Let’s Talk About Salt
Let’s Talk About Salt
Collaborators:
Grammy®-winning Cheryl “Salt” JamesLocation:
New York, New YorkRegion:
Population Density:
UrbanLarge Intended Impact Area:
Foundations:
Project Website:
https://hhph.org/letstalkaboutsalt/OVERVIEW
“Let’s Talk About Salt” is a boldly creative educational animated music video PSA starring Grammy®-winning Cheryl “Salt” James from the iconic group, Salt-N-Pepa. Hip Hop Public Health was inspired to remix Salt-N-Pepa’s 1991 global hit, “Let’s Talk About Sex” which samples Staple Singers’ 1972 civil rights anthem, “I’ll Take You There” because it opened up conversations, influenced behavioral change, and increased awareness about the AIDS pandemic at the time, saving millions of lives globally. Hip Hop Public Health’s 2020 rendition which was funded in part through the American Heart Association’s New York City Community Impact Grant encourages hypertension prevention by teaching young people about healthy eating and salt consumption with a visually stimulating music video.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
The song and music video are based on our founder, Dr. Olajide Williams and his research scientist, Dr. Ewelina Swierad’s, Multisensory Multilevel Health Education Model (Williams O. & Swierad, 2019) proven to promote behavior change. The team at Hip Hop Public Health engaged a multidisciplinary group of artists, doctors, public health experts, producers, and designers to create the song and animated music video which was developed by an all-women team of designers from Mylo the Cat and Cartuna who have quickly become pop culture favorites.
Multi-platinum composer, Q. Worthy co-wrote the song with Stephanie Chambers and co-produced it with Jose Sanchez. Medical oversight was provided by Hip Hop Public Health founder and renowned neurologist, Dr. Olajide Williams and hypertension expert, Dr. Andrew Moran from the New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center as well as board member, Dr. Olugbenga Ogedegbe from New York University’s School of Medicine. Record producer, touring DJ, percussionist, and BYLR Radio Station co-founder, Dee Wiz remixed the track and has been a long-time ambassador for Hip Hop Public Health.