Big Sean never planned to become a mental health advocate. The Detroit rapper just wanted to share his truth about the dark times following Nipsey Hussle’s death in 2019.
“I’m just sharing what’s going on in my life,” Big Sean told ABC News’ Lindsay Davis. “I didn’t realize I was so vulnerable. I don’t want to be a spokesperson for mental health per se.”
The rapper’s honesty comes after he went through what he called “heavy ups and downs” after losing a close friend and collaborator. On March 31, 2019, Nipsey Hussle was shot and killed outside the Marathon Clothing store in Los Angeles.
“I was just expressing how I was going through therapy and going through some serious ups and downs, a period of depression,” Big Sean explained in the interview.
Mental health issues hit Big Sean harder than anything he had faced before. He described the experience as being like hitting a wall that threatened to completely crush him.
“It felt like I hit a wall… I either had to climb over it or it was going to fall on me and crush me,” he said. “I was so focused on my work that I lost touch with myself.”
This disconnect with himself led to what Big Sean calls “a very deep battle with depression, deeper than anything I had experienced as a teenager.”
The weight of grief, combined with years of prioritizing work over personal well-being, created a perfect storm.
Big Sean and Nipsey Hussle formed a deep friendship through their shared passion for hip-hop and community building.
The two collaborated on “Deep Reverence,” which appeared on Big Sean’s 2020 album Detroit 2 . The song, sung by Nipsey Hussle, pays tribute to their friendship.
The loss forced Big Sean to make a tough decision about his career priorities. He realized that continuing to put music first would only deepen his depression.
“I had to leave the music industry, it was my first obligation, I had to put myself first,” he revealed.
The decision resulted in a four-year gap between “Detroit 2” and his latest album, “Better Me Than You,” which was released in August 2024. The long break allowed Big Sean to focus on therapy and personal recovery.
In his time away from music, Big Sean has learned valuable lessons about balance and self-care. He discovered the importance of making time for joy and fun, not just work and obligations.
“You have to be serious about having fun because as time goes by, our time here is limited,” he said with a laugh.
Therapy became an important tool in Big Sean’s recovery. He credits professional help with giving him the skills to cope with depression and rebuild a relationship with himself.
