
Big Sean On Experiencing Depression After Turning 30 & Prioritizing Therapy

We stan an emotionally aware king and in a recent interview on Joe Budden's web show Pull Up, Big Sean proved that taking a one-year hiatus from work to focus on his mental health has made him exactly that.
In their chat, the rapper revealed that although he has battled depression since high school, it wasn't until after his 30th birthday when he started to question if his problems required professional help:
"When I turned 30 that was when it all like hit the wall. That's when everything just like… I woke up every day and I just was like, over life."
Although he had recently bought his dream home and felt accomplished in his career, Big Sean says that he soon noticed that his failing emotional health eventually extended over to his creative process:
"It just felt like I was blocked from everything creatively, physically, mentally, emotionally. I was just done. I was just ready to be done and it was scary cause I had just got a gun too. So it's the worst combination to be feeling like this."
Along with bearing the burden of creative and emotional blockages, the symptoms of his depression also took a toll on his personal life.
"My relationship at the time with my family was completely disconnected. Like a lot of people see me with my mom. I be taking my family a lot of places, but at that time in my life, for those couple of years, I remember vividly telling her like, 'I don't want you to be a part of my life. I don't want you to come around.' And when I was saying stuff like that. It didn't sound like me, so I knew something was just off. I got off my path."
The rapper, who will turn 32 later this month, explained that it was at this point when he realized that it was time to seek therapy outside of his inner circle. Big Sean explained that although venting to your friends is a normal part of life, there are some issues you have to take to a professional.
"Even though I feel like I can talk to my circle, the people around me, it's kinda like I wanted to talk to somebody where I can just like leave it there with them. I'm a firm believer of communication too and talking to the ones around you, but sometimes you want to talk about stuff and have that relationship just with that person and leave it there. Because once you leave it there, you bring a whole new energy back to you and your circle. You know what I mean? And once I started that, I just realized that I was just off. But I feel like the first step to overcoming that is just really recognizing."
Mental health isn't a topic that was foreign to the rapper before his 30th birthday, but it's one that he says he hasn't taken seriously until now. Big Sean explained that while he felt he had to live up to the pressures of being the successful one in the family, he later found that most of that pressure was self-inflicted:
"People were like, your mental health, you have to take care of your mental health. And that's something I didn't even ever consider. That was like the last thing I used to think about. I used to think about, I gotta take care of my mom, I gotta take care of everybody. Well really if I just talk to them, they probably could have been like, 'Oh, it's cool. I can pay for this.' One of the things I always wanted to do, I was going to take care of my family. I always wanted to do that. But on one side, once I just opened up, everybody was just so accepting around me, you know?"
To watch the full clip, click below.
Featured image by Getty Images
Adrian Marcel On Purpose, Sacrifice, And The 'Signs Of Life'
In this week's episode of xoMAN, host Kiara Walker talked with R&B artist Adrian Marcel, who opened up, full of heart and authenticity, about his personal evolution. He discussed his days transitioning from a young Bay Area singer on the come-up to becoming a grounded husband and father of four.
With honesty and introspection, Marcel reflected on how life, love, and loss have shaped the man he is today.
On ‘Life’s Subtle Signals’
Much of the conversation centered around purpose, sacrifice, and listening to life’s subtle signals. “I think that you really have to pay attention to the signs of life,” Marcel said. “Because as much as we need to make money, we are not necessarily on this Earth for that sole purpose, you know what I mean?” While he acknowledged his ambitions, adding, “that is not me saying at all I’m not trying to ball out,” he emphasized that fulfillment goes deeper.
“We are here to be happy. We are here [to] fulfill a purpose that we are put on here for.”
On Passion vs. Survival
Adrian spoke candidly about the tension between passion and survival, describing how hardship can sometimes point us away from misaligned paths. “If you find it’s constantly hurting you… that’s telling you something. That’s telling you that you’re going outside of your purpose.”
Marcel’s path hasn’t been without detours. A promising athlete in his youth, he recalled, “Early on in my career, I was still doing sports… I was good… I had a scholarship.” An injury changed everything. “My femur broke. Hence why I always say, you know, I’m gonna keep you hip like a femur.” After the injury, he pivoted to explore other careers, including teaching and corporate jobs.
“It just did not get me—even with any success that happened in anything—those times, back then, I was so unhappy. And you know, to a different degree. Like not just like, ‘I really want to be a singer so that’s why I’m unhappy.’ Nah, it was like, it was not fulfilling me in any form or fashion.”
On Connection Between Pursuing Music & Fatherhood
He recalled performing old-school songs at age 12 to impress girls, then his father challenged him: “You can lie to these girls all you want, but you're really just lying to yourself. You ain't growing.” That push led him to the piano—and eventually, to his truth. “Music is my love,” Marcel affirmed. “I wouldn’t be a happy husband if I was here trying to do anything else just to appease her [his wife].”
Want more real talk from xoMAN? Catch the full audio episodes every Tuesday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and don’t miss the full video drops every Wednesday on YouTube. Hit follow, subscribe, and stay tapped in.
Featured image by xoNecole/YouTube
Ashley Versher is known for her work in the Tyler Perry's Beauty In Black series and more recently, she starred alongside Taraji P. Henson in the Netflix film Straw. But she is more than just her acting credits and stunning looks (her hair alone is everything). In an xoNecole exclusive, Ashley dishes on her first celebrity crush, how she spends her downtime, and her go-to haircare products because we need the deets.
Get to know Ashley below.
xoNecole: Where are you from?
Ashley Versher: San Francisco - BAY AREAAAAAA!!!!
xoN: What was your first major acting role?
AV: A 49ers Super Bowl commercial - I think I was 3.
Ashley Versher
Johnny Marlow
xoN: Have you ever had an embarrassing or funny audition story? If so, what happened?
AV: Yes! I was doing a self-tape once and I forgot to take off my bonnet. But the tape was so good I sent it in anyway.
xoN: Your hair is gorgeous. What has it been like navigating Hollywood with natural hair?
AV: Thank you so much! Navigating Hollywood with natural hair has definitely been a journey of self-discovery. Early on, I had to make a conscious decision about how I wanted to show up—not just in this industry, but for myself. Once I fully embraced my natural hair and committed to the journey, everything else began to align. It’s been nothing short of empowering.
Navigating Hollywood with natural hair has definitely been a journey of self-discovery. Early on, I had to make a conscious decision about how I wanted to show up—not just in this industry, but for myself.
xoN: What are your favorite go-to hair products?
AV: Ooooooo, right now I’m loving Camille Rose’s Jai Twisting Butter—it’s super moisturizing and gives me a fun, bouncy twist-out! I’ve also recently gotten into oils, and I’m especially loving sweet almond oil.
xoN: We know you as an actress, but what is another special talent you have that most people don't know about?
AV: I trained as a classical violinist for 13/14years.
xoN: Who is your hero?
AV: My mom. She’s incredible - full stop.
Ashley Versher
Johnny Marlow
xoN: How do you like to spend your down time?
AV: Ha! What’s that!? Jk jk, I love to travel, that’s honestly my favorite thing.
xoN: Who was your first celebrity crush?
AV: Prince.
xoN: What is your dream role?
AV: One day I will play a witch with Harry Potter-like powers!
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Feature image by Johnny Marlow