Hip hop consists of four basic elements

1. Deejaying scratch and mix
2. Rapping, also known as “MCing” (emceeing) “rhyming”
3. Graffiti artists that draw and write
4. Break dancing, or “B-boying”
5. A fifth element is Knowledge of Self - the drive for self-awareness and social-consciousness.

This accessibility and inclusivity make hip hop an effective therapeutic tool as it provides a way to build rapport between client and therapist. The lyrical content enables therapists to access hard to talk about topics.