, et. al., 2005; Schneck & Berger,
2006; Uhlig, 2006; Loewy, 2004). Rhythmic engagement used in vocali-
zations – like rap – structures emotional expression and appears to
decrease tension, worry and nervousness through a repeated and relaxed
pattern. If the relaxation effect is felt by the rapper, this person is carried
to a different level of perception, wherein the violent mood (as I will
describe later in this chapter) is changed into a pleasurable state of ful-
fillment and developed entrainment.
This transformation of affect, observed in the music-making pro-
cess, can be understood as a “fight-or-flight” response (Schneck & Ber-
ger, 2006). When children live in destructive situations, like those at the
school I worked in, they learn to protect themselves at an early age. This
protection strategy often manifests itself in aggressive behavior, or “ac-
ting out.” If the frightening home situation continues, then this fight or
flight response is reinforced. These children act as if they need to fight
(violence) or flee (escape) the unsafe environment. Neglected and depri-
ved of comfort, attention and understanding, they overcompensate
against this enormous anxiety, and unhealthy behavior ensues.
Schneck and Berger (2006) explain that during these moments of
high anxiety or fear, the homeostatic control mechanisms of the body are
activated, and stress hormones are produced when homeostasis cannot be
maintained. The central nervous system receives these alarm signals and
perceives the stressor as a threat to its survival, shifting to an emergency
mode. These stressors can influence the child’s physiology enormously:
heart rate, blood flow, respiration, pupil dilation, blood sugar level etc.
can all be effected in response to the stressor (Schneck & Berger, 2006).
Such stress responses are quite normal, and when activated, the child (or
adult) responds to the environment in order to reduce their stress. Howe-
ver, if the stressor continues, or the child is unable to cope with or dimi-
nish the stress, his/her body can become flooded with excess hormones,

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 From Violent Rap to Lovely Blues 187

leading to unhealthy or even pathological behavior. Importantly, cogniti-

ve function can also become seriously affected, further impeding the
child’s ability to adapt and respond to the stressor. Over time, exposure
to such stressors may lead to a generalized impairment in cognitive func-
tioning, which has significant implications for learning (Schneck & Ber-
ger, 2006).
Any therapeutic response to children who live in these kinds of
stressful environments must address the underlying stress response at a
physiological, emotional and cognitive level. When stress is ongoing, the
child’s ability to learn is blocked because of his/her anxiety: the brain is
simply too busy protecting the body from danger (i.e. the amygdala shuts
down during emergency) to analyze and respond. It is only after relief
from anxiety, when relaxation and comfort are experienced during ho-
meostasis, that cognition can begin again (Schneck & Berger, 2006).
Singing and composing songs about feelings and ideas directly
addresses the child’s emotional world, while simultaneously opening the
child to learning and adaptation. Working on personal vocal expression,
a song addresses speech development through the combination of
rhythm, melodic line and lyrics. A song has the ability to structure time
by establishing a rhythm. Through rhythm, the impulses of the child can
be organized into an expressive form. Melody organizes the patterns of
high or low tones and flows with the child’s mood changes. Space for
emotional expression can thereby be created and developed, activating
the brain beyond “fight or flight.” The child can therein experience emo-
tional satisfaction when expressing pleasure, sadness or even aggression.
Lyrics give meaning to the song and stimulate cognitive processes of
concentration, memorization, pronunciation, phonology and spelling
skills, as well as symbolic play. These musical elements can create a con-
tainer in which the child can feel a sense of safety and decreased anxiety
that are fundamental to exploration and development (Uhlig, 2006).
In the case of Richard that follows, singing, and rap in particular,
was used to express his isolation and profound anger. Here, the music
stirred and exposed qualities and capacities that had not been developed,
resulting in behavioral change. Richard shows us the potential of these
abilities in every child: an emotional and neurological potential waiting
for somebody to awaken.

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 188 Sylka Uhlig

THE CLIENT

The public school I worked in served children with special needs (ages 5-
12) in an underprivileged part of New York City. In addition to deve-
lopmental delays, these children were also ‘at risk’ because of the envi-
ronments they live in. They were often physically neglected, receiving a
minimum of support at home. As a result, many of these children were
extremely emotionally disturbed. Because of a lack of positive attention,
they unconsciously altered their behavior to receive negative attention –
apparently better than no attention at all. Consequently, their need for
attention and personal expression was so profound they had difficulty
developing the ability to constructively listen, cooperate and work to-
gether in the classroom.
To overcome these serious difficulties required a sensitive and
attuned collaboration between teachers and therapists. During my years
of work I have been fortunate enough to build strong collaborations with
staff members, essential to any integrated learning experience. Together
with classroom teachers and the speech pathologist, we found ways of
combining our methods, wherein we experienced the power of music to
hold the positive and negative emotions of the children in a structured,
acceptable and enjoyable therapeutic experience – all centered around
the form of the improvised song.

Richard

Richard was an underweight 11-year-old African American boy with

developmental delays, average speech skills, erratic concentration and
poor academic skills. He was often extremely violent, acted out and, pa-
radoxically, also showed ‘grown-up’ behavior. Apparently, he had been
masking his fears with misbehavior from a young age. Richard’s
constant severe mood changes, street-smart behavior and bad language,
episodic irritability and wild tantrums, created regular conflicts at school.
Once or twice a week, a simple conflict would suddenly escalate into a
tantrum of extreme aggression. Richard would yell, scream and curse,
hitting everything and everybody around him. During these tantrums,
three or four staff members were called to help the teacher in the class-
room. These helpers were trained to safely hold Richard’s body close to

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 From Violent Rap to Lovely Blues 189

the floor, preventing his classmates from being attacked, and then cal-
ming him down afterward. These incidents took between twenty and thir-
ty minutes, and afterwards, everyone involved – classmates, teachers and
Richard himself – needed a “time-out” to reorient and reorganize for the
tasks at school. Richard’s outbursts exhausted and annoyed everybody
around him. Not only was his behavior disagreeable, it also limited his
academic performance. These interruptions, combined with his lack of
interest in school, blocked his cognitive progress: neurologically, his
amygdale had shut down. A big change was needed.
The people in Richard’s home environment were neither intere-
sted nor involved in his education. He lived with his mother in a shared
home situation with additional adults and children. There was no structu-
re or guidance in his life. In the morning, Richard would wear the clothes
he found around the house. This could be a sweater of an adult or an un-
washed t-shirt from the day before. He took care of himself – as much as
this was possible for an 11-year-old. Although Richard’s teacher had
reached out to his mother, she had never visited the school, and everyone
assumed she had no interest in his educational development.
Richard’s teacher referred him to music therapy because of his
extreme aggressive behavior. She hoped that the music could offer him a
tool for relaxation to calm his temper. She also welcomed support and
cooperation of another sort: all the children relaxed when Richard was
out of the classroom during music therapy.

THE THERAPEUTIC PROCESS

I started working with Richard in a dyad during his first year in music
therapy, but soon separated him from the other boy so that I could focus
more specifically on his needs. In so doing, I discovered his tremendous
musicality. For example, Richard intuitively acknowledged ‘unusual’
musical scales and their moods. After hearing a pentatonic scale at the
piano, he described it as ‘Chinese’ sounding, sensing perfectly subtle
differences in tonal center. When we played instruments together with
untamed rhythmic patterns on drums and rich melodic variations on har-
monica, his mood and facial expression changed visibly and his body
moved to the rhythm of the music. He became intensely involved in mu-
sic making, playing instruments with remarkable coordination and exhi-
biting significant auditory-motor and sensory-motor skills. However, he

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 190 Sylka Uhlig

was most engaged when he vocally transformed parts of his aggression

into rap, spontaneously experimenting with shouting sounds and screa-
ming words. He vocalized more and more, and his speech-like articula-
tions seemed gradually to release his tension. I supported his vocaliza-
tions with a simple repetitive chord progression on the piano or just the
rhythm button of the keyboard, matching his rhythm. I also used a vocal
rhythm pattern myself to offer a structured model to contain his sounds. I
had to be sensitive in the ways I used my voice, not connecting too close-
ly to him yet.
Richard finally became the music himself – he was in the flow –
rapping about his deep frustration and anger, putting screaming sounds
and words into a rhythm. Typically, his hard and violent vocalizations
were like the aggressive outbursts I saw in the classroom. He expressed
himself for weeks and months as follows:

(shouting sounds)
Yeah, wow …
Asshole, bitch, I am a nigger,
I hate you,
Be careful,
Nobody can touch me,
Yeah, yeah,
Stay away, f…ing asshole,
Don’t f… with me,
I am strong,
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Don’t mess with me,
Be careful,
You don’t know me,
Wow, yeah, yeah…
(shouting sounds)

During our second year together, Richard went to a higher level, not only
shouting, screaming and playing hard, but also creating beautiful and
significant improvised songs. He started vocally to compose music that
was touching in its purity. He expressed himself most verbally in a
rhythmical pattern – still similar to rap – while I supported him with a

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 From Violent Rap to Lovely Blues 191

simple chord progression on the piano, matching his characteristic

rhythm. His need for personal expression would let him utter whole sen-
tences such as ‘I am a nigger from Jamaica,’ ‘don’t mess with me,’ ‘no-
body knows who I am’ and ‘I punch you right in your face.’ He would
also rap and sing freely about his teachers and people in his life, expres-
sing shocking or very emotional truths. Musically and vocally supporti-
ve, I always contained his aggressive expression and sang and rapped to
him, mirroring, provoking or inviting more articulations about his inner
world.
In the beginning, he primarily expressed himself without answe-
ring my sounds. Later, he developed a sense of vocal dialogue with me.
He surprised me with his responsiveness to special subjects during a rap
like ‘Twin-towers were knocked down September 11,’ or suddenly ‘Mr.
B., I miss you,’ about a teacher who left the school. Continuing the mu-
sical pattern on piano, I first wove vocal sounds like ‘yeah’ and ’wow’ in
a rhythmic pattern, and later added words into his meaningful messages.
I also provoked his moods, for example when I sang “sometimes we
don’t know what we feel or what we do,” addressing his aggressive be-
havior. Unexpectedly, he picked up on my words and often integrated
them in the ongoing song. He sang back “…yeah, we don’t know what
we feel, yeah, yeah…” creating his own version of it. We never talked
about the meaning of the words, but we improvised intensely together
using non-verbal and verbal sounds, creating solos and refrains, and
singing call and response patterns. At every moment our improvised
songs carried different but very meaningful content. Rhythmically shou-
ting and expressing what he needed to say seemed to be a release for his
aggression. After these vocal outbursts, he appeared more relaxed. I did
not judge or stop this primary expression when he musically - in rap
form - cursed or expressed his feelings vocally.
Richard behaved like an adult who had learned to protect himself
in a world of danger (fight-or-flight response). He was actually in a
‘flow’ while rapping, and he had learned to relax himself by searching
for sounds and rhymes in his words. In between his aggressive shouts, he
started to weave in soft words that sometimes included me. I was never
sure if he really meant me, saw me or heard me – except when he answe-
red my words. I never felt personally attacked and I never made an inter-
pretation of his cursing words. I accepted them as his primary expression
of hate and anxiety. Through playing piano rhythmically and repeating

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 192 Sylka Uhlig

the vocalizations through rapping and countering his words, I offered a

structure of safety where he could feel held. My positive musical and
personal presence demonstrated that I accepted him, even when I was far
from understanding him. Through these experiences, he could develop a
sense of comfort and safety.
We worked this way for a further six months into his second year
of music therapy. Gradually, little by little, Richard began to relax. In
experiencing safety, and feeling understood, he could begin to develop a
sense of others. He started to sing about people, especially about the
children in his class. He demonstrated an unexpected softness, often sur-
prising me with tender lyrics. We often sang together now, exchanging
vocal sounds, improvising lyrics, and answering each other’s words. We
musically played together and created fill-in song constructions, impro-
vising in a vocal dialogue. In these experiences I realized that Richard
had noticed me as a person, present with him in the same room.
This kind of awareness extended into dialogues with others. He
started with recitative forms of word construction, calling the names of
teachers, and singing about his class as a whole group, he communicated
with them in song. In this way, he was tremendously involved in putting
these words into a fitting rhythm. One very touching song he created du-
ring this time was about love, especially for his own classmates. Instead
of hate and anger, he sang about love. We took his original poem, written
alone before he entered the music room, and thoughtfully worked to fit
the text into a Blues form. Searching for a suitable accompaniment, Ri-
chard chose a slow ‘bluesy’ rhythm for his words, while I offered him a
fitting pattern at the piano:

We are happy
Love is happiness from the bottom of my heart
God loves us from his heart
We know we are a happy family
The kids run around with me.
Love is happy[ness] with my heart
From class […] love is happy[ness] with my heart
To the kids from my heart
I love when the kids play with each other
When I am home the kids play with me

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 From Violent Rap to Lovely Blues 193

The kids like to be happy

Richard was now engaged and relaxed in a way that showed me his ho-
meostatic state had been modulated. A transformation had happened so
that his soft rapping and singing lyrically, smiling and dancing, had ex-
posed a totally different side of his personality. I had never before seen
this kind of transformation in him and noticed how his behavior was also
changing. In Richard grew a perception of the change he had made, but
there was not yet full awareness. Fulfilled and proud of his personal song
and musical experiences, combined with a feeling of being supported and
understood, Richard planned to go on with ‘making songs’ and creating
more lyrics. By working on various lyrics about his personal experiences,
he became enthusiastically involved in learning to find the “correct”
words. But more important was his wish to perform this song at his gra-
duation party. He needed to satisfy his desire to perform, even “show
off,” so that he could be seen and noticed in a positive way. He was very
well known at school – but sadly only through his negative behavior.
Determined, he practiced the song in front of the video camera, control-
ling his movements and experimenting with his vocal and acting skills.
His need for positive attention and recognition as a rapper, particularly
within the culture of his African American school, showed how much his
priorities and behavior had changed. Not only was he seeking recogni-
tion for his artistic abilities, he was seeking recognition from his com-
munity, one he now felt he belonged to.
Richard had performed once before during a holiday show, wat-
ched by his mother, who had visited her son’s school for the first time.
Preparing for the next performance, and her second visit, his excitement
and awareness made him adopt the attitude of a ‘star.’ He imitated mo-
vements he had seen on video clips and infused his music and dance with
great talent, transforming his art into his own personal context. The
appreciation of his race and culture was acknowledged by his teachers,
classmates and school in general. And I, a white European woman, sup-
ported, engaged and accepted his cultural progression. In so doing, his
negative role vanished. His personal transformation from violent rap into
lovely blues shifted not only on a musical level, but also on a cultural
level into a positive identification.
During this time, whenever he saw me at school, he enthusiasti-
cally told me that he had made a new song – which we later practiced in

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 194 Sylka Uhlig

the music therapy session. He was curious to learn how to read and write
with more accuracy. Asking me for help with spelling and expression, he
carried over his curiosity for learning into the classroom. His teacher,
who personally supported his development and carefully noticed any
changes, told me that his cognitive potential had been engaged. His rea-
ding and writing skills improved significantly and his motivation for
learning increased. But most importantly, there was a big decrease in his
tantrums – there had now been months without any aggressive outbursts.
On the day of the concert, Richard performed his rap-blues with
enormous success. He was proud of his performance and received lots of
acknowledgement from his schoolmates. He had illustrated perfectly his
love and attention for his peers – and he was rewarded with their power-
ful appreciation after the show. His intensive musical interactions and
positive experiences appeared to greatly strengthen his self-esteem.
Above all, the teachers were pleased to have the opportunity to meet his
mother again when she came for his second performance. Using time for
a cooperative conversation with her about Richard’s development, eve-
rybody shared their appreciation for his touching performance.

SUMMARY

Richard had made an emotional and cognitive transformation. He had

become more conscious of himself, and in so doing, was able to acknow-
ledge others and their feelings. His voice offered him a primary form of
expression: shouting, screaming and rapping, supported by musical ac-
companiment. The significant effect of vocalization integrated his perso-
nal need to release emotional and physical tension. He experienced re-
laxation and comfort, developed a sense of safety, and opened his cogni-
tive potential. His emotional expression strengthened subtle transforma-
tions of behavior, freeing up energy and relaxing tension, creating safety
and comfort, and finding homeostatic balance. Above all, this process
helped his brain to develop significantly, as he started to sing more
words and to make up various lyrics himself, concentrating on fitting or
rhyming words.
In Richard’s case, the vocal activity of shouts, supported by mu-
sic, was met with positive encouragement. This stimulation developed
into relaxation, activating concentration and then cognition. His emotio-

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 From Violent Rap to Lovely Blues 195

nal involvement set larger neurological processes in motion and finally

influenced his cognitive development, as well as his emotional and social
well-being.

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 From Violent Rap to Lovely Blues 197

APPENDIX A

Rap music has various forms, and as Elligan (2004) describes when dis-
cussing rap as therapy, is different from hip-hop. Rap is the music, the
beats and the rhyme of a culture known as hip-hop. Elligan (2004) dif-
ferentiates several forms of rap: Gangsta rap, Materialistic rap, Politi-
cal/Protest rap, Positive rap, Spiritual rap and rap forms not otherwise
specified. Rap songs critically analyze society. Rap songs create culture
shock, exposing different cultural norms unfamiliar to others. The culture
of rap provides the foundation for the development of a community, and
like all communities, focuses on sharing the same interests and identities.
Rap has primarily grown out of the interaction of poverty, music, dance,
graffiti and fun (Elligan, 2004). For example, the aspects of anger, abuse,
misery and inhuman circumstances of many people living in urban poor
ghetto communities are expressed through Gangsta rap. Poor academic
choices and a minimum of social and emotional care created a collective
need to report about them through Political rap. Herein rap demonstrates
its value as an educational tool, to bring into awareness issues important
to the listener. Finally, rap has developed from an idiosyncratic form of
expression in the ghettos of large cities into an important form of com-
munication for communities of interest. Elligan (2004) calls for the use
of rap therapy as a means of promoting positive behavioral change and
improved insight into the lives of the clients through five steps:
1. Assessing the person’s interest in rap music and hip-hop
(clothing, videos, concerts) and developing a plan for using rap mu-
sic with a person.
2. Building a relationship and alliance with the person
through discussing the different types of rap songs to which he or she
enjoys listening.
3. Challenging the person with the lyrics of his or her rap
icons in order to reevaluate his or her thoughts and behaviors.
4. Asking the person to write raps about the desired changes
they have set for themselves.
5. Monitoring and maintaining the progress made through
continued discussion and feedback (p. 65).

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