Bitchin'

I never really appreciated rap and hip hop back in it's heyday, partly because a big chunky gold chain and a shell suit is not the coolest of combinations, but one of the best lines in music comes from the Run DMC song 'It's Like That' where the boys make the suggestion that 'Next time someones teaching why don't you get taught'.
A great line but apart from a handful of Run DMC songs and few by Grandmaster Flash, rap seemed to have not really been on my radar but the fly psychiatrists at Cambridge University have obviously been paying attention to it because they have come up with a def idea that ‘hip-hop’ therapy could help the depressed and mentally ill.
'Much of hip-hop comes from areas of great socioeconomic deprivation, so it’s inevitable that its lyrics will reflect the issues faced by people brought up in these areas, including poverty, marginalisation, crime and drugs' explained Homeboy Dr Akeem Sule, of the University of Cambridge.
'Hip-hop artists use their skills and talents not only to describe the world they see, but also as a means of breaking free. There’s often a message of hope in amongst the lyrics' and the team have chosen the top three hip-hop songs which they believe can help mental illness.
Not meaning to diss him but i don't know the song 'Juicy' by The Notorious BIG or the Wack sounding J flex ft Lady of R's 1997 buggin 'Lady Heroin' but i am very familiar with 'The
Message' by Grand Master Flash & The Furious Five, mostly because it was used to help kids learn how to cross the road in the 80's (you don't push anyone when they're are close to the  edge as i recall).
Music can certainly be very emotive and can stir some deep emotions so the Cambridge boffins are probably on to something and it may be rap music for some and Country and Western for others, another genre of music that i pretty much ignored, but i find listening to Christmas songs at any time of the year a massive lifter.
Hearing 'Merry Christmas Everyone' coming from the CD player in July while waving my hands in the air like i just don't care also serves as a great warning sign to others that it probably isn't the best time to ask for a favour. Word.