Our focus is to complement the UK education sector by improving the mental health and creativity of students using rap. We equip students with transferable skills that provide benefits inside and outside of the classroom through unique rap based activities, mentorship and practical applications.
Our Story
My name is Bhishma Asare, also known by the rapper name of “Proph”. In November I released an album called Invisible Guidelines which highlighted the problems faced in my local community such as drugs, alcohol abuse and violent crimes which are all ultimately tied in with the mental health and thought processes of people in my local community to think that crime is “normal”.
After getting media support from the Metro, The Croydon Advertiser and Your local Guardian, I decided it was time to put my music into action and help these young people in my local community. I created a community interest company called Rap Therapy.
Rap Therapy offers a series of workshops, which uses rap as a tool to teach students how to positively express themselves and become more creative. The core focus of the workshop is to improve communication between young people and influence positive ways of expression, in turn improving their mental health. The workshops equip students with transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, and listening skills, which they can use in and out of their classrooms.
Rap Therapy acts as an intervention for students and teach them to express how they feel through rap, which effectively gives students the tools which they can use from a young age. Rap Therapy also incorporates a mentoring programme, where students can talk with us about situations they may not feel comfortable telling teachers or parents. All our mentors have grown up in similar environments so we can relate to what we hear and come up with solutions to help the problem, offering an opportunity to the young people to talk about problems they experience and receive viable solutions.
Rap Therapy has worked with thousands of students all of who have different backgrounds. We have been able to make an impact in both London and Surrey through our workshops. We work with all students, including students who have in-class behaviour issues. Those who have attended workshops with behaviour issues have highly benefitted off of our programme as the students have been known to make positive changes and regain focus in the classrooms through the principles they learn in Rap Therapy workshops and mentoring sessions.
The Rap Therapy community allows us to plant good seeds in students’ and young peoples’ lives and inspire them into different fields, not just rap. We are not raising rappers, instead we are contributing to raising good members of civil society, through a relatable tool that my team and I have all personally used to develop good character and principles.
Here are (just a few) of the places that we have worked!
Lanfranc Academy
Arc Burlington Danes Academy
Christ Church Primary School
Rockmount Primary School
Falconbrook Primary School
The OBC Youth Club
Family Steam Festival
Lauriston Lights
Balham Library
Jubilee Primary School
Harris Invictus
Thornton Heath Library
Gravesend Youth Club
CYAC
Croydon Library
Tender
Kingsley Primary Academy
Edmonton County School
Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls
Our Lady of Lourdes
Stepping Stones
Gossops Green
Ful Circle Education
My Choice Homes
Elefit
Samuel Coleridge Taylor Centre
Off the Record
The BME
Southwark Festival of Words
Sickle Cell Society
Wallington High School for Girls
Goose Green Primary School
Christians in Action
Croydon Social Prescribing
Henry Fawcett Primary School
John Donne Primary School
Centrale Shopping Centre
AAA Foundation
Nower Hill School
Kings Avenue School
Whitgift Shopping Centre
Southborough Primary School
Emanuel School
University Technical College
Bensham Manor School
Richard Atkins Primary School
Sir Simon Milton University Westminster Technical College
Mitcham Library
Spa Education Bermondsey
Norbury High School for Girls
Northwest Kent Alternative Provisions
St Saviour's and St Olave's Church of England School
Carshalton Boys Sports College
Pollards Hill Library
Redden Court School
City of London Academy
The Green School for boys
Alderwood Primary School
Merton Libraries