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American Veteran: Keep It Close
How Rap and a Broken Mic Help This Iraq Vet Survive
Season 2021
Episode 4
During his deployment in Iraq, Army Veteran Jeff “Soldier Hard” Barillaro recorded rap music as a form of stress relief. Once a civilian, his music helped keep him grounded and gave him an outlet for the difficult emotions raised by his time in combat. Today, he keeps his old microphone from Iraq as a reminder of that time, and he works with other veterans to heal through music.
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