May 29, 2025, 1:00 p.m. ET
The Richmond Seen was on the scene for Day 2 of Charged Up Fest at the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU. A powerful panel unpacked Hip Hop’s role in protecting mental health, healing communities, and building truth-telling spaces.
Last night was one of those unexpected evenings that linger — the kind of night where you walked in for a conversation about Hip Hop and mental health, and walked out with your foundations shaken and your perspective shifted.
Day 2 of Charged Up Fest brought together some of the culture’s sharpest voices for Leading the Charge: Mental Health & Hip Hop, a public panel hosted by Richmond’s own Noah-O. What unfolded was an unfiltered, necessary dialogue on destigmatizing mental health in Hip Hop culture, how community wellness can be built through creative pathways, and how Hip Hop serves as both a reflection and a remedy for our communities.
The lineup was stacked (from left to right). Noah-O, Sincere Allah (Reform Alliance VA), Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur (AllHipHop.com), moderator Micah “Bam Bam” White, Lilith Rose (Mental Health Therapist/Artist, 11th Hour Management), Mad Skillz (Grammy-nominated artist), A.D. Carson (Associate Professor of Hip-Hop at UVA), Maurice “DJ Reese” Morgan (New Pathways Adult & Youth Services), Ant Marshall (Lyricist Lounge founder), and Zenobia Bey (Poet/Mental Health Educator).
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There were several powerful moments. One standout came when the moderator asked Ant Marshall how do we get Hip Hop to be seen as medicine for the healing of our communities. His answer was simple, but hit hard, explaining that it’s time to look within, and first recognize that the mental wellbeing of our people is vitally important. “We have to be as creative as possible, to figure out how to get paid and still do the thing we love. Even when we talk about mental health, the whole culture is going through a mental health breakdown. But we don’t call it that.”
The answer is us.
Chuck Creekmur of AllHipHop responded to a similar question (I won’t front, I didn’t catch the exact wording but what he said stuck):
“We do culture. We don’t chase cliques. But when we’re talking about our mental health and our children, we have to be aware of what they’re going to continue to be slammed with over and over and over. Back in the day, you could have an N.W.A. because there was a Tribe Called Quest, or Monie Love & Queen Latifah. There was a tremendous amount of balance. And now, there is balance, but you might not know it, because the algorithms [inaudible]. So, I want people to understand the subversive nature of the attack on us is deep, and our youth are most often the target.”
And he wasn’t along in that sentiment, Ant Marshall added. “We gotta partner with other organizations to get the message across.” He also reminded us, that sometimes the community has to “apply pressure.” Hip Hop is the biggest cultural export out of America, and we need to own that — in every sense of the word.
Zenobia Bey spoke to how creative expression has long been a positive outlet for mental health. When asked how good and bad lyrics in Hip Hop have impacted the mental health of the communities it represents, she said:
“The good is that it’s a creative space for expression. That’s the good thing. Regardless of what somebody is going through or has been through… Hip-hop, music, any form of expression is a good thing. Unfortunately, it can be a bad thing when people allow it to influence them. I don’t like to say ‘it influences’ because you can’t blame the artist, right? It takes a certain individual listening, and if they allow the music or the lyrics to sway them, it could be a bad thing, but having the platform to express, is a good thing. So just being in the scene of Hip Hop, can contribute to a good part of mental health because now you’re actually getting off some type of emotion that’s in a good positive space.”
And finally, there was this gem from Mad Skillz:
“I wish every Black man would get rich, so he could realize that’s not gonna change that sh*t.”
The conversation about vulnerability and truth-telling hit home. As A.D. Carson, Associate Professor of Hip Hop at UVA, said:
“I believe Blackness is something like a drug to the United States of America.” His words were a reminder that sometimes the most generous thing you can give isn’t money or a seat at the table, it’s the truth. In a culture where expression takes so many forms, from MC’ing to DJ’ing to business leadership, the courage to tell your story is vital. Vulnerability saves lives. Sharing what you’ve been through isn’t just about you, it’s about leaving something for the next person standing on that same ledge. That kind of honesty is what makes creative spaces powerful, turning personal release into collective healing.
Charged Up Fest and Noah-O reminded Richmond that while the music is the medium, we are the source.
Day 3 of Charged Up Fest continues Thursday, May 29th, with the Broad Street Bullies Community Bike Ride, a music showcase at Yellow House Studios, and a kickoff concert at Vagabond. Tap in to stay updated.
Photos by Eric Jackson / The Richmond Seen
