Features : Insane Jermaine drops “Mentally Ill” for his fans in the pysch ward

Insane Jermaine may have written his single “Mentally Ill” more than a decade ago, but the rapper knows that this is a message that rings true to his people, and one that never goes away.

“When I was young I was diagnosed bi-polar and always in the psych wards,” he said. “I wanted to do something different here. I wanted this to be a shout out to my people: the psychiatric people.”

Insane Jermaine said writing music is like an essay. You’ve got to get the subject first, and then there’s the hook that follows. The track and music video was created 11 years back, with more than 156,000 views since its inception on YouTube. It starts with Insane Jermaine yelling about how he’s mentally ill and to not mess with him. He’s in handcuffs, behind bars and driving home his lyrics with pointed fingers and piercing looks.

“I’m mentally ill
I’m mentally ill
Don’t mess with me
You don’t know how I feel”

Insane Jermaine said this track is all original, and while it’s him acting crazy, it’s him straight up. His listeners can pick up what he’s putting down, and the idea is for those who have been right alongside him in the ward to be represented.

The song was written in 2012 after the Aurora movie theater shootings, and then released after the Sandy Hook tragedy. Insane Jermaine started promoting this track hard. He went over to the psych ward to share the single, and and even with police and politicians.

“I was giving it out to city workers and stuff like that,” he said.

Insane Jermaine was born in Hackensack, New Jersey and his father was an investor in bands like the Isley Brothers, and venues like Studio 54. He was always around music when he was a young boy, but things really took off when he was living down in Alabama when he was in high school. His cousin owned a club and he would work with him on the weekends, and behind that club there was a recording studio.

Since he was 18 years old, Jermaine has been into music. He prides in bringing back that ‘90s swag, saying the world needs some good hip hop. One thing that set him apart is that he has been in and out of the pysch ward, and this is where his music comes into play. “Mentally Ill” is one for those in the ward.

“I feel like, the thing is, you don’t mess with people you don’t know. You don’t know what’s on someone’s mind. There are a lot of people who are psychiatric. Famous people. Anyone. I want to reach out to them.”

Jermaine has had a tough life. He’s been been shot twice, including once in the head while living in Alabama. He wanted to make a change, and moved back north to New Jersey and went to college for audio-engineering while working as a tractor-trailer driver. Jermaine went by Crazy Jermaine while living in Alabama, but he decided to switch things up when he got back north. This is where the new monicker, Insane Jermaine, was born.

“You suckers think you’re living straight

There’s nothing but evil in your heart, and a lot of hate.”

Be sure to check out Insane Jermaine’s music video for “Mentally Ill” on YouTube. His single can also be found on major platforms:

Apple
Soundcloud