"It's important for us to have... open conversations about mental health."
Kanye West is opening up about his mental health.
During a wide-ranging interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live Thursday night, the 41-year-old rapper revealed more about his bipolar disorder. When Kimmel, 50, asked if West feels like being bipolar is "part of what makes you brilliant," he answered in the affirmative before also discussing the quote "I hate being bipolar it's awesome," which covers ye, his new album.
"It's not an opposite. It's not I hate being bipolar, it's awesome. It's actually, it drives more of how you really feel. It doesn't do the opposite thing," he explained. "So I think it's important for us to have... open conversations about mental health. Especially with me being black, because we never had therapists in the black community. We never approached taking medication."
Despite that comment, West is admittedly grateful that he wasn't fully medicated at the first sign of his mental health struggles. In fact, he thinks it's important for people to see what a "ramped up state" looks like -- specifically referencing his controversial interview with TMZ.
"I think it's good that when I had my first complete blackout at age 5, my mom didn't fully medicate me, because I might have never been Ye," he revealed. "And there's times where, at least I'm happy that I know... For this interview I knew I wanted to stay in a calm state because, by the time I got to TMZ, I was ramped up. So what's awesome is that the world really experienced someone in a ramped-up state. And that's when you get these comments that just shoot out. Almost like Tourette's."
The "Violent Crimes" rapper went on to explain that his bipolar disorder manifests with lots of highs and very few lows.
"There are some cases of bipolar where people go low, I'm one that goes high. Like Michelle Obama said, 'Go high,'" he quipped to Kimmel. "[I don't have extreme periods of depression] because I just say it. I'll say it on real TV. Like, 'Oh, I thought about killing myself.' And then the thought is gone."
When Kimmel joked that "all people need to do is get on TV," West responded with a serious answer.
"They need to be able to express themselves without fear of judgement," he said. "What I love telling people is, like... I don't know anyone who f*cked up as much as I have, but is still as successful. So I want to prove that you can get fat, you can say the wrong things, you can piss a f*cking city off..."
"And you can be president of the United States," Kimmel piped in, to West's agreement.
West has been open about his struggles with mental health, often tweeting about mental health, suicidal thoughts and tips of advice for people who are also suffering.
Here's more on West's sit down with Kimmel:
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