Listening to music can be a great way to explore and process your own feelings. Many rappers and hip hop artists incorporate themes of anxiety, depression, and trauma in their songs. Here are some of my favorite rap songs about mental health:
G Herbo is Honest about Trauma
G Herbo often raps about mental health issues, including the trauma he faced as a teen. He has used music as an outlet to explore how poverty and gang violence have affected him.
His song PTSD describes how trauma still affects him. He hits on classic symptoms that so many people also feel: rage, re-experiencing, insomnia, and survivor’s guilt.
G Herbo is honest about his anger. It’s not a feeling that makes him feel stronger, but a symptom of the trauma that still lingers.
Drainin' all my energy, no, I cannot sleep, uh-huh
I'm affected by the streets, no appetite, I can't eat
I only see red when I see, I think it's my PTSD
I use Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) to help teens with trauma and help adults with trauma. I prefer CPT to other methods because this therapy helps us identify and change beliefs that we carry with us as a result of our trauma.
Kid Cudi Knows Partying Doesn’t Cure Depression
Kid Cudi has recorded many songs about his mental health. He’s touched on having depression, trauma, and even suicidal thoughts in his music.
Pursuit of Happiness describes searching for that something that will make him feel better.
I'm on the pursuit of happiness and I know
Everything that shine ain't always gonna be gold, hey
I'll be fine once I get it, yeah, I'll be good
This song’s music video makes his message clear. As people party around him, Kid Cudi still struggles. Partying, drinking, drug use, none of it is enough to fix how he feels.
I enjoy doing therapy for teens with depression. We can identify activities that actually help, instead of just putting a bandaid on the problem.
Janelle Monáe is True to Themselves
Janelle Monáe is an icon. They have written many songs about anxiety, trauma, and belonging. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but one of the best is Tightrope.
This song is about staying focused on your goals, even when you’re being scrutinized by others.
Some people talk about ya like they know all about ya
When you get down, they doubt ya
And when you tip it on the scene
Yeah, they talkin' 'bout it
They talk about the pressures that come with doing something noteworthy. Monáe explains how whether you’re being criticized or celebrated, you should stay true to yourself.
Open Mike Eagle is The Best…Mostly
Open Mike Eagle is incredibly talented. Funny, insightful, and a great rapper, he talks about on mental health throughout his career.
For its humor, Qualifiers is one of my favorite songs. He pokes fun at the pressure to be the best, to brag about everything, at the expense of honesty.
We're the best, mostly
Sometimes the freshest rhymers
We the tightest kinda
Respect my qualifiers
No one is perfect. People don’t feel confident all the time, and that’s okay. We want to present ourselves as the best, but it’s fine if we’re not awesome all the time.
Atmosphere Finds Good, Along with the Bad
Atmosphere is a hip hop group from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Known for their introspective and emotionally raw lyrics, their music often tackles themes of love, loss, and self-discovery.
One of my faves is Sunshine. The song is real about struggling, and finding good things around you even when you’re feeling bad.
It's mad that I gave half the day to last night
My bad sight made me trip on my ass right
Into that patch of grass like "That's life"
All of a sudden, I realized somethin'
The weather is amazin', even the birds are bumpin'
They hit on something I wholeheartedly believe:
You don’t have to be totally “healed” in order to be happy.
Often, people think that they have to solve all their problems before they can start feeling better. “Feeling better” is often more complicated and nuanced. It involves finding small things that bring you joy, even in the face of huge stressors.
I hope you liked this list of some of my favorite songs!
If you’re interested in seeing how therapy can improve your mental health, you can find out more about Vered Counseling or sign up for our waitlist. We offer therapy for teens and young adults in Texas and North Carolina.
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