Community Immunity

Did you know that if we can encourage 80% of the population to get vaccinated against COVID-19, we can achieve the community-wide immunity we need for social activities to return to normal? Currently, more than half of adult African Americans have expressed hesitation about the vaccine and have no plans to get vaccinated. Hip Hop Public Health is addressing the mistrust and debunking myths by offering a new series of free, engaging, evidence-based music video resources designed to increase vaccine literacy utilizing the transformative power of art, music and science with the launch of “Community Immunity: A Rap Anthology About Vaccines.”

The Community Immunity anthology complements Hip Hop Public Health’s trilogy of COVID-19  music video PSAs – 20 Seconds or More, 20 Segundos o Más and Behind the Mask, which were designed to inspire handwashing, social distancing and mask-wearing. 

This eight-part animated rap anthology featuring Grammy®-winning rapper and Hip Hop Public Health Advisory Board Member, Darryl DMC McDaniels of RUN-DMC, deconstructs Vaccine Literacy into various topics that are presented in a series of five 60-second animated videos:

• VIDEO #1: What are vaccines and why do they work? 
• VIDEO #2: Are vaccines safe and how do I know this? 
• VIDEO #3: What are the common vaccine myths and misperceptions? 
• VIDEO #4: What can I expect if I take the vaccine?
• VIDEO #5: Why is getting the vaccine better than getting COVID-19?
• VIDEO #6: What’s the deal with the Variants?
• VIDEO #7: Why is it important for young people to get vaccinated?
• VIDEO #8: All about the booster

The Music

Each 60-second video in the anthology features a common underlying hip-hop track with a unique rap verse that incorporates vaccine literacy content and a universal hook about the benefits of community immunity, which is repeated and sung in each video. Award-winning producer Artie Green wrote, produced and performed on the tracks along with Darryl DMC McDaniels of Run-DMC, singer-songwriter Gerry Gunn, our founder Dr. Olajide “The Hip Hop Doc” Williams and our advisory board member “ Dr. Monique “Docta Mo Flow” Hedmann-Maxey.

The Art

Hip Hop Public Health worked with a predominantly Black team of dedicated directors, storyboard artists, background artists and animators from Mylo the Cat and Cartuna to develop the animated music videos for Community Immunity, many of whom have personally felt the effects of COVID-19.

The Science 

As we work towards filling knowledge gaps, we also recognize that information alone does not motivate behavior change. For public health campaigns to be effective, they need to connect culturally and emotionally which is why Community Immunity is based on our founder, Dr. Olajide Williams and his research scientist, Dr. Ewelina Swierad’s, Multisensory Multilevel Health Education Model (Williams O. & Swierad, 2019) which leverages the power of culture and art to motivate people to live healthier lives. Medical oversight for this initiative was provided by Dr. Olajide Williams, Dr. Monique Hedmann-Maxey, and Dr. Melissa Stockwell.

Questions?

Read our FAQs

Got questions? We have answers. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about Hip Hop Public Health and Community Immunity. 

#AskTheDoctors

Use the hashtag #AskTheDoctors on social media and tag @HHPHorg to ask us your questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, and Dr. Williams or Dr. Hedmann-Maxey will answer them.

Get the Facts

Misinformation is running rampant, especially within the vaccine space. Check out Stronger.org to learn more about how you can join the fight to combat misinformation!