Harley Alexander‑Sule, of hip‑hop duo Rizzle Kicks, has described how the pair found a lack of mental health support from the music industry when they started out.
Rizzle Kicks burst onto the music scene with their debut album, Stereo Typical, in 2011 – and released a follow-up album in 2013 before Alexander‑Sule and Jordan Stephens concentrated on solo projects.
The pair, who reunited to release new album Competition Is For Losers last year, feature together on the latest episode of mental health charity Mind’s YouTube series, Behind The Song.
The pair, both 34, open up about experiences of panic attacks, drug abuse, anxiety and stigma surrounding mental health in a joint effort with the charity to tackle misunderstanding about mental health problems.
Stephens said they both felt under pressure to continue their original success.
He said: “Ultimately what happened was we were put under pressure in the second album and then in pursuit of the third album we both fell into difficult cycles.
“I fell into quite a lot of drug misuse, drug abuse.”
Alexander‑Sule said: “The music industry wasn’t set up back then for artists who had problems with their mental health.
“It’s not their fault that it happened, but should have been their responsibility for a 22, 23-year-old boy who is going through a lot at that time to be supportive. There was never that support.”
In the episode, Stephens recalls receiving a call saying Alexander‑Sule had disappeared before a show, and supporting him through a panic attack over the phone.
“We weren’t even that close at the time, but I still ran to find him. Looking back, it shows how much we needed support we never got,” he said.
Rizzle Kicks’ conversation follows previous Behind The Song episodes featuring artists such as Joy Crookes, Yungblud, and Mind ambassador Perrie Edwards.
Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery – which supports Mind, said: “It’s amazing that players of People’s Postcode Lottery are able to support Mind with initiatives like Behind The Song, which give artists the space to share their mental health journeys and inspire others to speak openly.
“Since 2024, players have raised £1.6 million to Mind, helping fund projects that break stigma and ensure vital support reaches those who need it most.”
