Hip Hop Speaks on Mental Health
Mental health is a complicated issue, but a very important one. It is exceptionally difficult to deal with because of the taboo that surrounds talking about it, one that is made even more prominent amongst certain cultures and groups. Despite this, there is good news. Spreading awareness is one of the most effective ways to combat the stigma surrounding mental health. Hip-hop artists in particular are making their voices heard and helping to spread the word regarding the importance of mental wellbeing.
Mental health awareness is more important now than it ever has been, especially with people in the last decade reporting much higher rates of depression and overall sadness. Research by U.S. surgeon general Dr. Vivek Murthy found, that from 2009 to 2019, 40% more high school students reported having feelings of persistent sadness and hopelessness than students in prior years (8). With that in mind, two things can be considered as possibilities. On one hand, it can be concluded that efforts towards mental health awareness are working and more people are recognizing their mental health symptoms. More high school students reporting the way they are really feeling could mean that more students are beginning to think that it is okay to talk about mental health issues. On the other hand, it does still mean that there are many more people experiencing mental health issues than have been known about in the past. Unfortunately, this last conclusion is supported by the 57% increase in suicide for U.S. youth ages 10–24 (Murthy 8). One very important part of the modern mental health crisis is COVID-19. The recent COVID-19 lockdowns have been a catalyst for mental health issues in young people. People were kept inside, away from everyone that they knew at the same time that their schooling and careers were dramatically uprooted. This took a toll on people’s mental health.
While there is no specific solution or way to end the problem, there are ways to help. Awareness is the most effective means to try and control the mental health crisis. When people know and understand that they aren’t alone, they become more likely to seek treatment. Destigmatizing the issue helps those who are suffering to connect with each other and feel more free to discuss their problems.
This is where music like hip-hop comes in. As mental health issues have risen, so have mental health references in rap and hip-hop music. JAMA Pediatrics studied how often rap music mentioned or made metaphors with regards to mental health.
“Across the study period, 35 songs (28%) mentioned anxiety, 28 (22%) mentioned depression, 8 (6%) mentioned suicide, and 26 (21%) mentioned a mental health metaphor. The proportion of songs with a mental health reference increased in a significant linear trend across the study period for suicide (0%-12%), depression (16%-32%), and mental health metaphors (8%-44%)” (Splete).
The researchers used the top 25 rap songs from select years in the range of 1998 to 2018. While it is not representative of hip hop as a whole, it does very clearly represent many of hip hop’s most influential artists and songs.
Hip-hop has an especially strong influence in the black community where mental health has been a frequently stigmatized topic. Earlier hip-hop artists usually shared this view with a few exceptions. In the Gheto Boys’ song “My Mind is Playing Tricks on Me’’ mental health is referenced through “signifying’’ in order to be less direct.
“Why do these men signify? Perhaps the answer is because they recognize the negative correlation between mental health and perceived weakness, especially in the black community. We suspect that during the 1990’s, Black men were discouraged from using references to mental health because doing so made them appear weak. This song was an instant hit and put the Geto Boys on the map as a creative, successful Hip-Hop group” (Harper).
Songs like these helped to pave the way for more literal songs about mental health. Many hip-hop songs from this era were a commentary on the environments that caused mental health issues and trauma. They connected with listeners and referenced mental health indirectly.
“Much of hip-hop comes from areas of great socioeconomic deprivation, so it’s inevitable that its lyrics will reflect the issues faced by people brought up in these areas, including poverty, marginalization, crime, and drugs” (Charlotte).
It is particularly important to look at the mental health of minority groups such as African Americans because of the disproportionate way that mental health issues affect them. Even access to mental health care is disproportionate.
“The American Psychological Association highlights that lack of access to mental health care is quite pronounced in various racial groups. For example, research has found that barriers to care for ethnic minorities include a lack of insurance, distrust of care providers, and racism by providers” (Evans et al).
One way that people are trying to make up for this deficit is hip-hop therapy. One Chicago Schools member saw the therapeutic effects hip hop had on many people and started a program.
“I was dealing with kids who were in some of the most extreme situations, I can’t say that everyone who took hip-hop therapy had a happily-ever-after ending. They didn’t all drop out of gangs or miraculously become “A” students. But almost all of them did complete the program. From their positive reactions, I really wanted to begin consulting with others to show them the therapeutic uses of rap and hip-hop music” (Abdul-Adil).
This is just one example of many hip-hop and music therapy programs being successfully used to help people. Hip hop has been shown to be a big help in spreading awareness about the importance of mental health, especially amongst the black community. It has the ability to be relatable to just about anyone while also emphasizing the struggles and specific mental health concerns amongst black Americans. Hip hop manages to be both inclusive and specific while making people feel more comfortable when talking about mental wellbeing.
Hip-Hop Mental Health Playlist
“My Mind is Playing Tricks on Me” by Geto Boys (1991)
The lyrics of “My Mind is Playing Tricks on Me” illustrate a scene of paranoia and depression, giving the listener a glimpse of the mental struggles that Scarface deals with. At a time when it was unpopular, taboo even, this song shed light on mental health. Lyrics such as “I’m poppin’ in the clip when the wind blows,” “Every 20 seconds got me peepin’ out my window,” and “My mind is playin’ tricks on me” are references towards the hallucinations and paranoia he dealt with as a result of both his mental issues and the mental stresses of his gangsta’ lifestyle. Throughout his interviews and memoir, Scarface has opened up about his battles with manic depression and bipolar disorder. The song usually alludes to mental health issues without directly referencing them. A good example of this is the indirect suggestion of depression in the lyrics at the end of the third verse.
I had a woman down with me
But to me it seemed like she was down to get me
She helped me out in this shit
But to me she was just another bitch
Now she’s back with her mother
Now I’m realizing that I love her
Now I’m feelin’ lonely
This song has been very influential in the hip hop community and was a big step towards artists being more open about their mental wellbeing.
“Slippin’” by DMX (1998)
In “Slippin’,” DMX talks about overcoming demons and challenges. It is about recognizing what is holding a person back, and finding a positive way to become the person they want to be. The song is relatively broad in the challenges it is talking about. The issue can be mental health, addiction, or anything else. DMX has dealt with many hardships in his life and suffered from mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder. In the introduction, he states, “See, to live is to suffer. But to survive, well, that’s to find meaning in the suffering,” which is a paraphrase from the Nietzsche quote “To live is to suffer, to survive is to find meaning in the suffering.” In the chorus, “Ayo, I’m slippin’, I’m fallin’, I gots to get up” is about recognizing what holds a person down in life and finding a way to overcome it, whether that is by getting help or changing bad habits and lifestyle choices.
“Suicidal Thoughts” by The Notorious B.I.G. (1994)
“Suicidal Thoughts” details a fictional account of a suicidal caller describing his intention to commit suicide, while the man on the other end of the call tries to convince him not to. While the lyrics may have been intended more for shock value, that didn’t stop the artist from putting words to the thoughts and feelings that many people have had. The lyrics are intense, but personal. “All my life I been considered as the worst. Lyin’ to my mother, even stealin’ out her purse… She don’t even love me like she did when I was younger.” An interesting part of the song is how dismissive the other caller is towards The Notorious B.I.G.’s admissions. Responses such as “It’s too late for this shit, man,” “Yo, get a hold of yourself”, and “You’re buggin’, B” all show how unempathetic the attitude towards these issues was at the time.
“1–800–273–8255 ft. Alessia Cara, Khalid” by Logic (2017)
“1–800–273–8255” is one of the greatest examples of hip hop spreading awareness about mental health. Logic wrote the song after hearing fans tell him that his music saved their lives. “I wasn’t even trying to save your life. Now what can happen if I actually did?” The song was released in partnership with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL), now the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The title is the lifeline phone number. The lyrics tell the story of someone calling the lifeline with suicidal intentions and changing their mind by the end of the song. Each time the chorus comes in, it changes. The first time, it repeats lines like “I don’t wanna be alive” and is sung from the suicidal caller’s point of view. The second time, it is sung from the perspective of the lifeline advocate and says lines like “I want you to be alive” and “You don’t gotta die today.” The third and last chorus is from the perspective of the caller again, but now he has changed his mind. The third chorus triumphantly shouts lines such as “I finally wanna be alive” and “I don’t wanna die today.” A study from BMJ discovered, that since the song’s release, the number of calls to the NSPL has increased by 50%.
“i” by Kendrick Lamar (2015)
Kendrick Lamar’s “u” is in direct contrast to the lead single of the same album “i.” While “i” is a funky and feel-good track about self -love, “u” is an expression of all of the negative thoughts and feelings Kendrick has had to overcome in order to get to the state of peace and self-worth mentioned in “i.” The chorus is the phrase “Loving you is complicated” on repeat. It refers to how difficult he thinks loving himself is. Other lyrics like “I can feel your vibe and recognize that you’re ashamed of me. Yes, I hate you, too” also emphasizes the depression that Kendrick was feeling. The song is about acknowledging and understanding the bad thoughts so that they can be treated and taken care of the way they had been in “u.”
Closing Thoughts
Most of us understand that there is a mental health problem in the world right now. This is a problem that affects almost all of us in some way or another. I think the mental health crisis is one of the most important issues of our time. We have been heading in the right direction, and it is important to keep that momentum going. We have seen higher and higher numbers of people reporting mental health issues, but we have also seen the numbers of people looking for help and support increase as well. The more comfortable people are with discussing mental health, the more likely they will be to try and get help. Whether you are suffering from mental health struggles yourself or just know others that are struggling, I think we can all agree that we should be doing all we can to help suppress the taboo surrounding mental health issues. Many artists are using their platform and success to reach more people. One of the main reasons people listen to specific artists is because they can relate to their songs. Hip hop, for example, is a genre with a strong base that talks about issues and utilizes more and more mental health references as the years go by. I believe that music is one of the most effective ways to send a message to a lot of people. I truly believe that hip-hop artists have been, and will continue to be, very influential in the effort to spread mental health awareness. Everyone is affected in some way by mental health. Do what you can to encourage positive discourse, and try to be more open about the role of mental health in your life and the lives of your family and friends.
*Artist Statement/Johnson: This visual contains a prescription pill bottle and nine different rappers meant to take the place of pills. Each rapper was chosen because of their relation to the mental health situation and how their lyrics address it. The rappers represented are Logic, DMX, Eminem, Scarface, Kendrick Lamar, Tupac, The Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, and Kanye West. The visual presents the idea that the rappers and their music are symbolically similar to medication in the way that they can help to comfort those who struggle with their mental health. The bottle itself was drawn with markers and colored pencils, while the rappers’ heads were printed, cut, and glued in a similar fashion to a collage.
- Abdul-Adil, Dr Jaleel. “Hip-Hop Therapy Helps Mental Health | the Chicago School.” Insight Digital Magazine, 17 Oct. 2018, www.thechicagoschool.edu/insight/from-the-magazine/hip-hop-therapy Accessed 2 Oct. 2023.
- Evans TS, Berkman N, Brown C, et al. Disparities Within Serious Mental Illness [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2016 May. (Technical Briefs, №25.) Background. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK368430/. Accessed 2 Oct. 2023.
- Harper, Kimberly C., and Hope Jackson. “Dat’ Niggas Crazy: How Hip-Hop Negotiates Mental Health.” Western Journal of Black Studies, vol. 42, no. 3, 2019, pp. 113–124. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/dat-niggas-crazy-how-hip-hop-negotiates-mental/docview/2324919344/se-2. Accessed 2 Oct. 2023.
- Lytton, Charlotte. “Hip-Hop Psychology: Using Music to Fight Mental Illness: Cambridge Researchers Think Hip-Hop Therapy could be Key to Beating the Stigma Surrounding Mental Illness, while Helping People in Need.”ProQuest, Nov 17, 2014, https://www.proquest.com/blogs-podcasts-websites/hip-hop-psychology-using-music-fight-mental/docview/1649050874/se-2. Accessed 2 Oct. 2023.
- Murthy, Vivek. “Protecting Youth Mental Health”. The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory, 2021. https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-youth-mental-health-advisory.pdf. Accessed 2 Oct. 2023.
- Splete, Heidi. “Mental health topics mentioned more often in rap music.” Clinical Psychiatry News, vol. 49, no. 1, Jan. 2021, p. 16. Gale Academic OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A651904269/AONE?u=mcc_chandler&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=48804a58. Accessed 2 Oct. 2023.
