Rapper Lil Jon, who has been one of the biggest – and perhaps loudest – voices in hip-hop, is tapping into a calmer side as he’s set to release his second album on meditation.
“No, I’m not your typical meditation guru,” the rapper himself admits.
Despite his fame as a hip-hop artist and producer, the musician says he’s more focused on his meditative side these days as he promotes a new album of guided meditation.
The rapper, who says he can’t “scream all the time,” hopes to become a voice that promotes the importance of taking care of one’s mental health.
“I wanted to share a lot of things that I’ve struggled with and how I’ve dealt with those struggles,” Lil Jon says. “The overall goal is to help everybody to calm and step away from life for a minute and be in a meditative state.”
The musician says he practices daily meditations and self-affirmations to keep himself centered.
“[Meditation] has helped me as a person more than an artist because my music is all, ‘Ah, crazy,’” he explains. “It helped me to be in a more calm state and to lower the stress levels.”
One mental health practitioner hopes Lil Jon’s new album and his openness about seeking mental health support would remove the stigma of caring for one’s mental health, especially among underserved communities.
“Either we don’t see people that look like us who are seeking out resources or people that look like us who are therapists,” Dr. Patrice Le Goy, a psychologist and therapist, said. “I think that there are several marginalized communities that may struggle with mental health issues but don’t feel that it’s accessible to them.”
Lil Jon says his next two albums will be meditation albums, including one focused on sleep.
He’s also working on an EDM collaboration project, the rapper says.