May was Mental Health Awareness Month and as we recently moved into June, it is now, Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month. In the past few month’s we recently moved past the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop too. The genre and culture have become more open than ever to prioritizing their artist’s mental health and well being. A subject matter that they used to be very shy and not as open to. Jay-Z’s head of A&R at Roc Nation, Omar Grant, has helped the label be one of the foremost labels at the forefront of making that change too. So I recently got a chance to chat with him as well as Roc Nation Records artist RJAE, on what they are doing and continuing to do to help usher in that change.
Nello Rubio for TheHipHopDemocrat.com: Omar even before this May with Mental Health Awareness Month and even now June as we recently entered Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month. You have been a big advocate for both yourself and your Roc Nation artist’s in regards to their mental health and how it helps not only you, but them in their development as artist’s for the label. Recruiting several of the artists biggest names like Rapsody, Maeta and Ambré. Plus Vic Mensa, and Reuben Vincent to train with you in your own personal gym to help them not only develop as artists, but as human beings through their health and wellness. What made you decide to do that and how has it helped both you and the artists in being not only great in music, but both of your developments as humans beings?
Omar Grant: Roc Nation’s priority is to take care of artists and pave the way for them to become the best versions of themselves. Our leaders take pride in mental health for the company as a whole. It’s important to maintain a positive working environment and that starts with ensuring both employees and clients feel comfortable mentally, physically and emotionally.
Nello Rubio: What are some other ways that have helped you and your artists with your mental health and wellness?
Omar Grant: I encourage employees to work out, read books, have down time and engage in activities that fulfill them. Making sure you have the space to be your best self. Taking care of yourself is even as simple as getting to the gym or grabbing a smoothie.
Nello Rubio: Hip-Hop as a whole used to not put such a huge emphasis on the mental health and wellbeing of its artist’s or even the people like yourself who work within the music industry. What do you think has changed over the last 10-15 years or so. That has made people like you, Jay-Z and others at Roc Nation and even other labels put that at the forefront as a priority in helping develop not only new artist’s, but even working with some veteran artist’s as well?
Omar Grant: There has long been a stigma around mental health and its importance. I think it’s simply taken time, along with the growth of a new generation, new ideologies, etc. change the narrative. There is still a lot of work to be done, but it’s good to see things moving in the right direction. We build one-on-one relationships with our artists so they understand that we care about them on a personal level, as well as creatively. This allows them to feel like they can come to us as a resource for anything they may be going through.
Nello Rubio: RJAE out of all the more recent signings to Roc Nation you have been one of the more bigger and outspoken advocate’s about mental health and your emotional wellbeing. Focusing on it a lot with your Roc Nation debut project, YOU’RE THE PROBLEM, which you put out last June and on what will be exactly a year ago this Sunday. Why is it so important for you to not only talk and speak about not only in general, but in your music as well?
RJAE: I think it’s important to be vulnerable with my art, but also to voice how I feel in real time because each time I speak on mental health it could possibly resonate with someone and may even save the life of someone who feels alone in their suffering. For me growing up, music was always an outlet because I connected with my favorite artists on various topics, but I never heard too much them go in depth about their feelings or emotions too often. So that is something I don’t shy away from doing.
Nello Rubio: Also for RJAE. How has it helped you develop not only as an artist, but as a human being as well?
RJAE: I was spending a lot of time reflecting on my past romantic and personal relationships and really trying to figure out what didn’t work or what went wrong. That’s how I ended up releasing my latest album ”You’re The Problem.” Going through that journey of being real with myself and my emotions. I realized I WAS the problem. It was a very vulnerable project and it was very healing.
Nello Rubio: Do you think rapping and talking about it in your music has helped you in making it a priority to not only yourself, but in showing others in Hip-Hop that it can be done and you still be a rather successful artist in a genre that used to really shy away from such a heavy and deep topic?
RJAE: I can’t say whether I’ve influenced other artists. But I know for me, shining light on my mental health in my music has given me a sense of peace within myself. Therapy is something that was big in my community, so when I’m having these emotional thoughts I let it go on a track and when the engineer hits the playback it’s like I’m hearing those thoughts for the first time. It’s almost as if I’m listening to a different person who just so happens to understand me. It gives me peace and comfort.