Kendrick Lamar spokesperson against depression in this powerful ad
"Find Your Words" is the new 90-second commercial from healthcare giant Kaiser Permanente Thrive. It features a wandering young black boy, walking through a desolate cityscape, reciting Kendrick Lamar’s “i”, taken off To Pimp a Butterfly.
Kaiser, the healthcare provider, aims to raise awareness about depression and to start a debate about mental wellness, especially in the black community.
Hip-hop, and Kendrick Lamar lyrics in particular, aims to boost individuals' sense of self-knowledge and empowerment through its often dense and introspective lyrics.
We have already last year learnt that hip-hop can help treat depression, as a neuroscientist at the Cambridge University department of psychiatry claimed (see The Independent).
According to professor Becky Inkster "Hip-hop in general, and rap in particular, often carry messages that are much more complex than is generally appreciated. That makes it an ideal medium for helping individuals understand their psychological problems and for finding ways to deal with them."
The campaign directs viewers to an info website (FindYourWords.org).
