TRIGGER WARNING: SUICIDE
Lil Wayne is more than just a celebrated Hip Hop icon, father and friend. He's human, just like anyone, and battles with his own struggles internally.
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In an "uncomfortable conversation" with Emmanuel Acho, the NOLA legend spoke candidly about his mental health including "loneliness," the lowest point in his career and even his suicide attempt at age 12. Acho opened the episode with a disclaimer explaining that the show typically discusses race, but "there are also a lot of conversations that need to be had around mental health."
Weezy actually reached out to Acho to have this mental health conversation because he views being vulnerable as something "brave" and considers it "stepping up." He explained that he realized "at a very young age" that he might have some mental health issues to work through. "When I was told that I couldn't have what I wanted, what I dreamed of and what I desired and that was to rap, I was willing to die for it," Weezy detailed.
At age 12, he shot himself in the chest— just barely missing his heart—with a gun he'd found in his mother's home. For years, he always stated that the self-inflicted wound was accidental, but in 2018, he admitted that it was actually a suicide attempt.
For the first time, Weezy detailed what happened. Back then, towards the end of the school year, he would receive half days on certain school days. However, like most preteens, he didn't provide the whole truth to his mother. Yet, when she found out he'd been lying, she threatened to throw away his "rap folder." With the "radical thoughts" racing through his head, his main thought was to prove a point.
After making a phone call to the police, he initially put the gun to his head, but talked himself out of it. As The Notorious B.I.G.'s "One More Chance" played on the TV behind him, he looked in the mirror and shot himself. What scared him, he stated was that he didn't have to get himself mad to "pull the trigger." The action alone was enough to first make him acknowledge he had mental health struggles and second, to remind him he was here for a reason.
The rest of the episode details the man who actually told the rapper he wouldn't die when he attempted suicide, how it changed his family, his struggles as an adult and where he is now. He ultimately hopes this honest revelation will help someone else battling with their own mental health issues. Check out the full Uncomfortable Conversation above.
Audacy's I’m Listening initiative aims to encourage those who are dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-273-8255.