Within the Nineteen Eighties, rapper Chuck D and Public Enemy urged folks to “Battle the Energy.” Now he and hip-hop artist Pete Colon are urging folks within the Black and Latino communities to “examine your behind” and get screened for colon most cancers.
Stand Up To Most cancers (SU2C) teamed with well being fairness group Hip Hop Public Well being to supply two animated music movies—one in English, the opposite in Spanish—that sort out the low fee of colorectal most cancers screening amongst these two teams, SU2C CEO Sung Poblete mentioned in an e-mail interview.
The Chuck D public service announcement, launched in 30-second and 60-second variations, options an unique rap tune that emphasizes early detection and promotes chopping again on danger components like smoking, alcohol and unhealthy meals.
“Get examined, take note of the indicators. Discuss to your physician and examine your behind,” Chuck D raps within the video. Colon delivers the identical musical message within the Spanish-language model.
The advert seems on each teams’ web sites and can air on broadcast TV and radio in a number of markets for the subsequent 12 months, Poblete mentioned. Hip Hop Public Well being is encouraging folks to share the movies on social media utilizing the hashtag #CheckYourBehind.
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Black persons are virtually 20% extra more likely to get colorectal most cancers and about 40% extra more likely to die from it than most different teams. In the meantime, Latino adults are extra possible than white adults to be identified at a later stage, based on SU2C. Disparities in screening charges are partly responsible, Poblete mentioned.
“Colorectal most cancers is usually preventable with common screening and is treatable in 90% of instances when detected early, so getting screened is essential,” she mentioned.
Poblete mentioned SU2C teamed with Hip Hop Public Well being due to its mission to make use of music, artwork and science to interrupt down essential well being fairness matters.
Olajide Williams, M.D., a Columbia College neurology professor who based Hip Hop Public Well being, mentioned one purpose of the marketing campaign was to make folks conscious that house assessments can be found as a substitute for colonoscopies—and in addition that it’s OK for sufferers to ask questions on colon most cancers.
“That’s the ability of a message in music—these songs truly handle questions in a direct, related approach that takes a few of the trepidation out of it,” Williams mentioned in an e-mail interview.
The rap encourages folks to speak about colon most cancers with their household and “inside circle” and reassures them “screening is protecting and it gained’t damage you.” It urges folks 45 and over to take a house take a look at or discuss to their physician.
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“Hip-hop has a strong voice and we’re utilizing it to assist make the group higher, to attempt to get folks to concentrate, to remain wholesome and to catch issues early as an alternative of studying about it when it’s too late,” Chuck D, who’s additionally a Hip Hop Public Well being advisory board member, mentioned in a information launch.
The colon most cancers advert is one among two new campaigns SU2C debuted final week. A separate PSA, “Depend Me In,” options “Orange is the New Black” and “In Remedy” actress Uzo Aduba, who misplaced her mom to pancreatic most cancers.
In a video, Aduba urges all most cancers sufferers to share their knowledge and private tales with researchers to speed up most cancers analysis. The PSA additionally consists of three most cancers survivors—Maeve, Brigette and Joel—who speak about why they shared their very own data and experiences.
