The 2015 BET Awards recently aired and while it was not the best, the performance that stood out the most was Kendrick Lamar’s rendition of the popular song “Alright”. The song ignites hope, assuring the black community them that despite what we face, everything will be alright. While Kendrick received praise from peers and fans, Fox News had a different outlook on his performance. Dana Perino, Eric Bolling, and Kimberly Guilfoyle appeared on an episode of "The Five," proclaiming that Lamar’s performance only incited violence and was anti-police. However, it was Geraldo Rivera who had the most commentary, calling his performance “counterproductive” and that it was sending the wrong message to black youth. Rivera went on to say,“Hip hop has done more damage to young African-Americans than racism in recent years.” Racism has been around for centuries, while Hip-Hop arose in the late 20th century. How has hip- hop been more damaging when the issues African Americans face have been around before hip- hop was conceived? Contrary to Rivera’s proclamation, racism has had a tremendous impact on the lives of African Americans, emotionally and psychologically.

As stated in John Crocker's journal "The Effects of Race-Related Stress on the Psychological Physiological Well-Being of Non-Whites", Dr. Shelly P. Harrell defines six types of race-related stress that impact a person’s life: racism-related life events, vicarious race experience, daily racism micro stressors, chronic-contextual stress, collective experiences, and trans-generational transmission. Racism related life events can be any event in which one feels discriminated against, while vicarious race experiences occur when one lives through another’s experience. Daily racism micro stressors are small events that have huge effects, such as being followed in a store. Chronic contextual stress exists when non-whites encounter differential treatment in society, such as poor educational opportunities. Collective experiences include stereotypes, where one racial group feels that they are portrayed unfairly. The last stress, transgenerational transmission, means that a group has suffered historical injustices that have transcended generations. This particular stressor is relevant in today’s society, as many minority groups are heavily affected by discrimination that have occurred in the past.

This added stress can cause anxiety, depression, anger, helplessness, fear, and even Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Psychology Today reported in 2011 that researchers analyzed 66 studies of 18,140 black adults where their responses to racism were equivalent to trauma, The National Survey of American Life found that African Americans show a prevalence rate of 9.1 percent for PTSD compared to that of non-white Hispanics with 6.8 percent for PTSD. With the psychological damage in effect, coping mechanisms are created to help one deal with the trauma. Some of these strategies can include behavior problems, poor eating habits, and substance abuse. With the facts laid out, Rivera's statement is completely wrong. Hip hop is only being used as a scapegoat to deviate from the real problem.The African American community has suffered a lot at the hands of racism, living with trauma that has been passed on to generation after generation. While racism is negatively affecting every facet of African American life, hip hop is helping and healing.

Hip Hop has its undertones of violence, but not all rap music encourages negativity. In fact, some rappers have actually saved people’s lives with their music. Last year, a young homeless man in Chicago was on the brink of taking his own life when he heard J. Cole’s song, “Love Yourz”. The song encourages listeners to love their life and their struggle, no matter how bad things may seem. The young man wrote a letter about his experience, saying, “This song gave me a bit of strength to try and continue.”

J. Cole is not the only rapper doing some good with his music, Kendrick Lamar’s music is also saving lives. Back in May at the Sweetlife Festival, Kendrick Lamar brought a fan onstage who he saw having an emotional breakdown in the audience. She told the rapper that she contemplated suicide last year, but hearing his music got her through it. After hearing the young woman’s story, Lamar said, “And every time I see something like that, it reminds me why I do what I do.”