Key Takeaways

• Big Sean revealed that Nipsey Hussle’s death triggered a period of deep depression and personal reckoning.
• He turned to therapy and took a break from music to prioritize his mental health and rediscover joy.
• He later invested in Detroit’s creative youth, showing how his healing journey inspired community action.

Big Sean is continuing to speak openly about mental health, reflecting on one of the most difficult periods of his life following Nipsey Hussle’s death in 2019.

The rapper sat down alongside Usher for ABC News’ “All Access” with Linsey Davis, where he revisited the emotional toll that losing his friend and collaborator had on him, and why he chose to share that journey publicly.

While mental health conversations have long been stigmatized in many communities, especially among Black men, Big Sean said his decision wasn’t rooted in trying to lead a movement. “I was just sharing what was going on in my life. I didn’t realize that I was being so vulnerable. I wasn’t trying to be a spokesperson for mental health per se,” he explained. “I was just expressing how I was going into therapy and experiencing a time of heavy ups and downs, a time of depression.”

The grief and personal reflection forced him to confront parts of himself he had long ignored. “It felt like I hit a wall… and I either had to climb over it, or it was gonna fall on me and crush me,” he said. “I had been so about my work that I lost touch with the person that I was. So I think that led to a very deep battle of depression, deeper than I experienced when I was, like, a teenager.”

Rather than pushing through it the way he had in the past, the Detroit native made a conscious decision to slow down and prioritize his well-being. “I had to take time away from the music industry being my first obligation, and I had to put myself first,” he said.

That pause ultimately became part of his healing. He stepped away between 2020’s Detroit 2 and his next chapter, allowing himself space to reconnect with joy and balance. “You got to be serious about having fun because as fast as time goes, we’re here for a limited amount of time,” he said with a chuckle. “I’m just happy to be here enjoying myself.”

Big Sean’s willingness to share those experiences has helped normalize conversations about therapy, grief, and emotional health, especially in Hip Hop, where vulnerability hasn’t always been openly embraced.

Big Sean and Usher invest in Detroit’s next generation of creators

Beyond his personal journey, the 37-year-old has remained committed to uplifting others, particularly in his hometown. As previously reported by REVOLT, he and Usher invested $1 million into the Detroit Entertainment Innovation Incubator (also referred to as Spark Lab Studios), a space designed to help young creatives build careers in music, film, and technology.

The facility, located within the Michigan Central Boys & Girls Club, will give youth ages 14 to 24 access to tools like a virtual production studio, special effects lab, and mentorship programs. The initiative reflects Big Sean’s long-standing mission to create opportunities for the next generation without forcing them to leave Detroit in order to succeed.