On Monday, Drake released a new tracks on Apple Music. Fans were very excited, including myself, to see what new music Drake was bringing to the table. Sadly, I was disappointed.
In the track, "Two Birds One Stone", Drake dissed rapper Kid Cudi because of his struggles with mental illness. The rap says:
"You were the man on the moon, now you go through your phases
Life of the angry and famous
Rap like I know I'm the greatest and give you the tropical flavors
Still never been on hiatus
You stay xan and perked up so when reality set in you don't gotta face it."
On October 4, Kid Cudi announced his decision to check himself into rehab in order to deal with his severe anxiety and depression. Fans have provided an overwhelming amount of support and love for Cudi's decision to take care of his health. Fans even started a Twitter hashtag, #YouGoodMan, to provide support for both Cudi and mental illness among Blacks.
Although no one can be certain, there have been rumors that Drake wanted to get back at Cudi for a tweet he posted back in September that accused Drake and Kanye of being fake rappers and "jealous, chicken hearted shits."
Myself, among many others, have a problem with this. I have a huge problem with this.
To Drake: Mental illness is not something to mess with or joke about. It is something very personal and extremely difficult to deal with. Many do not tell others until they feel 100% comfortable. Mental illnesses are diseases that people deal with for a lifetime. They don't just go away.
From your jabs at Cudi, you make it seem that mental illness is something that makes one weak. You make it seem that mental illness makes one have less worth than others that are "normal." Having a mental illness DOES NOT make you DIFFERENT than anyone else. Having a mental illness DOES NOT make you LESS HUMAN than anyone else. Having a mental illness DOES NOT mean you are NOT IMPORTANT. Having a mental illness DOES NOT mean you should be LESS RESPECTED.
Mental illness is not something to be ashamed of, but you're conveying to your fans and the public that it is. Mental illness only makes people feel ashamed because of the stigma and and bias associated with it. Despite such a large number of people experiencing mental health problems, there remains an inevitable stigma surrounding mental health. This stigma comes from a lack of understanding about the experiences of people with mental illness. No one can understand mental illness until they actually go through it. Because of these stigmas, people live in fear of disclosing their mental illness because it would most likely be met with judgement.
Mental health is NOT a weakness; it is a disease. Stand up to the stigma.
One in four people have a mental illness. You can be the one to help. Go to https://www.mentalhealth.gov/get-help/ to get help, or call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.
