Based in Harlem, N.Y., and reaching young people all over the globe since 2006, the non-profit Hip Hop Public Health (HHPH) has educated communities one lyric at a time on issues of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. HHPH was founded by Dr. Olajide Williams, Chief of Staff of Neurology at Columbia University Hospital, as a way to teach young people and their families how to recognize health signs of distress and quickly recall simple tasks they can do to increase a positive outcome.

Known in the community as the "Hip Hop Doc," Williams is a highly regarded NIH researcher and expert in community-based health education interventions targeting economically disadvantaged minority communities. HHPH engages with these communities using the tools of music, moves and lyrics as seen in their newly released exercise series H.Y.P.E The Breaks., funded by the American Beverage Foundation for a Healthy America.

Most recently HHPH's work on stroke awareness and recognition was published in Science Daily. Dr. Williams says he's worked on this hypotheses for many years and looks forward to tackling other health issues impacting disadvantaged minority communities. When asked 'why Hip Hop', Dr. Williams advises that, "for many of us, music has been a lifeline to positive transformation and we are promoting health equity among youth using an innovative array of media tools designed to improve health literacy." Visit Hip Hop Public Health for more information.