Black Mail Blog

Black History:  Special Delivery!!

Welcome To Black Mail…..where we bring you Black History:  Special Delivery!

Hip Hop Public Health (HHPH) leverages the powerful trifecta of music, art, and science to increase health literacy, inspire positive behavior change, and promote health equity.  The non-profit was founded in 2014 by Dr. Olajide Williams and music artist Doug E. Fresh.  Dr. Williams is a neurologist and tenured professor at Columbia University.  Hailing from Lagos, Nigeria, Dr. Olajide Williams was born prematurely in his mother’s car in 1969.  His premature birth resulted in him having many health issues.  He spent the first year of his life in the hospital on a breathing machine. The breathing issues continued for years and resulted in frequent hospitalizations. 

Williams was enrolled in a boarding school in England in 1978.  His time at the school was difficult, as he struggled to find his place in the new environment due to his health challenges and his race.  Williams discovered that he felt most comfortable when in the company of medical staff at his school’s clinic.  Williams later returned to Nigeria where he completed medical school.  As a medical student, he was troubled by seeing many children dying from preventable conditions such as tetanus and other diseases that result from consuming contaminated drinking water. These concerns began to spark his interest in public health.