The 'Put On' rapper, who filed for divorce from his wife of two years in September, reveals that he decided to share his story in his 'Adversity for Sale' memoir because had no access to mental health resources growing up.
- Oct 18, 2023
AceShowbiz - Jeezy (Young Jeezy) revealed that he had struggled with depression for eight years. When opening up about the matter, the "Put On" rapper admitted that he wasn't aware of his mental health issues until he let himself be vulnerable.
"I learned that vulnerability is power," the 46-year-old emcee, whose real name is Jay Wayne Jenkins, said during an appearance on "Tamron Hall Show". He added, "I thought something was wrong with me, thinking I come from poverty, this is just how it is."
Jeezy had no access to mental health resources growing up, so he decided to share his story in his memoir "Adversity for Sale". He explained, "I didn't understand trauma and all these different things so when I started to get the words for it, I started to understand and grab tools, I started to become better.
"I started my journey and that's why I'm expressing it and putting it in the book," the hip-hop artist continued. "Because I didn't know I was depressed for like eight years of my life straight."
During that eight-year period, Jeezy confessed that he wanted to "go back to sleep forever" whenever he woke up. "And that's what street life does to you," he detailed, noting that he was especially affected by violence in his community. "When you lose 200, 300, 400 people like gone forever, you just, you get numb. And I wasn't able to get in touch with my emotions and I was wondering why."
Jeezy credited his children, including his and ex Jeannie Mai's 20-month-old daughter Monaco Mai Jenkins, as the reason for him to feel more deeply: "Thank God for my kids, but there was a time I was just cold. That's when I was Young Jeezy," he stated.
Jeezy made the revelation more than a month after he filed for divorce from Jeannie after only two years of marriage. According to court documents, the rhymer is asking for joint custody of the exes' daughter Monaco. In the docs, he stated that their marriage is "irretrievably broken" and "there is no hope for reconciliation." It's allegedly also stated that the pair have a prenuptial agreement in place.
