Mental health struggles have been a part of Lil Wayne’s life since childhood.
In an emotional and candid new episode of “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man”, host Emmanuel Acho sat down with the rapper, who opened up about attempting suicide at age 12.
RELATED: Lil Wayne Releases New Single ‘Ain’t Got Time’ In Celebration Of Presidential Pardon
Global superstar, Lil Wayne, opens up about his mental health struggles which led to his attempted suicide at age 12.
This brave and vulnerable conversation is for anyone who’s ever struggled with mental health.
Full episode: https://t.co/NP7pPvrrIb pic.twitter.com/ckcDFonm7Y
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) August 16, 2021
The incident occurred during a half-day off from school, when he almost got in trouble with his mom and decided to use her gun to take his own life.
“I picked up the phone, I called the police,” he recalled. “Yes, I knew where she put her gun and it was in her bedroom. And so I went in her bedroom, grabbed the gun. I already made the phone call, looked in the mirror.”
The rapper said that for a moment he hesitated as he “got a little too scared.”
“Then I said ‘F**k it,’” he said, miming pointing a gun at his chest. “Biggie was on. I’m looking in the mirror, so you could look through the mirror and the television was behind me. So I was watching the video through the mirror. ‘One More Chance’ was on. And Biggie was already gone or something. So I was looking, I was like, ‘You know what?’ Start thinking I had to get myself mad and noticed that I didn’t have to. That’s what scared me. How I knew I had a mental health problem was when I pulled the trigger.”
RELATED: Young Thug Challenges Lil Wayne In ‘Verzuz’ Battle
Wayne said that after aiming for his heart and shooting himself, he “didn’t feel a thing,” experiencing shock instead of pain. He woke up later as police knocked on the door.
Eventually police knocked down the door, and Wayne recalled officers stepping over him to search for drugs and weapons, while one officer named “Uncle Bob” picked him up and had him transported to hospital, where he survived.
Now 38, Wayne told Acho about how his mental health issues have evolved over time, but that he has a new-found happiness at this point in his life.
The Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention, Depression Hurts and Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868 all offer ways of getting help if you, or someone you know, may be suffering from mental health issues.
