Big Sean Opens Up on Depression
Big Sean reflected on sharing his "very deep battle of depression" following Nipsey Hussle's death, discussing how public acknowledgment of his mental health struggles helped both him and his fans find solidarity and support. The rapper emphasized the importance of opening up about mental health battles in the hip-hop community.
- Before Nipsey Hussle's death, Big Sean had already begun discussing his mental health, canceling a 2018 tour to focus on his struggles with depression and anxiety, which he opened up about in March 2019. - On his Grammy-nominated 2020 collaboration with Nipsey Hussle, "Deep Reverence," he revealed he had contemplated suicide, rapping, "With a Glock 17 right on the side of me / Look, I ain't think I had the thought of suicide in me." - In that same song, Big Sean also disclosed that he and a past partner had suffered a miscarriage. - The rapper stated that Hussle's death directly inspired him to end a rumored feud with Kendrick Lamar, rapping on "Deep Reverence" that he reached out to Lamar after the tragedy. - Big Sean's advocacy includes tangible initiatives; he and his mother, Myra Anderson, launched a wellness video series covering techniques for emotional balance. - His nonprofit, the Sean Anderson Foundation, has hosted events in his native Detroit that feature mental health panels discussing topics like therapy and economic oppression in the Black community. - The artist has spoken about how his decision to seek professional help encouraged his father to also begin therapy at the age of 75 to deal with his own trauma. - Big Sean is also releasing a self-help book titled "Go Higher: Five Practices for Purpose, Success and Inner Peace."
