Video premiere: 'Pick Yourself Up' showcases four versions of Athens hip hop star Ishues
Released in December, Athens-based hip hop artist Ishues' album "Legacy" was more than a career-defining retrospective. It also featured some of the Athens Music Walk of Fame inductee's most introspective and confessional lyrics, which is even more impressive when the legendary MC's reputation as one of the Classic City's most outspoken voices is taken into account.
When it came time to make a music video for the track, "Pick Yourself Up," Ishues wanted to create something specifically for Mental Health Awareness Month, which is observed each May. Through working with Athens-based promotion and production house Brasher Media, Ishues was able to portray multiple "versions" of himself on screen all at the same time.
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Ishues told the Banner-Herald that "Pick Yourself Up" was written in 2021 during a particularly rough time when a combination of family-related difficulties and grief following the deaths of two of his friends put a strain on his mental health. Ishues said that speaking to a therapist and spending time talking to a personal confidant were essential to weathering the storm.
"I found myself having to get through it the best way I could, because there were other people that needed my strength," said Ishues. "It's like if you're in a hole and someone drops a rope down to help you get out. Yes, they're pulling, but you still have to hold onto it and pull yourself up as they're pulling you."
To contact the National Alliance on Mental Health, call the help line at (800) 950-6264, text "HelpLine" to 62640 or visit nami.org.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Music video premiere: 'Pick Yourself Up' by Ishues
