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"Don't just stand there:" Rap song teaches CPR to teens

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."

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