Rappers Who Struggle with Mental Illness
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While West has yet to confirm any diagnosis himself, court documents from a 2017 lawsuit indicate Kanye West struggles with mental illness.
His behavior was described as "strained, confused and erratic” and he was soon hospitalized to treat his mental health.
- Age: 42
- Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- 1My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy2,934 Votes
- 2The College Dropout2,446 Votes
- 3Graduation2,544 Votes
Eminem has reportedly struggled with depression and anger issues. He used to self-medicate with pills which led to his ongoing addiction.
The rapper said:
I ended up coming out of all that sh*t that was cluttering my mind and as I came up out of the haze from the pills and everything, sh*t started to get clearer.
- Age: 52
- Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri, USA
- 1The Eminem Show1,894 Votes
- 2The Marshall Mathers LP1,855 Votes
- 3The Slim Shady LP1,502 Votes
Lil Wayne became depressed during a 2010 prison stint and even contemplated suicide at one point.
Lil Wayne wrote of the experience:
I ended up thinking about all types of shit. One thing that stood out was how I've never been this close to suicide before. It's truly a new reality for me.
- Age: 42
- Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana
- 1Tha Carter III587 Votes
- 2Tha Carter II482 Votes
- 3Tha Carter IV381 Votes
Gun violence - and not being able to help those in his hometown - has been a source of Kendrick Lamar's depression.
Lamar has stated he needs to be vigilant to keep himself from fully succumbing to depression, noting:
That can draw a thin line between you having your sanity and you losing it. This is how artists deteriorate if you don't catch yourself.
- Age: 37
- Birthplace: Compton, California, USA
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DMX has been diagnosed as bipolar and sees his stage names and personas as various manifestations of his ever-changing moods.
In an interview, he stated:
X is the bad guy. That’s not who I am. I’m not the person the media portrays me to be... I’m Earl when I’m with my children. I miss my children.
- Age: 54
- Birthplace: USA, New York, Mount Vernon
- 1Cradle 2 the Grave155 Votes
- 2Exit Wounds123 Votes
- 3Never Die Alone112 Votes
Chance The Rapper struggles with anxiety and he believes he may have PTSD due to the deaths of several close friends.
The rapper is beginning to grow more comfortable opening up about his mental health, stating:
Anxiety is now something that I’m just getting exposed to, it’s a big conversation and idea that I’m getting introduced to now.
- Age: 31
- Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
Kid Cudi has been open in sharing his experience with an "emotional breakdown."
Before checking himself into rehab due to depression and thoughts of suicide, Cudi wrote a lengthy Facebook message stating:
My anxiety and depression have ruled my life for as long as I can remember and I never leave the house because of it. I can't make new friends because of it. I don't trust anyone because of it and I'm tired of being held back in my life. I deserve to have peace.
- Age: 41
- Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio
- Photo:
- The Come Up Show
- Wikimedia Commons
- CC BY 2.0
While he did not reveal an explicit diagnosis, B.o.B. indicated a line about depression from his song "Avalanche" was pulled from his real life during a 2017 interview.
The rapper stated:
Maybe some people's lows aren't low enough to call it depression, but as a musician, you have some real high highs and some real low lows.
- Age: 36
- Birthplace: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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Personal trauma left T.I. suffering from the mental health issues that ultimately led to his arrest for illegally purchasing firearms.
The rapper stated:
My best friend Philant Johnson had died in my arms. It caused a state of depression and paranoia.
- Age: 44
- Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia
- 1ATL18 Votes
- 2Ant-Man and the Wasp13 Votes
- 3Ant-Man14 Votes
Scarface suffers from bipolar disorder and was diagnosed when he was just 12 or 13 years old.
The rapper has written about his mental health in a memoir and also opened up about the disease in interviews, stating:
Some days are better than others. Even right now, yeah. But I know I want to live.
- Age: 54
- Birthplace: Texas, USA, Houston
Danny Brown opened up about his mental health on Twitter in 2014, admitting depression drives his substance use.
The rapper tweeted:
I can't sleep my anxiety is at an all time high but don't none of y'all care about that sh*t. Depression is serious y’all think I do drugs cause it’s fun.
- Age: 43
- Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, USA
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Rapper Kevin Gates is open about the fact he suffers from depression. He says his music, in part, helps him cope with the disease.
Gates has stated working helps distract him from his depression, noting:
The only time I can recall I was truly happy was probably 2007. Other than that, I just work, work, work, work. Whenever I collapse, my team, they pick me back up and we go again. You battery gon shut down, but I go til I can’t go no more.
- Age: 39
- Birthplace: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Photo:
- The Come Up Show
- Wikimedi Commons
- CC BY 2.0
Isaiah Rashad has struggled with depression and he has used Twitter to encourage others to reach out for help when they need it.
In 2016, he tweeted:
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.
- Birthplace: Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Photo:
- Photo:
- Mizery Made
- Wikimedia Commons
- CC BY-SA 3.0
In a 2016 AMA on Reddit, Krizz Kaliko discussed his bipolar diagnosis.
The artist stated:
It's somn I've had to deal with most of my life. It's tough. tell him keep his head up. Keep goin. Music is the best therapy.
- Age: 50
- Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri
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Joe Budden, who has experienced suicidal depression, encourages others to be more open about mental health.
In a 2017 interview, he stated:
As someone who has been suicidal, as someone who has battled depression... you never see the signs. I would love to see more people speak out on mental health issues.
- Age: 44
- Birthplace: New York, New York, USA
