Mental health issues are by far one of the least talked about subjects in America, but they are also by far one of the most important issues in America. When someone brings up mental-health issues, many people tend to become uncomfortable. People love to self-diagnose, they give themselves a label that people actually struggle with on a daily basis. When it comes to celebrities or artists, we tend to forget that they are, at the end of the day, people. They are people who are no better or worse than any of us, and they deal with the same problems we do on a daily basis. But for whatever reason, we tend to forget that. I sat down with my friend Platinum, who I've interviewed several times, to discuss mental health issues in the music industry.
1. How much do you pay attention to issues in hip-hop music?
I definitely pay attention to it. When I see when I see my brothers go, it's sad. I get what they going for. The music is easy, but life is hard. Just as happy as we are, we just as sad. We got beef, an album may not be doing as well as you want, there's a lot of shit we go through.
2. What are things that stress you out?
I am rapping about my life. I rap what I live, and people trying to test me when they see me. I got more to lose than them, but it's hard not to do something about it.
3. Is overcoming those situations motivation for you?
Sometimes it motivates me, sometimes it makes me sick and makes me want to quit. It's not overcoming, it's about getting through it. You'll either have to be a gangster or be intelligent. One problem leads to another, everybody sees my shit. People will start anything over nothing. I wake up to people who start shit on Insta who I don't even know. People want to start fake beef over nothing.
4. Do you believe mental health in the music industry should be talked about more?
We can talk about it, but that's all we've ever done. People know we have it, but no one cares. Like it's stressful. I'm paranoid because I go through gangsta shit every day. It's about your environment. We people too, and we go through the same shit on a bigger scale. I don't think anything will change because we always deal with the same shit. So many artists do drugs to help them cope. We go to the studio and do shows because that's where we happy. People treat you different when you on.
5. What advice would you give to an up and coming artist?
First thing, are you willing to die for it? It's a slippery slope. Once you put it out, the love and hate come from it. I know it seems extreme, but it's about the hard work you put behind it. Are you ready to sacrifice, work hard, lose people? It's all about how bad you want it, you need to want to change the world!
6. What do you think of songs like "I'm Sorry" by Joyner Lucas or "1-800" by Logic?
I mean it's like ok we've been knowing that. We can tell what their state of mind based on the music they listen to. I have PTSD and Depression. Like when I said "I pray to God I don't overdose", I mean that shit (referencing his drug use). I get drawn to artists who are going through the same thing as me.
Pay attention to your friends, ask questions, CARE ABOUT PEOPLE. The people who seem the happiest are usually the ones struggling.
