Hip Hop Public Health

What Hip Hop Public Health does

Hip Hop Public Health is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2011 by Dr. Olajide Williams, a neurologist at Columbia University Medical Center, and Doug E. Fresh, that creates research-based health education resources using hip hop music and culture to reach underserved communities. Its core platform is the Learning Studio, a digital library housing over 200 multimedia resources including original songs, dance videos, and educator toolkits covering health topics such as physical activity, nutrition, mental health, cardiovascular health, asthma, oral hygiene, diabetes, COVID-19 literacy, and cancer screening. The organization develops content under two proprietary frameworks, the Multisensory Multilevel Health Education Model and the Child-Mediated Health Communication Model, both validated through NIH-funded randomized controlled trials. Distribution is free of charge to K-12 educators, families, and community organizations, delivered through direct website downloads, the Health MCs Ambassador Program, and institutional partnerships.

The business model is donation-based: the organization derives revenue from individual donors, employer matching gift programs, and institutional grants such as a $100,000 Aflac CareGrant in 2023. There are no paying end users and no pricing tiers; all resources are provided free of charge, with the value proposition anchored on cultural relevance to underserved communities (particularly Black and Hispanic populations) and clinical evidence base rather than monetization. Strategic co-development partnerships with entities including the NYC Department of Education, American Heart Association, Colgate Bright Smiles Bright Futures, Special Olympics, Partnership for a Healthier America, National Environmental Education Foundation, and The Cooper Institute provide topic reach, distribution scale, and co-branded content, while an advisory council including Darryl DMC McDaniels, Chuck D, Ashanti, and Cheryl Salt James anchors the cultural credibility required to engage target audiences. The organization operates from New York, NY with 1-10 employees, and Lori Rose Benson serves as Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer.

Name

Hip Hop Public Health

Legal name

Hip Hop Public Health Inc.

Website

https://hhph.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hip Hop Public Health is a New York-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that creates research-based, hip hop-themed multimedia health education resources, distributed free of charge to K-12 educators, families, and community organizations in underserved communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Health Education

NAICS

Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Physical Education & Health Instruction (EDAJAFAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health Promotion & Public Health Education (Community Workshops) (EDAAAFAG), Health Promotion, Prevention & Community Health Programs (BPAIAJAC), Health, Wellness & Lifestyle Noncredit Programs (EDAAAEAH), Kids & Family Curated Content Platforms (MPACAKAL)

Keywords

• Health education
• Music-based learning
• Health literacy
• K-12 wellness curriculum
• Community health promotion

Headquarters

HQ city

Nyack

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization operates as a nonprofit and relies on donations from individuals, employers (matching gift programs), and other donors. Online one-time and recurring donations are accepted.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hip Hop Public Health creates and distributes research-based multimedia educational resources (hip hop songs, music videos, dance breaks, and educator toolkits) that translate evidence-based public health science into culturally engaging content for K-12 students, families, and community organizations. Its core delivery vehicle is the Learning Studio platform, supported by the Health MCs Ambassador Program that trains educators to deliver the content in classrooms, camps, and community settings free of charge.

Product overview

Hip Hop Public Health operates as a nonprofit health education organization offering a unified Learning Studio platform that delivers over 200 multimedia resources. The core product portfolio centers on original hip hop-based educational content for health literacy, encompassing songs, videos, dance videos, and accompanying educator toolkits. The main offerings include the Learning Studio platform (housing all multimedia resources), the Health MCs Ambassador Program (educator training and resources), and the Moving the Needle speaker series. Resources span multiple health topics including movement/physical activity (H.Y.P.E. The Breaks, H.Y.P.E. Breakin' It Down, Settin' the Pace, Young Athletes In Motion), nutrition (Lil Sugar, Hip Hop H.E.A.L.S., Paste Time), mental health (The ABCs of Me, Settin' the Pace), COVID-19/vaccines (Community Immunity, Inmunidad Comunidad, Behind The Mask, 20 Seconds Or More), cardiovascular health (Pulse Check, Hip Hop Stroke, Let's Talk About Salt), oral hygiene, asthma, and cancer awareness. All resources are research-based, developed using the Multisensory Multilevel Health Education Model and Child-Mediated Health Communication Model, and designed for free use in K-12 educational, home, and community settings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Learning Studio: A vast library containing over 200 multimedia resources including original songs, videos, and educator toolkits designed to inspire, empower, and educate young people to develop essential health literacy knowledge and skills.
• Health MCs Ambassador Program
• Moving The Needle

Products and services

• Learning Studio A comprehensive digital platform housing over 200 multimedia educational resources, including original hip hop songs, music videos, dance-break videos, and educator toolkits designed to promote health literacy among K-12 students, families, and communities. Provided free of charge.
• Health MCs Ambassador Program A program that recruits, trains, and equips educators with tools and resources to deliver fun, effective health education to young people in schools, camps, and community settings, transforming students into health literacy advocates.
• Moving the Needle: One Conversation at a Time An original speaker series featuring candid conversations among musicians, community leaders, and health professionals exploring public health issues and mental health wellness journeys.
• Educator Prep Sessions Monthly on-demand webinar series for educators providing implementation ideas, educator insights, and flexible classroom applications across topics including Strong Start, Turn It Up, More Movement, Teaching for Belonging, Big Energy Big Vision, From Pulse to People, Healthy Bites Catchy Beats, Strong and Sustainable, The Connected Classroom, and The ABCs of Me in Action.
• Monthly Health and Wellness Planning Guide A free monthly planning guide for K-12 educators providing music- and movement-based activities aligned with health awareness months.
• H.Y.P.E. The Breaks Innovative hip-hop dance physical activity break instructional videos available in 6-minute, 10-minute, and 15-minute routines, designed for use in K-12 classrooms.
• Community Immunity COVID-19 vaccine literacy multimedia series featuring Darryl "DMC" McDaniels, Artie Green, The Hip Hop Doc, and Doctor Mo Flow to build vaccine confidence and uptake.
• Lil Sugar Multi-platform nutrition literacy collection designed to increase awareness of added sugars in foods, featuring the sneaky sugar cube character voiced by Darryl "DMC" McDaniels.
• Paste Time An English/Spanish educational track created in partnership with Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures teaching elements of good oral hygiene through hip hop music.
• EMPOWER Asthma education program created with the National Environmental Education Foundation featuring memorable acronyms and catchy tracks to help people of all ages take charge of their asthma.
• Settin' the Pace A 19-track album ranging from hip-hop to trap, dance, and Latin-inspired beats designed to motivate young people mentally and physically, with progressively faster tempos.
• Let's Talk About Salt Hypertension prevention education program created in partnership with the American Heart Association featuring Cheryl "Salt" James from Salt-N-Pepa.
• Hip Hop Stroke Educational collection empowering young people with understanding of stroke, its signs and symptoms, and emergency response.
• Hip Hop H.E.A.L.S. Interactive nutrition literacy educational series using a GO SLOW WHOA traffic-light model to help identify calorie and nutrient-dense foods.
• 20 Seconds Or More Hand-washing education resource designed to help young people and families understand the benefits of proper hand hygiene to mitigate COVID-19 spread.
• Young Athletes In Motion Original dance and fitness routine created with Special Olympics for young people with intellectual and physical disabilities.
• Songs for a Healthier America 19-song multi-genre album created with Partnership for a Healthier America (honorary chair: former First Lady Michelle Obama) as part of the Let's Move! campaign to encourage children and families to eat healthy and stay active.
• FitnessGram PACER Test Remixes Multi-genre remixes of the PACER Test soundtrack created with The Cooper Institute, featuring positive shout-outs in English and Spanish.
• Move-to-Improve World Beats Album created in collaboration with the NYC Department of Education featuring an eclectic mix of Hip-Hop, R&B, Reggae, Bollywood, Lo-Fi, and Latin-inspired tracks for physical education.
• Pulse Check Educational resource teaching about atrial fibrillation (AFib) and how to perform a simple pulse check.
• H.Y.P.E. Hawai'i An original album and ten physical activity dance break videos blending hula movements and hip hop moves, featuring tracks such as Walk with U, Lava Surfing, Mo'o, Mahina Light, Mäui, Rain Dance, Menehune Roll, and Hawaiian Lullaby.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 resources created and distributed to communities
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright FuturescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to create Paste Time, an English/Spanish educational track teaching elements of good oral hygiene. Combines hip hop music with dental health education.
• National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to create EMPOWER program with a memorable acronym and catchy tracks to inspire people of all ages to take charge of their asthma.
• American Heart AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership featuring Cheryl 'Salt' James from Salt-N-Pepa to help young people learn about hypertension prevention through the Let's Talk About Salt program.
• Partnership for a Healthier AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with honorary chair former First Lady Michelle Obama to create Songs for a Healthier America album as part of the Let's Move! campaign to encourage children and families to eat healthy and stay active.
• Special OlympicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to create Young Athletes in Motion, an original dance and fitness routine designed for young people with intellectual and physical disabilities.
• The Cooper InstitutesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to create FitnessGram PACER Test Remixes, taking the PACER Test soundtrack to another level with multi-genre remixes with positive shout outs in English and Spanish.
• NYC Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with NYC DOE to create Move-to-Improve World Beats, featuring an eclectic mix of Hip-Hop, R&B, Reggae, Bollywood, Lo-Fi and Latin-inspired tracks for physical education.
• Columbia University Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary research partner team led by founder Dr. Olajide Williams. This interdisciplinary team constructed evidence-based frameworks for health behavior change through NIH-funded research with randomized controlled trials.
• Doug E. FreshcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding artist and Honorary Board Member. The 'Original Human Beat Box' and revolutionary hip hop artist co-founded the organization in 2006 with Dr. Olajide Williams.
• Darryl DMC McDanielscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory Council member and featured artist in programs including Community Immunity (COVID-19 vaccine literacy) and LilSugar (nutrition literacy).
• Chuck DcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory Council member, contributing to the organization's hip hop-based health education approach.
• AshanticoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory Council member, supporting the organization's mission to improve health through music and culture.
• Cheryl 'Salt' JamescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory Council member and featured artist in the Let's Talk About Salt program in partnership with the American Heart Association.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sesame Workshop: Nonprofit behind Sesame Street that creates research-based educational media for children, including health and emotional well-being content. Closest comparable as a nonprofit producing high-quality, culturally resonant educational multimedia for young audiences.
• GoNoodle: Movement and mindfulness video platform widely used in K-12 classrooms for physical activity breaks. Comparable as a free, music-and-movement-based engagement tool for K-12 health/PE programming.
• BrainPOP: Animated educational content platform serving K-12 with topics including health, science, and SEL. Comparable as a multimedia educational content provider for K-12 with subscription-based distribution.
• EVERFI: K-12 digital learning company offering health, wellness, and SEL curricula to schools and districts, often via enterprise sales. Comparable as a provider of evidence-based health education to K-12 at scale, though with a more commercial motion.
• Nemours KidsHealth: Children's health education platform operated by Nemours Children's Health, providing medically reviewed articles, videos, and educator resources for K–12. Directly comparable as a K-12 health literacy content provider with educator-facing materials.

Others

• Partnership for a Healthier America: Nonprofit that works with private-sector partners to advance child health and nutrition, including the Let's Move! campaign. Already a direct HHPH partner; comparable mission focus and overlapping audience.
• American Heart Association (Children's Health Programs): Major nonprofit with K-12 cardiovascular health education programs (Kids Heart Challenge) and an existing HHPH partner. Comparable mission overlap in child health literacy and educator distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Discovery Education: Large K-12 digital content provider with health, science, and SEL modules used in schools nationwide. Comparable as a comprehensive K-12 multimedia educational content platform, though broader and more commercially distributed.
• Common Sense Media: Major nonprofit providing media literacy, digital wellness, and health-related educational resources for families and schools. Comparable as a large nonprofit K-12 and family media education provider with broader scope.

Emerging players

• Committee for Children: Nonprofit developing social-emotional learning and health-related curricula (e.g., Second Step) for K-12. Comparable as a research-based SEL/health curriculum provider targeting K-12 educators.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hhphorg
• Facebookfacebook.com/hhphorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hip Hop Public Health