Lil Wayne Talks Mental Health
Lil Wayne urges families to listen to their children regarding their mental health. During an “Uncomfortable Conversations” interview with Emmanuel Acho, the rap legend discusses his internal struggles as a 10-year-old boy. It ended with him attempting to take his own life.
At the time, Wayne described his “willing to die” for his craft attitude despite being told he wasn’t a good rapper. As he bottled up all his emotions, he maintained a straight face for his friends. When the pressure became too much, his mental health took a hit.
“When you have nobody to talk to, nobody to share your thoughts with, you can’t open up to your school friends because you’re still trying to impress them,” he remembered.
Fearing Thy Mother
For two years, Wayne admitted that he was at a low point and often skipped school. At the age of 12, the New Orleans native called the police prior to going to retrieve his mother’s gun. Before shooting himself in the chest, he pointed the gun at his head. The recalled “not feeling a thing.” Unfortunately, “Love Me” rapper feared that his mother would make him quit rap.
Then and Now
In fact, the veteran rapper opened up to the world about his mental health struggles during his adolescence for the first time in 2018. More importantly, Wayne committed to doing the work. In 2016, he worked as a suicide prevention aide at Riker’s prison while he served time for possession of a firearm. They paid him $25 for helping those who were hung up. Moreover, he received $50 for talking people out of harming themselves.
Immediately after the traumatic ordeal, Lil Wayne admitted that his family made some meaningful changes, especially his mom.
“The mom that I knew before that day … I have never met or seen or heard that lady again in my life,” he said.
Hats off to Lil Wayne for encouraging the community to address mental health among Black youth. He hopes that mental health will be taken more seriously after hearing his story.
