What's the best way to teach teenagers the basics of CPR? Rap about it. So thought the American Heart Association, which recently enlisted two Stanford alumni to pen a hip-hop anthem for its educational Be the Beat campaign.
The song is the subject of an article in the current issue of Stanford Magazine:
The Be the Beat theme song, called "That's CPR," has 100 beats per minute-the optimal rate for chest compressions, but a tricky tempo for a rap. "Hip-hop usually is 80 beats per minute; drum and bass is 160," [Andrew Nielsen, who performs as MC Lars] explains. "But I had fun with it, I was able to play with the meter of the flow..."
The result is a tune catchy enough to be an earworm. But that's the idea, says Nielsen. "If you have the chorus in your head 'Don't just stand there! Call 911/Push hard and fast (where?)/In the center of the chest (that's CPR!)' you can save someone's life."
