BROOKLYN'S RHA GODDESS IS MAKING HER OWN REVOLUTION

The Revolution is To Be Well
By JLove

Brooklyn’s Hip-Hop Artivist Rha Goddess believes that the new revolution is to be well…physically, spirituality, financially, and emotionally. With her ground breaking solo piece Low, Rha sheds light on the enormous issue of mental health in our communities, bringing special attention to communities of color. With many of our returning troops falling prey to deep depression and the increase in teen suicides, Rha punches through the silence surrounding these deep-seated issues. The time has come to listen and to speak out. Follow this powerful journey, and allow it to inspire you to action.

Tell us about your name, Rha Goddess.

My name comes from the Khemetic (Nile/Nubian) lineage. In that lineage it is pronounced Ra-at Enterrrt and it is translated to mean “light supreme”
I fasted for 86 days in order to “step into” my name. It for me is a responsibility
I carry vs. some marketing “gimmick”

What compelled you to look at the subject of mental
illness as a subject of your piece?

Around five or six years ago there were a number of people in my life
very close to me who were severely diagnosed. I witnessed my own
ignorance and powerlessness first hand as I attempted to provide support.I was shocked at how little I knew about mental illness
and I was even more shocked at the limited capacity of the health care system
to respond compassionately to people in need.
Nobody would talk about it. No one in my family, my community-it was like this deep dark secret that had to be avoided at all costs.

In April 2003 my dear friend and mentor committed suicide-nobody even knew he was ill and at his funeral, tons of people eulogized him, but no one was willing to acknowledge what happened- that for me was the tipping point.How does poverty and access to treatment, nutrition, and basic security are contributing factors toward mental illness?

One of the questions we pose in the study we created (as part of the Hip-Hop Mental Health Project) to examine the impact of the work is: Where does mental illness come from? There are many theories: genetic inheritance, neurological/chemical imbalance, severe stress & trauma etc..

In LOW, I chose to explore the question: To what degree DOES our environment contribute to our ability to be well? I believe that the experiences of poverty, shame, humiliation, alienation, and isolation have a significant impact on our mental, spiritual, physical and emotional states.

In this society as in many other parts of the world we have created a culture where certain people are deemed to be “expendable” there is often very little rhyme or reason to how these people are chosen-there is almost a sense of complete disregard for their humanity-they are simply the products of a larger social construct that must have somebody on the bottom in order to have others at the top thrive.

I believe the acceptance of this kind of ideology is one of the most profound forms of “illness” we experience as a society.


The scandalous way in which so many of our soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with post-traumatic stress that is systematically being denied by the government has also brought mental illness center stage. A young Minnesota soldier
recently committed suicide after complaining about this. Your comments:

Unfortunately, even those brave men and women who have served this nation fall prey to the societal ignorance about these issues and to the lack of comprehensive healthcare being a priority. Yes, it is deplorable. We know the health care system in this nation must be changed, we know it is going to require greater resources and greater partnership and collaboration with national, state and local agencies and those they serve.


My hope is that LOW can help forward this dialogue and encourage greater resources and support for those who are suffering with mental illness and for those who have been impacted by the suffering of loved ones.

As Cincinnati CityBeat said, "There's a lot of Hip Hop culture reflected in these powerful words, and Rha's performance over a gripping 75 minutes is impressive and memorable."

In Rha’s powerful hands, audience members are able to understand mental illness on a new level where judgment and criticism have no place. Low inspires us to break the taboo of silence and do something. What are you doing to be well?

LOW is now playing off broadway in NYC until January 20th. Check her website for more information: www.rhaworld.com