”Mul riitti kerrottavaa, kokemuksista melodraamaa” : kertomus, koherenssi ja kulttuurihyvinvointi rap-artisti Cheekin uranpäätöstrilogiassa

In this article, I explore the narratives in the trilogy that concluded the artistic career of rap artist Cheek. The trilogy consists of autobiographical works: the album Alpha Omega (2015), the book JHT – musta lammas (2016), and the film Veljeni vartija (2018). I aim to explore how these narratives and their poetics relate to cultural wellbeing and cultural discourses of mental health. I base my examination on an analysis of the lyrics and their contexts, following theories of coherence. I also contextualize my analysis by means of dialogical thematic interview material that I have co-produced with Jare Tiihonen, namely Cheek. The article shows that these narratives construct and reflect coherence in a unique way, both in form and content. In addition, the narratives demonstrate the therapeutic elements of rap that serve both artists and audiences alike. Cheek’s trilogy also highlights an important cultural discourse in which discussing and defining mental health does not fit into two categories of wellness or illness.