In his first major interview since 2012, Harlem, New York musician Charles Hamilton, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder years ago, spoke on the mental illness struggle he’s dealt with over the past few years.
While speaking with Billboard in an interview first published in the magazine’s March 14 issue, Hamilton says he reached a point where he “didn’t care anymore,” and in addition to committing physical suicide, wanted to commit career and spiritual suicide as well.
“I wanted to commit career suicide, physical suicide, spiritual suicide — I didn’t care anymore…I just didn’t trust anybody. I didn’t leave my house, I just made music all the time. I was fighting depression — I shut myself in,” Charles Hamilton said.
The rapper/producer’s relationship with his former label, Interscope Records, was also discussed. He recalled reading about the label dropping him online and says he may have been perceived as “an uncooperative artist.”
“They never said the music was bad — it was never about the music,” he said. “It was about everything else. They might have seen me as an uncooperative artist…I was at a girlfriend’s house. She was online on her computer, and said, ‘Charles, you got dropped.’ I was like, ‘Oh my God’…I locked myself in my house with the lights out and a turntable turning with no record on it. I was depressed, paranoid and confused.”
Hamilton is currently signed to Republic Records, a company he says is much more concerned with his well-being.
“They’re like family. They care about the music, but they care a lot more about me,” the rapper said while speaking on Republic Records.
Glad dude found his way and got himself out of his dark times. Suicide is never the answer. Keep living, keep maintaining and keep your head up. You never know what the future holds in store for you. Honestly, I was never that big of a fan of Charles before, but now, I’m curious to see what he’s gonna put out.
Can never tell the difference between this guy and Anthony Hamilton. Who dropped the Pink Lavalamp? Who did the hook on that Khaled track? C’mon people.
Anthony Hamilton is a soul/rNb singer…this kid had one song like 10 years ago..then kinda went crazy.. used to call himself Sonic The Hedgehog
Went crazy? He always was, homie.
…
i always respected this dude and his music but industry will eat you alive and glad he back and in good spirits depression no joke.
This dude never made sense.
I don’t think the music industry “ate him alive” and made him crazy, but getting socked in the face by a girl and almost knocked the fuck out and having a video of it go viral probably did.
I never understood why he got such a bad rap for taking a hit from a girl and not hitting her back…
He was not “almost knocked the fuck out.”