No matter how you feel about Kanye West, you can’t deny his significance to modern art. He is an artist who has been directly addressing his mental health in his art in a new way.
On The Life of Pablo track “FML,” Kanye mentions going off his Lexapro, a medication for depression. This has drawn attention to a problem some say is just coming up for the rapper, but his references to mental health have been consistent for years. On 2012’s “Clique” he raps: “Went through deep depression when my momma passed/suicide, what kind of talk is that?”
Nowhere has he explored mental illness as thoroughly as with “Feel Like That,” an extended outro of last year’s “All Day.” The track is comprised of Kanye asking questions about symptoms of depression and anxiety, such as “Do you experience nervousness, shakiness inside . . . thoughts of ending your life?” and responding, “I feel like that/I feel like that all the time.”
It’s not up to us to judge whether these lyrics, his recently erratic Twitter presence, or leaked backstage breakdowns are cries for help, as bloggers so readily do. But this doesn’t mean we can’t talk about how one of the most powerful artists in the world is analyzing his own mental health and setting a precedent for rappers, new parents, and eager fans alike.
