Nottingham rapper, actor and mental health advocate, Scorzayzee comes to Metronome on Wednesday 11 March to host CRS Presents…’Mental’ – a night dedicated to keeping the conversation alive surrounding mental health and the importance of tackling the stigma.
On Thursday 10 October, 2019 (World Mental Health Day), local rapper and actor, Scorzayzee, hosted the ‘Circle of Light’ launch night. The album gave 60 Nottinghamshire musicians an opportunity to write, record and release a vinyl album. The album’s tracks are all loosely based around Mental Health, the mind and the daily struggles we all face in our lives. Scorzayzee himself helped the students throughout the poject, and we caught up with the rapper ahead of the next event he’s hosting – CRS Presents…’Mental’.
How has music helped you with your own mental health?
My music is my alter ego and I can be out of the ordinary and express my ideas and give my unique human experience without worrying how I come across. My mental health and my music go hand-in-hand. If it relates to others and helps them in any way then it is an ecosystem of both contribution to those that don’t have the ability to write or express ideas themselves and self-help through understanding my own mind by being able to put these complex experiences into a creative piece of work.
You’ve been involved with the Circle of Light project, and are now hosting CRS Presents… ‘Mental’, have you seen first-hand how these projects are benefiting young people?
Yes, I saw first hand the motivation and confidence increase when guided towards completing a project in amazing professional surroundings such as the studios in Metronome. Some of whom had pretty much given up, then rekindled their sense of achievement and gave them that boost to pick up where they left off. The most positive aspect of Circle of Light was watching people with similar interests gain friendship and create great relationships with each other. Often in life we can get isolated within our own little world and I think being around people with similar goals and interests really improves happiness and well being.
The upcoming show, CRS Presents… ‘Mental’ expresses a need to tackle the stigma around mental health, how important do you think it is, and how do you think we can achieve this?
Understanding emotions and feelings and trying to tell someone else or get help can be very complicated and sensitive for people. I think the reason there could be a stigma is because mental health is to do with the inner rather than outer.
In the same way that school teaches physical education, we now need to look at making mental health education just as important. How cool would it be if we introduced mindfulness, yoga and other beneficial activities to counteract the everyday pressures of life.
We need empathetic, understanding citizens as well as academic and economic contributors. The healthier people are, the more productive they are in both their working and personal life.
What change do you hope to see in the future when it comes to young people and their mental health?
More awareness. More healthy projects that bring that awareness, and easier access to help. Music artists are now making it a talking point in their actual music so I think the more we all realise that we are all vulnerable and anyone at any point can experience ill mental health, then the more we will work towards a society that understands each other better – the more we understand ourselves.
Do you have any other exciting projects in the pipeline that you have coming up?
Yes! Lots, and you will see them when they are ready! Look out on my social media for announcements.
