Rap & Relax: A Qualitative Study Exploring Black Men’s Reality of Anger, Depression and Identity Using Hip-Hop Based Discussions

Purpose: This qualitative study explored the extent Hip-Hop music helped Black college males express their emotions and everyday lived experiences as they understood them within the context of anger, depression, and identity.Methods: Five Black first-generation college-enrolled males participated in three focus groups about anger, depression, and identity. Before each focus group, participants were provided with a playlist of Hip-Hop songs tailored to one of the three categories.Findings: Regarding anger, Hip-Hop underscored: 1) masked sadness, 2) compartmentalized, and 3) responsive to external stimuli. Regarding depression, Hip-Hop underscored: 1) suppressed feelings, 2) pride prevents help-seeking, and 3) community matters. Regarding identity, Hip-Hop underscored: 1) remaining unapologetically Black, 2) desire to introduce new ideas and images to young Black males, and 3) creating progressive Black male images.Discussion: Ultimately, Hip-Hop is a mechanism that can be used to help Black males construct, explain, and normalize their feelings, attitudes, and emotions.