Arrested Development has been dancing to the beat of their own drum for 35 years. The Atlanta-based collective was unique amongst hip-hop acts in the early 1990s, and in 2025, A.D.’s message and aesthetic are still singularly theirs. At the center of the group’s orbit is frontman and leader Speech, who has weathered lineup shifts, changes in popular taste and life’s general ups and downs to arrive at a place of well-earned wisdom and peace of mind. Arrested Development’s new album is called Adult Contemporary Hip-Hop and Okayplayer talked to Speech about wellness and what it means to mature in the rap game.
Speech: I think it’s important for Black people, in particular, to embrace maturation. A lot of value has been given to our entertainment. In my opinion, our biggest export is our entertainment. But so much of our entertainment is youth-oriented. We were conditioned to stay in that young mindset in order to stay relevant. So it’s also important for us as a people to embrace what maturity looks like. We’ve been talking more about mental health and wellness and mindfulness and I think that’s what’s desperately needed so that our youth can see examples of what maturity is and what mature artistic endeavors are.
Wellness is a pillar of our beliefs as a group. We’ve called our music “life music,” and we did from the very beginning. In “People Everyday,” we say it’s a celebration of life, a celebration of death and the struggles of our ancestors. We really are proponents of pushing healthy living and striving to get the most out of this life while we’re here. With songs like ”Children Play With Earth” we’re talking about eating organic foods and all of these kinds of things. That’s in 1992. It’s deeply important to us. Even on [Adult Contemporary Hip-Hop]–same thing. We’re talking about how things have changed and how we can get back to that groundedness so that we can live life to the fullest.
To help do that, I go to a literal therapist to work through some of the knots that have formed in my life and what’s been given to me. There’s also writing. Like the song “Tennessee,” my brother and my grandmother died in the same week and the last place I saw them alive was in Tennessee. I know I would not have been able to get through it without writing.
Those are the pillars for me: prayer, biblical advice, writing, therapy. I believe in the Most High being the true author of our lives. So I often pray. But I also often take and get biblical advice from people who are very wise in the word. Every week, I get advice so that I’m guided in principles that will help me stay grounded and live the best life that I can.
From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
