The reason why Killer Mike started going to therapy: “It’s been a great thing for me”
Killer Mike has always been one of the most respected rappers in the game, but he hasn’t always received the plaudits on a wider scale. When he formed Run The Jewels alongside El-P back in 2013, everything changed for him, receiving critical acclaim for their four self-titled albums. Despite the attention, it wasn’t enough for him.
Money and success came his way, but it arrived at a time when many of his loved ones lost their lives. His mother passed away in 2017, just five years after he lost his grandmother. With the release of more music meant extended time away from family and having less of a role in his kids’ lives.
The fame that eluded him for so long was something he couldn’t enjoy. Struggling to process his mother’s death and looking to improve himself, the Atlanta rapper decided to go to therapy. His wife, Shana Render, whom he married in 2006, got in touch with a Black female therapist, who ended up changing his life.
After telling NPR that he regularly sees a therapist, Mike said, “This is overwhelming: fame and money. And most people get fame without the money, but this shit is just overwhelming. I hadn’t grieved my mother. I hadn’t taken a rest from the road in a decade. I held a tremendous amount of guilt from not being able to be a heavier part of my first three children’s lives because I was on the road so much.”
By going to therapy and sitting down with someone he considers “absolutely amazing,” Mike was able to make sense of everything. He’s seen the improvement in himself, without needing to attend sessions every week. Although he appreciates the benefit of seeing a therapist, he still likes to handle some things on his own.
If he were to advise men going through tough times, he believes getting outside and clearing the mind is good for the soul. “Some shit, as a man, you just gotta go figure out,” he declared. “Go cut the goddamn grass and think. The answer will come to you. But I will say, talking to a Black woman who understands alternative thinking and the artist’s mind, it’s been a great thing for me.”
Over the past decade, many rappers would agree with his comments about therapy. Jay-Z, who collaborated with Mike on ‘Poppin’ Tags‘ and Outkast’s ‘Flip Flop Rock’, had a friend who was going through a lot and came out the other side a better person through therapy. So, Hov gave it a shot and was able to find out more about himself, relating to things he experienced in his childhood.
“I grew so much from the experience,” Jay once said about his therapy experience. “But I think the most important thing I got is that everything is connected. Every emotion is connected, and it comes from somewhere. And just being aware of it. Being aware of it in everyday life puts you at such a … you’re at such an advantage.”