Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images
Ever since Isaiah Rashad stepped onto the music scene with bits from Pieces of a Kid, it’s very transparent that his life’s been a consistent struggle, received from a variety of sources. The subjects of depression, suicidal thoughts, and self-medication are commonplace in the lyrics Rashad puts on display- he’s long been an advocate for showing emotions in his raps.
They be calling doctors for my health
And “no” is kinda hard to say to drugs
I been having problems with myself– “Heavenly Father,” Cilvia Demo
Kid Cudi, who’s also famously embraced his despondent thoughts in his music, just recently announced that he checked himself into rehab for the aforementioned issues, apologizing to his fans and promising his music will still be coming out soon. This sparked plenty of conversations concerning mental illness and the thoughts of denial that may run through those affected by it. Isaiah Rashad took to Twitter to speak a bit on these:
Don’t go through the problems in your head alone. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help. The worst thing to do is think ur alone in it
— young lack sleep (@isaiahrashad) October 9, 2016
everybody’s somebody’s everything. nobody’s nothing.
— young lack sleep (@isaiahrashad) October 9, 2016
Little Boys, Dressed Like Rappers.
— young lack sleep (@isaiahrashad) October 9, 2016
give that nigga a hug before u can’t dawg. forreal.
— young lack sleep (@isaiahrashad) October 9, 2016
Rashad brought upon one of the most pervasive issues surrounding mental health in his small rant- the shunning and denial around it. The environment where many rappers, and many artists in general, come from is suffused with occurrences that make topics of self-medication and depression a popular subject in many songs- it’s relatable. Some of hip-hop’s most influential artists have come out with blatant admissions of suicidal thoughts and depression in their music. “When I die, f**k it, I wanna go to hell/Cause I’m a piece of s**t, it ain’t hard to f**king tell,” raps Biggie Smalls in his “Suicidal Thoughts” track off Ready to Die.
There’s an innumerable amount of triggers that could set off a person with no previous record of mental illness within themselves or their families. Even then, oftentimes, an event isn’t even needed to trigger mental illness. It’s an epidemic that continues to be ignored to feed some sort of hyper-masculine agenda, whose mantra reads: “men don’t feel emotions,” and “boys don’t cry.” Or, an epidemic that gets ignored because mental illness is often perceived as a weakness, instead of a chemical imbalance in the brain.
Pop music has even become a lot more somber than it previously was; songs like “Here” by Alessia Cara, or “7 Years” by Lukas Graham talk about alcoholism and social aloofness as normal issues. Both songs, while melancholic in lyrics and sound, received plenty of attention and airplay. It’s about time the general consensus of mental illness changes to a more compassionate one, and not one that shuns. It’d also be cool, for a change, if it were treated with as much precision and consideration as physical illnesses.
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