Men's Mental Health Awareness Month: Rappers Who Spoke On Struggles & Recovery

Hip Hop is a genre that demands armor. Stoicism, survival, and swagger at all costs. Emotions stayed tucked between metaphors or masked by bravado. Yet, over time, the beat changed. A new generation of artists began speaking plainly about anxiety, depression, trauma, healing, and wellness. Artists spit bars about what weighed heavy on their hearts. Others wrote open letters. All of them broke the silence.

Recent data underscores why spotlighting men’s mental health, especially among rappers, matters now more than ever. According to the CDC, men accounted for nearly 80 percent of all suicide deaths in 2022, with a rate four times higher than women. Alarmingly, the suicide rate for Black male adolescents and young adults rose sharply during the late 2010s and early ’20s, becoming the third leading cause of death in that group. Meanwhile, emergency department visits for mental health issues remain highest among Black adults, often due to lack of outpatient care access, calling attention to systemic barriers and the urgent need for culturally responsive support. These numbers reflect a deeper cultural truth that public figures, including rappers, are often navigating invisible wounds that deserve recognition and care.

This Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re centering the voices of rappers who spoke plainly about the weight they carried. They spoke up because silence was costing them more than truth ever could. In that honesty, they offered something real and a reminder that being human doesn’t make you weak, it makes you whole.

When Ab‑Soul returned ahead of his 2022 album Herbert, he brought with him a level of transparency rarely shown in mainstream Hip Hop. A revered TDE artist and one of the genre’s most lyrically respected voices, Ab has long been known for unpacking complex philosophies, spiritual questions, and emotional weight through rhyme. This time, he shared the story of a suicide attempt that nearly took his life. During a period of severe depression and addiction, he jumped from a freeway overpass near his mother’s home. The fall shattered his leg and pelvis, knocked out his teeth, and nearly left him paralyzed. In recovery, he turned to therapy and chose to speak openly about the experience.

“I’ve been smoking cigarettes since I was about 16 years old. I still do. I’m addicted to cigarettes, I do hope to quit one day," Ab-Soul shared in an interview. "[Vaping] was promoted as a better or safer alternative to cigarettes. In turn, it is not. It is causing severe anxiety and depression. I never understood depression until this. I get it now, I can’t even be in the same room as one of those things.”

“I recorded the majority of the album, pretty much finished the album, before I did what I did," the rapper also stated. "As soon as I said everything I needed to say, I jumped. I took a leap of faith, if you will. And that was the only way I was gonna be able to put that vape down, bro... I got a lot of work to do, still. About 80 percent of my [leg] is completely reconstructed, all the way to my pelvis. Everything but my knee…. if my knee would’ve been affected, I might not be walking.”

Elsewhere, in a chat with NPR, Ab further said he wants mental wellness to be a staple, not a passing phase. "I'm hoping that it is not just becoming a trendy thing—like, the mental health, go get therapy. I'm hoping that, you know, people are doing this with intent. And I'm hoping that there aren't people that are just going to therapy because they heard one of their favorite rappers do it. You have to find a therapist that you connect with, if you're able to, with a goal to unpack trauma, to be their best.

Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, better known as Logic, opened the door on mental health in mainstream Hip Hop by sharing that he endured the most difficult years of his life struggling with anxiety, depression, and the pressure of public scrutiny. With his song “1‑800‑273‑8255,” he turned that private pain into a national intervention. The song peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, was nominated for Song of the Year, and it coincided with a certified 50 percent increase in calls to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline after his 2017 MTV Video Music Awards performance. Logic’s message was clear that sharing lived experiences is power. His decision to appear on stage with suicide survivors and speak openly about therapy offered fans a rare moment of visible hope.

During an interview with the Recording Academy, Logic spoke candidly about his experiences. "I was so scared for so long to say that because society has lead me to believe that my anxiety is stupid and shouldn't be talked about, or that suicide, 'Who cares, who's weak enough to kill themselves?,' which is the most terrible, disgusting, ugly thing somebody can say," Logic stated. "That's why I decided to write about these topics." He added, "I am bringing up and shedding light on the negativities that have shown themselves in my life to paint the picture of letting go and of setting myself free and surrounding myself in happiness.”

Jay‑Z has reframed emotional transparency as a form of power. In interviews tied to his 2017 album 4:44, he described therapy as a healing investment. It was then that he explained how it taught him to trace his reactions back to old wounds and handle conflict with empathy instead of aggression. He highlighted how clinic visits helped him unpack the lingering trauma of growing up in the Marcy Projects and whose influence spilled into his relationships. This includes a pattern of emotional shut-off rooted in survival instincts.

Further, Jay‑Z framed crying not as weakness, but as strength. "I grew so much from the experience," he said of going to therapy while chatting with The New York Times. "But I think the most important thing I got is that everything is connected. Every emotion is connected and it comes from somewhere. And just being aware of it. Being aware of it in everyday life puts you at such a ... you're at such an advantage. You know, you realize that if someone's racist toward you, it ain't about you. It's about their upbringing and what happened to them, and how that led them to this point. You know, most bullies bully. It just happen. Oh, you got bullied as a kid so you trying to bully me. I understand."

"And once I understand that, instead of reacting to that with anger, I can provide a softer landing and maybe, 'Aw, man, is you O.K.?'" Hov added. "I was just saying there was a lot of fights in our neighborhood that started with 'What you looking at? Why you looking at me? You looking at me?' And then you realize: 'Oh, you think I see you. You’re in this space where you’re hurting, and you think I see you, so you don’t want me to look at you. And you don’t want me to see you.'"

"You don't want me to see your pain. You don't ... So you put on this shell of this tough person that's really willing to fight me and possibly kill me 'cause I looked at you. You know what I'm saying, like, so ... Knowing that and understanding that changes life completely.”

Louisiana icon Lil Wayne shared that around age 12, he attempted suicide by shooting himself in the chest. It was an event he described as occurring after he believed his mother would make him stop pursuing Rap with Birdman’s label. Law enforcement and medical staff rushed him to safety, and the episode became a fracture point in his life, not the end.

Over the years, he has referenced that moment in music and conversation, reaffirming the reality of early trauma and the fact that mental health struggles don’t follow any timeline. Later, through candid interviews, Wayne has repeatedly emphasized the importance of acknowledging pain and seeking support. "[I'm] hoping I can help anyone else out there who's dealing with mental health problems by... being vulnerable," Wayne told Uncomfortable Conversations. "To me, I look at it by being brave and stepping up."

"I was willing to die for it," Wayne added about attempting to take his own life if he couldn't chase his Rap dreams. "Once my thoughts got radical and got to where you've got to stop yourself and stop and pause and say, 'What did you just think again?' Even if you've cried yourself to sleep with that thought on your mind and wake up the next day and be like, 'I cannot believe I was thinking like that.'" While at the time the rapper admitted he doesn't go to therapy, he said he relies on prayer.

Detroit's very own hometown hero Eminem’s career has unfolded as a public study in mental health recovery. His song “Beautiful” (2009) delves into depression and isolation: “I’m just so f*cking depressed, I can’t handle the stress." It became an unexpected Top 20 hit, reaching No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100. Moreoever, Eminem has explained that his Slim Shady alter-ego amplified his struggles with addiction, fueling a period of heavy drug use that nearly ended his career.

"I think that's one of the great things about Rap music is that you could put so much of your life in it," Eminem told Sway in the Morning. "It's therapeutic and that's how it's always been for me." Elsewhere when speaking with Men's Journal, he explained his addiction. "In 2007, I overdosed on pills, and I went into the hospital. I was close to 230 pounds. I'm not sure how I got so big, but I have ideas. The coating on the Vicodin and the Valium I'd been taking for years leaves a hole in your stomach, so to avoid a stomach ache, I was constantly eating and eating badly."

That incident marked the beginning of a long road toward recovery and clarity. Since then, he’s celebrated over 15 years of sobriety, framing recovery as creative rebirth. It was a truth that emerged publicly through albums like Relapse and in conversations about therapy and healing. Eminem’s journey reflects the strength it takes to face inner chaos head-on. His openness about addiction, recovery, and mental health transformed personal pain into creative power, allowing him to rebuild both his life and identity on his own terms.

From prison letters to late-night interviews, Tupac Shakur consistently pulled back the curtain on emotional struggle, long before it was considered safe to do so in Hip Hop. He once admitted that after the 1994 Quad Studios shooting, he contemplated suicide and was only stopped by family intervention. That honesty, echoed throughout his 1995 album Me Against the World, marked one of Rap’s earliest and most unflinching explorations of depression, trauma, and existential crisis. Tupac’s genius lived in his ability to hold strength and suffering at once. He offered both without apology. His work made space for contradiction and truth, all spoken in the same breath.

"So Many Tears" lyrics:

Now I'm lost and I'm weary, so many tears
I'm suicidal, so don't stand near me
My every move is a calculated step
To bring me closer to embrace an early death
Now there's nothin' left
There was no mercy on the streets
I couldn't rest, I'm barely standin'
About to go to pieces, screamin' peace
And though my soul was deleted, I couldn't see it
I had my mind full of demons tryin' to break free
They planted seeds and they hatched, sparkin' the flame
Inside my brain like a match, such a dirty game
No memories, just a misery
Paintin' a picture of my enemies killin' me in my sleep
Will I survive 'til the morning to see the sun?
Please Lord, forgive me for my sins, 'cause here I come

Public scrutiny often drowned out the quiet signals Kanye West gave about his mental health. After a breakdown in 2016 led to hospitalization, he began speaking more openly about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. On his 2018 album Ye, he scribbled, “I hate being bi-polar, it’s awesome,” across the cover. It became a reflection of how he coped with instability through contradiction and public self-awareness. He later described bipolar episodes as deeply disorienting, at times blurring reality and pushing him into paranoia.

Ye would detail his experiences while speaking with David Letterman. Specifically, he explained his time in a mental health facility. "You pretty much don’t trust everyone, and they have this moment where they handcuff you, they drug you, they put you on the bed, and they separate you from everyone you know," said West. "That’s something that I’m so happy I experienced myself so I can start by changing that moment. When you are in that state, you have to have someone you trust. It is cruel and primitive to do that.”

Further, he described how mania affected his thinking and behavior, and emphasized how critical medication and support had been in managing his mental health. More recently, Kanye shared that he was re-diagnosed as autistic. His visibility, for better or worse, shifted the conversation around mental illness in Hip Hop.

“This is a sprained brain, like having a sprained ankle” West added. “And if someone has a sprained ankle, you’re not gonna push on him more. With us, once our brain gets to a point of spraining, people do everything to make it worse. They do everything possible. They got us to that point, and then they do everything to make it worse.”

"You know, if you guys want these crazy ideas, these crazy stages, this crazy music, and this crazy way of thinking, there’s a chance it might come from a crazy person.” 

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A quiet battle with depression followed Method Man through his rise with Wu-Tang and beyond. He began to recognize recurring anxiety and emotional pain that dated back to childhood, intensified by sudden fame and physical exhaustion. He credits insomnia, stress, and substance misuse for pushing him to face a deeper truth. In response, he embraced a regimen of late-night workouts, healthier eating, and self-reflection—actions that ultimately led him to sobriety and renewed purpose. Now, the rapper-actor often speaks about the importance of self-love and encourages people to check in on each other. Often, healing begins in connection, not isolation.

"It went from this childhood joy to this euphoric feeling of celebrity to feeling inadequate and not good enough," Meth told Men's Health. "What can I control? That’s what I did; I took control after that. I stopped valuing other people’s opinions, and instead of being my biggest critic, I became my biggest fan,” he explained. Other methods he experimented with were late gym sessions to aid in his fight with insomnia which lasted 18 months. All in all, he is in a better place, saying "Show that you love yourself. That’s all I’ve been doing. What people see now is just happiness."

Kid Cudi has spoken openly about facing severe depression, anxiety, and suicidal urges before entering rehab in 2016. In the early 2010s, he caught up with Complex to discuss his journey in seeking help. "I wouldn’t even go to a therapist or psychiatrist. But I gave it a shot," he said. "It’s working for me but it’s not for everyone. I’ve got some f*cking problems.[Laughs.] It’s good for me to talk to someone who helps me see things. I had no other choice."

During his time in treatment in 2016, Cudi suffered a stroke. It was an unexpected crisis that reshaped his recovery process. Cudi credits his ongoing balance to stepping away from constant public scrutiny, engaging in therapy, and grounding himself in fatherhood. In recent years, he has used his platform to advocate for mental wellness, from award show stages to youth-centered mental health initiatives.

In 2022, Cudi also sat down with Self Magazine to speak openly about his addictions. There, he shared that while he experiemented with drugs as a youth, things kicked into gear when fame reached his doorstep. “It wasn’t scary until later on in my life, as I was Kid Cudi,” he said. “I was suicidal. I was darker than I ever had been in my life. I’m thinking about, ‘How could I do this without my family finding out, without my friends finding out?’ Like I’m actually plotting my death.”

However, those extreme emotions prompted the rapper to take a chance. “That was what really scared me straight to the point where I said I needed to go get help…I want to live for my daughter, for my family, for my friends, for my fans. I want to live, I want this for myself. So, I made the choice for the first time in my life to go get help for what I didn’t understand.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or looking for support, know that help is not out of reach. You are not alone, and there is no shame in seeking care. Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7 for free and confidential support. You deserve to be heard and helped.

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