Kanye West took to David Letterman's aptly titled Netflix series "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction" to talk about a wide range of topics such as career, fashion and influences, as well as social and political issues. The GRAMMY-winning producer/rapper also candidly addressed mental health, touching on his recent experiences, criticism he's faced and even the mental health care system, which he said he hopes to change.
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“You feel everyone wants to kill you," West said, according to Pitchfork, of what it's like to be "hyper-paranoid" and then taken to a hospital. "You pretty much don’t trust everyone, and they have this moment where they handcuff you, they drug you, they put you on the bed, and they separate you from everyone you know...That’s something that I’m so happy I experienced myself so I can start by changing that moment. When you are in that state, you have to have someone you trust. It is cruel and primitive to do that.”
West also spoke to discrimination people with mental health issues face, pointing to how pressure can worsen a condition.
“This is a sprained brain, like having a sprained ankle” he said, pointing to his head. “And if someone has a sprained ankle, you’re not gonna push on him more. With us, once our brain gets to a point of spraining, people do everything to make it worse. They do everything possible. They got us to that point, and then they do everything to make it worse.”
When asked by Letterman about medication and the concern of how it might affect creativity, West, who said he's been off medication for eight months, delivered ah honest response about his fears.
“Oh yeah,” West said. “That’s just the reality. You know, if you guys want these crazy ideas, these crazy stages, this crazy music, and this crazy way of thinking, there’s a chance it might come from a crazy person.”
On the musical front, West also opened up about his new project, Sunday Service. “It’s just an idea that we had to open up our hearts and make music that we felt was as pure and as positive as possible," he said, "And just do it for an hour every Sunday and just have something where people could come together and just feel good with their families.”
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The hourlong episode, which also includes a styling session and ends with a performance of "Ghost Town" from West's 2018 album ye, becomes available on Netflix May 30.
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