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Big Sean Reveals That He Took A Year-Long Hiatus From Rap To Focus On His Mental Health & Go To Therapy
The first thing someone says when hearing their friend is depressed is, "Well, what's wrong?" People who are more familiar with disease understand that nothing has to necessarily go wrong for a wave of the blues to hit. Depression has the ability to take on a number of shapes and sizes. A person can be wealthy, sociable, and loved and still feel helpless in the pursuit of their own happiness.
Let's be honest. It's hard to admit that you have the nerve to be depressed, especially when life has seemingly given you everything you prayed for. But mental illness does not discriminate based on race, class, gender, or religion. In street terms: Anybody can get it. Yes, that means your man who's always been your rock, your aunt who you've never seen cry, or any one of your strong friends.
In the black community especially, when someone reveals that they've gotten professional help for a mental disorder, they are automatically stigmatized and labeled as someone who is crazy or defective, but in reality, there is no truth to that theory at all. Anxiety disorders alone affect nearly 40 million people every year and celebrities are not exempt from this number.
As of late, celebrities like Justin Bieber, Lloyd, Big Sean, and Keri Hilson have been transparent about their struggle with mental illness and how it affected their music, breaking the stereotype that therapy is only reserved for one type of person.
We all know that the first step to fixing a problem is admitting that you have one, and that's exactly what these artists had to do to find true relief from their anxieties. After taking the last year away from music to focus on his mental health, for his 31st birthday, Big Sean returned to Instagram with a teaser for some brand new music and a refreshed outlook on life.
The rapper explained that around this time last year, life looked much different for him. He revealed in his three-part video post that although on the outside, everything was looking up, he was battling mental turmoil internally. Last June, Big Sean shocked fans when he announced that he would be cutting his tour short and proved that black men suffer from depression, too.
"I'm big on energy, and I wasn't feeling like myself and I couldn't figure out why. So what I did was I stepped back from everything I was doing, everything I had going on, because somewhere in the middle of it, I just felt lost and I didn't know how I got there."
When the rapper realized that his relationships were suffering, especially the one he has with his mother, he knew that enough was enough. Big Sean revealed that although he discovered the skill of meditation to help cope with his issues as a teenager, at this point, he knew it was time to seek help from a medical professional. He explained:
"I been meditating since I was 17 years old. That helps with anxiety, depression, all those things I had experienced in my life. It wasn't doing it all the way for this, so I knew this required some special attention."
When you break your leg or sprain your wrist, you go see a doctor so that you can properly heal, right? Well, when you're dealing with an ailment of your mind, why should its circumstances be any different? Just like physical wounds, emotional wounds deserve the chance to be diagnosed, nurtured, and treated by a medical professional, and that's exactly what Big Sean did.
The rapper told his fans that along with spending time alone and refining his circle of friends, having a therapist was an essential part of his healing process. Even though he was initially reluctant to tell his friends about seeking professional help, he grew to understand there is absolutely no shame in loving yourself unconditionally enough to know (and ask) when you need help.
"I started realizing that you can't give or depend on somebody for a good time if you can't give it to yourself. So, started doing things by myself, doing things I never thought I'd do, like going skydiving or whatever I thought was fun, just doing it. In the midst, I definitely rediscovered myself and found a whole new energy, and me being the source of it and not somebody else."
The Detroit native had this advice for anyone else that may be fighting their own battle with depression or anxiety:
"Put the energy back into yourself, be clear about what you want to do, who you want to do it with. Just know that it all translates to happiness."
Keri Hilson also revealed that depression was the reason for her hiatus from music last year, and has since been open about seeking counseling and attending therapy regularly. Although it took a bit of searching, Keri ultimately found a regular therapist that helped her look at her issues objectively, and she developed some tough skin in the process. Last year at the Silence The Shame conference in Atlanta the singer shared that therapy is a process that will break you down to build you up.
"It uproots for the sake of healing. So it's a process. It's not that you go and sit there one time and feel good. Many days, I wouldn't feel good going or leaving."
Now, 10 years after the studio release of her debut album, Keri recently revealed that she'll be back in the R&B game this summer with a new sound and state of mind.
"Today marks 10 years since the release of my first studio album, 'In A Perfect World'. I didn't mean to be gone so long, I only needed my real world to be perfect…it is now. Thank you for your patience. The wait is over."
Keri and Big Sean are proof that mental illness doesn't make you defective, and seeking therapy or help from a medical professional doesn't make you crazy. Depression is tricky, and it doesn't always look like spending the whole day in bed crying. Sometimes depression is losing passion for things you once loved, feeling distant in relationships you were once very close to, and lower than normal self-esteem. Regardless of gender, race, or religion, everyone deserves the opportunity to heal, but the first step in healing is admitting your brokenness.
Big ups to both of these amazing artists for sharing their struggle and joining in on the fight to destigmatize mental illness in the black community, the streets are waiting on your new music!
Featured image by Christian Vierig/Getty Images.
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Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
This article is sponsored by Hulu.
UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
Feature image courtesy
Blair Underwood Initially Turned Down 'Sex And The City' Because 'It Was About How Samantha Was Fascinated By Dating A Black Man’
Actor and heartthrob Blair Underwood is opening up about why he turned down Sex and the City the first time he was offered a role. Many fans of the HBO series may recall Blair's time on the show in which his character was dating Miranda (Cynthia Nixon). However, he was previously offered another role where his character would date Samantha (Kim Cattrall).
During his interview with AV Club, the Set It Off star revealed that he was uncomfortable with the initial offer due to the character's fascination with him being a Black man.
“I actually did say ‘no’ the first time,” he said. “The first time they had offered the role, to be honest with you, it was about how Samantha was fascinated by dating a Black man and wanted to know if, uh, all of the rumors were true about our anatomy! And I said, ‘Listen, I’m honored, thank you, but I just don’t want to play a character based on race, on curiosity about a Black man.'”
But that didn't stop them from reaching out again. This time he was offered to play Dr. Robert Leeds, the love interest to Miranda and he decided to go for it. "So they were nice enough to call about a year later, and I said, 'Well, is it gonna be about race?' And they said, 'No, no, no, we’re not even gonna mention race!' And I think it really did only come up maybe once," he recalled.
"It did five episodes, and I think Samantha mentioned it once, saying something about 'a Black doctor' that Miranda was dating. And that’s really been a consistent thing in my career: not wanting to be boxed as 'the Black guy.'
"I’ve had that conversation with many producers along the way, and they were so great. They said, 'No, he’s just a doctor who Miranda meets in the elevator, and they have a nice little fling.' And it was amazing."
Blair has had a wide-ranging career playing everything from a lawyer on L.A. Law to playing Madame CJ Walker's husband on Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madame CJ Walker. And during his interview, he revealed another role that he initially turned down, Set It Off. The movie, which is considered a classic in Black culture, stars Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Vivica A. Fox, and Kimberly Elise. Blair's character, Keith, played a banker and love interest to Jada's character, Stony.
He explained why he said no at first and eventually accepted the offer. "I had initially said “no” to that. Because I was playing this historic, iconic African-American historical figure in Jackie Robinson, and the time, y’know, there was Boyz N The Hood, and Menace II Society was out there, and I’d finished playing this noble Negro… [Laughs]," he said.
"And I’m reading the script, and there’s a scene where Jada Pinkett’s character—Jada Pinkett-Smith now—was going to sell her body so she could make some money to send her brother to college. And I remember, honestly, I threw the script across the room. I was, like, “I don’t want to do this. I want to do something uplifting for the Black culture and Black characters, and I don’t know if I want to see this.”
After a conversation with the movie's director F. Gary Gray and the actor's manager encouraging him to finish reading the script, Blair had a change of heart. What he first thought about the movie turned out to be totally different.
"So I finished the script, and I saw that the character they were asking me to play was really the love story in the midst of all of this turmoil of all of these characters, the four ladies: Queen Latifah, Vivica Fox, Kimberly Elise, and Jada," he explained.
"It was so well-written, it was such a great platform for them. And to be able to play the love story and the storyline that gave Jada’s character a leg up and a way out of this world, something to hope for, to wish for, someone to love her… I said, 'You know what? I’d like to be a part of that.'
"And I’m so glad I did, because that film resonates to this day. People all the time come up to me and say that they love that movie. So I’m glad that I did it."