YK Osiris worried fans when he went live on Instagram October 16, and expressed diappointment in the way his career is going. He explained he was experiencing suicidal thoughts. Friends and fans reached out to support him. In a video, the smiling rapper assured everyone he was doing better. He said he might not have many friends in the industry, but knowing that people out there still love him, really helps. “Check on your people. Check on your moms, sisters. I don’t care if you mad…people need love, man.
On a list of Osiris’ supporters, is Big Sean. He reached out to the rapper after YK posted his update. Big Sean being an advocate for mental health makes sense given his own struggle. While making the album Detroit 2, he opened up about his own journey. Under Osiris’ post the rapper left some advice in the comments.
When you your own source of happiness n love then any love you get is just extra on top (which is beautiful) and any love you dont get, you’re still you and un affected, or at least not as affected by conditional circumstances or how others feel about you. Just leaving that here for others as well. Glad you feeling better though bro. God got you.
Is This Symptom Of A Bigger Mental Health Crisis?
People often attribute depression to a chemical imbalance or personal circumstance, but the social reasons matter as much. Race plays a part when it comes to how Black people, and in this carse Black men, navigate this world.
According to the National Allaince on Mental Illness, “Black adults in the U.S. are more likely than white adults to report persistent symptoms of emotional distress, such as sadness and feeling like everything is an effort.” And given that a common theme in a many hip-hop track revolves around hardships related to poverty and public scrutiny. While YK Osiris may not have the same plight as the average person, the level of hoplessness and isolation is the same, famous or not.
Rappers Shine A Light On A Difficult Topic
When Megan Thee Stallion put out her single “Anxiety,” that was enough for a lot of young black people to feel seen. Of course she took it a step further by starting a website “Bad Bitches Have Bad Days Too.” However, Meg is not the only person in hip-hop advocating for mental health care. From Jay-Z to Mary J, all have songs that touch on depression, grief, and substance abuse.
YK Osiris isn’t the only rapper to go through this, and he won’t be the last considering the demands of the modern music world. However, by being vulnerable with fans, he has kept the door open for the conversation on mental health to continue.
Kimberly Stelly is an award-winning journalist and cartoonist from the Bay Area. In addition to FM Hip-Hop, she writes for ScreenRant and manages social media for Stocktonia.org.
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