Iggy Azalea Proposes All Labels Hire In-House Psychologists For Artists

Australian rapper Iggy Azalea took to Twitter Monday to address an issue that is long overdue for addressing: Mental health for artists in the music biz.

Source: Craig Sjodin / Getty

The “Fancy” rapper said she thinks every music label should provide its artists with “at least ONE psychologist,” because if athletes and people of other professions get access to trained mental health professionals, then artists—especially in the age of social media, where haters can hate with the click of a button—should have that access as well.

“I REALLY WISH record labels would all agree to make it mandatory to hire at least ONE psychologist per label,” the Aussie emcee tweeted. “Almost EVERY artist in recent times has expressed struggling with the level of hate & pressure. Sports teams do it for their athletes, why not music labels?”

Azalea isn’t wrong. A lot of new artists likely come into the industry underprepared for the negativity that comes with the spotlight. Even Grammy award-winning music sensation Lizzo has spoken on the harm that hateful people of the hater-net can cause to the psyche of artists who are just trying to work. In fact, she recently addressed the fatphobic comments she’s seen directed at her by terrible people who had something to say about her “Rumors” collaboration with Cardi B, saying through tears, “I just think that when I’m working this hard, my tolerance gets lower. My patience is lower, I’m more sensitive. And it gets to me.”

In a perfect world, people would simply be kinder than many tend to be and there wouldn’t be as much of a need for an on-site mental health pro to see artists through the anguish of existing in the world of unlimited platforms for unlimited trash opinions—but we live in this world.

Azalea—who is certainly no stranger to the mental and emotional toll living in the public eye can take on an artist—also made it clear that she’s not here for anyone’s excuses.

“Also yes it may seem like ‘But there’s so many labels!’” she wrote in a reply to her tweet. “There’s actually only about 4 guys running the entire music business so it would be pretty easy to hold them accountable and make them implement a change across their businesses.”

Listen: When she’s right, she’s right.

The pressure and hate are real, and so should be the concern for the wellbeing of the artists we love and rely on for entertainment.