Mental Health and Hip-Hop: An Important Conversation
Warning: This article will deal with adult themes, such as mental health and suicidal thoughts. Viewer discretion is advised.
As the world enters almost two years of a global pandemic, mental health continues to be one of the most discussed topics today. Within the historical context, it’s understandable for all of us to be wary of the mental health of others, as much as our own. It is reported that one in four people will face mental health struggles at some point in their lives; and in a world of almost eight billion people, the numbers are staggering. With that being said: what does Hip-Hop have to do with mental health?
Hip-Hop, as a medium of artistic expression, has been at the front of social concepts and messages since its very inception. One must note that one of the first classic hits of the genre was Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s “The Message”. While the song deals with the often brutal realities of living under the poverty line in an underprivileged neighborhood as a person of color, it also dives into the ever-present question of mental health in clever lines:
Don't push me
'Cause I'm close to the edge
I'm trying not to lose my head
Ah-huh-huh-huh
It's like a jungle sometimes it makes me wonder
How I keep from going under
- Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, “The Message”
Hip-Hop artists would continue this flame; to talk about mental health - even if it wasn’t explicit - through a plethora of songs in the following sixty to seventy years. From the Geto Boys “Mind Playing Tricks On Me” to the Notorious B.I.G’s “Suicidal Thoughts”, passing by “Beautiful” by Eminem and “Lucid Dreams” Juice WRLD, Hip-Hop has often had a heavy hand in presenting these themes of depression, crisis and suicidal ideation to a younger generation.
While these songs, albums, and projects don’t inherently present support methods or tactics that would be acceptable by medical standards, one can not look away from the fact that some people may relate to these feelings.
Due to the free-flowing nature of the genre and its ability to use words to express much deeper meanings than most other music types in the world, Hip-Hop has a distinct voice within the global musical context. One can only look at Logic's 2017 song, “1-800-273-8255,” which was linked with an increase in phone calls to the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and a decline in suicides in the U.S., according to a new peer-reviewed study. Stories and statistics of this genre show the growth of Hip-Hop in what is considered to be mainstream, but also how important these conversations are.
And Hip-Hop is helping bring it to the forefront.
In a culture that has oftentimes been violent and needlessly aggressive towards minority groups through hateful speech, Hip-Hop and Rap have finally become beacons for people who feel trapped. One cannot underestimate or forget the experiences of people like Lil Wayne, Kid Cudi, Eminem, Kanye West and so much more as they navigate through their own struggles, using the medium of music to present that no one is truly alone in this.
You are not alone. Maybe, as we dive through the large number of songs dealing with all of these dark subjects, if there is something that can be universally said to be the message of it all, is that “you are not alone. You will make it”.
If you, or anyone you love, are in crisis or in need of resources, please redirect yourself here.
What are your thoughts on Hip-Hop and Mental Health? Should artists be allowed to talk about their mental health in their music, or is that too personal? What are some of your favorite songs about the topic? Sound off in the comments below, follow on Instagram at @YongeEntertainment for more unfiltered comments on rap, the community, and music in general.