... with New York's Doctor John Clarke (pictured right). The musical doctor's homespun rap song is one of 10 finalists in a US Department of Health competition for best swine flu health warning. “H1N1, showing hate, never pity,/ nicknamed swine flu, coz it ain't ever pretty,” Clarke raps. “H1N1 is in the hood./ Use hand sanitizer and/wash your hands good.” The song, which appears on http://www.youtube.com/user/USGOVHHS, is one of more than 200 submissions in the competition, closing September 16. Clarke, a real life doctor who is medical director for the Long Island Rail Road, told the Daily News he was happy “the US government is actually endorsing a hip-hop video!” An unusual disease seems to call for unusual measures. As the doctor raps: “H1N1 is in your section/ so get with prevention for your protection.” “When I found out, I was like wow,” said Clarke. “This is really cool, that the U.S. government is actually endorsing a hip-hop video!” In a white lab coat and dark sunglasses, the 38-year-old Long Island Rail Road medical director raps, “H1N1 Swine flu infection. For intervention I bring prevention, Dr. Clarke here I come, to make your head numb!” “I'm recommending washing hands for protection,” he says over a steady beat, rubbing his hands together and managing to still look pretty cool. “Front and back, real thorough, while you count 20 seconds.” Clarke has been rapping to kids about health issues like asthma, diabetes and teen pregnancy for more than a decade. He calls it “health hop.” It was his wife, Elizabeth, a nurse, who gave him the idea to write a swine flu rap. “I try to just find a clever way to present the topic to make it interesting,” the avid hip-hop fan said. “The beauty of rap is it allows you to relate a lot of information in a short time.”
