YG recently opened up about his traumatic childhood experiences—stories that, unfortunately, are becoming more common and acknowledged than many admit. While YG’s candidness may represent a step toward healing or greater awareness, his story is deeply tragic. It also highlights the ongoing cycles of pain that continue to impact communities desperately in need of healing.
YG Enters the Industry
Born Keenon Jackson, YG entered the music scene in 2010. According to All Music, he released his debut album with Def Jam Records in 2014. Since then, he has remained a prominent figure in the industry, putting out more than seven albums and contributing to numerous collaborative projects.
YG Gets Transparent on Record
Recently, the artist behind “I Got Issues” openly revisited his past, sharing his experience with child abuse. Jackson was candid about the painful details, some of which have influenced his creative work. In an interview with ABC, YG revealed that, at just 14 years old, he was taken advantage of by an older woman. At the time, he didn’t recognize it as abuse; only in hindsight did he fully grasp what had happened to him during such a vulnerable stage of his life. As he put it,
“It wasn’t just an experience with an older woman — it’s not cool. You go through life, you see things, you learn things, and then you realize, ‘I got raped,” a sad and sobering realization.
When Art Sparks Conversation
He carried this experience with him for years, keeping it hidden even from his family until the release of his recent project, “2004,” in which he revealed some of the disturbing details of the abuse. The track is unsettling, but as YG points out, his story is far from unique. During the creative process, Jackson came to realize that many other men had endured similar trauma. He observed,
“Ninety percent of the men I played it for had similar stories. That was the conversation everyone was having. It was like, ‘Yeah, I was sexually abused.”
What could be more disheartening than that?
A National Reckoning with Abuse
The recent surge of abuse revelations in the national spotlight has brought a troubling issue to the forefront. The sheer number of victims and the widespread impact of such trauma reveal a sobering truth: a large segment of society continues to grapple with emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical wounds. The saying “hurt people hurt people” is especially relevant here. Personal accounts from artists like YG, Kanye, and countless others point to a deeper, underlying problem—one that may help explain the persistent rise in violent behaviors within our communities.
YG Turns Pain Into Purpose
It’s important for artists like YG to speak openly about issues that are so often ignored. By sharing their stories, they help create a path toward healing—one that can only begin once the pain is brought into the light. Left unspoken, these wounds only deepen. Acknowledgment is the crucial first step in this process. No matter how the public responds, it is his truth to tell, and he has every right to share it on his terms. With hope, his openness will inspire others to start their journeys toward healing.
Written by: Renae Richardson
