‘I turn my pain into music’: Kid Cudi says he uses his art to fight through anxiety and depression
Kid Cudi delivered a moving statement on mental health and channeling one’s emotions in a collaboration with PBS’s Washington D.C. station WETA and the National Alliance on Mental Illness Home for a virtual town hall event.
‘When we’re young, we face a lot of pressure to do things that harm us,’ the 36-year-old rapper said in a clip (which People first debuted), which presented text of his statements. ‘We pretend to be happy when there’s a raging violent storm inside of our heart.’
The Cleveland native described the battles he’s fought: ‘Once it was difficult for me to find the words. Anxiety and depression ruled my life for as long as I could remember. I was scared, I was sad, I felt like a damaged human swimming in a pool of emotions.’
The latest: Kid Cudi, 36, delivered a moving statement on mental health and focusing on positives in a collaboration with PBS’s Washington D.C. station WETA and the National Alliance on Mental Illness Home for a virtual town hall event
The rapper-songwriter said he knew he ‘deserved peace and to be happy,’ but ‘didn’t know how’ to put it all together.’
The Pursuit of Happiness artist continued: ‘It took me a while to get to this place of commitment, to say I’m gonna get through this. To know that we can take our pain and turn it into something.
‘I turn my pain into music. And my music is how I am different. And my difference is my power.’
Kid Cudi, whose full name is Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi, has past been candid about his mental health, saying in a 2016 Facebook post that he had decided to enter a rehab facility amid feelings of turmoil and despair.
Focused: The Cleveland native described the battles he’s fought in his segment. He was snapped in Paris last year
Sharing his truth: Kid Cudi, whose full name is Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi, has past been candid about his mental health. He was snapped in LA in March
‘I am not at peace,’ he said. ‘My anxiety and depression have ruled my life for as long as I can remember and I never leave the house because of it. I cant make new friends because of it. I dont trust anyone because of it and Im tired of being held back in my life … Its time I fix me. I’m nervous but I’mma get through this.’
The Day ‘n’ Nite performer again chat up about his turnaround in an interview with Billboard two years ago, declaring himself ‘the best [he’s] ever been in [his] life.
‘I have so much joy that I don’t feel like I’m fighting anymore,’ he said. ‘I realized I was genuinely happy, and there’s nothing really going on in particular. Creating is making me happy again.’
Cudi is slated to return to the forum for another town hall on Tuesday at 11 a.m. ET that is also schedule to feature stars such as Ariel Winter, Billy Porter, Bill Pullman, Sean Astin and Alanis Morissette.
Cudi’s latest album, a collaboration with Eminem titled The Adventures of Moon Man & Slim Shady, is out now.