Lifestyle Health Method Man Faced Depression, Darkness Early in His Career: ‘I Just Wanted to See Light’ The rapper joins 50 Cent and other hip-hop legends as they open up about their mental health and fitness journeys in the new issue of "Men’s Health" By Cara Lynn Shultz Cara Lynn Shultz Cara Lynn Shultz is a writer-reporter at PEOPLE. Her work has previously appeared in Billboard, Forbes, and Reader's Digest. People Editorial Guidelines Published on August 1, 2023 06:08PM EDT Close Method Man joins 50 Cent and other hip-hop stars in the Sept. issue of Men's Health. Photo: Shayan Asgharnia for Men's Health When Wu-Tang Clan shot to superstardom in the ‘90s, Method Man was a fan favorite. Born Clifford Smith, Jr., the rapper and actor reveals to Men’s Health in the new Hip Hop Is Life issue that he was battling depression at the same time as he was performing to throngs of fans. “It went from this childhood joy to this euphoric feeling of celebrity to feeling inadequate and not good enough. That’s where the depression and stuff came in,” he tells Men’s Health. “And not even knowing that I’ve been depressed since I was a youngster. A lot of PTSD I had never dealt with before started resurfacing.” 50 Cent on Maintaining His Fitness: 'Strong Is Not All Muscle — It's About Being Mentally and Physically Strong' The Hip Hop Is Life issue of Men's Health features Busta Rhymes, Method Man, 50 Cent, Ludacris, Common, and Wiz Khalifa. Shayan Asgharnia for Men's Health Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. He admits that he let outside influences impact his mental state. “I didn’t think it would bother me that much, but it did — people’s opinions,” the 52-year-old Grammy winner says. “In hindsight, you delve deeper into your psyche and see where certain things come from. I just wasn’t a happy person.” Part of his recovery process, he says, was changing his outlook — and his social circle. 'Wu-Tang: An American Saga' Cast Members on Show's Impact: 'Showcases the Power and Beauty of Black Culture' “It reached a point where misery was loving company, and the people around me were just as miserable. So, it kind of fits. Then I got tired of it and did not want to be around miserable people anymore. I just wanted to see light. I wanted everything light. Forget the darkness.” Method Man says it took looking within himself to move forward. “It had nothing to do with other people. It was just me. What can I control? That’s what I did; I took control after that. I stopped valuing other people’s opinions, and instead of being my biggest critic, I became my biggest fan.” And that’s what the rapper-turned-actor, who stars on Power Book II: Ghost, and has appeared on The Wire and The Deuce, says is the key to what he calls “just happiness.” Method Man opens up to Men's Health about how he beat depression. Shayan Asgharnia for Men's Health “Self-love; it’s simple as that. Looking yourself in the mirror and honestly saying that you love yourself. But it’s one thing to say and then another to go and do it,” he tells Men’s Health. “Show that you love yourself. That’s all I’ve been doing. What people see now is just happiness.” And while he takes care of himself physically, it's for... himself. “I don’t want to be that guy that, when the clock starts winding down, he’s still trying to be that sexy.” Method Man Apologizes to Destiny's Child for Refusing to Shake Their Hands at 2004 MOBO Awards “I’m not a sex symbol. That’s the whole f—ing point, man. Put the words together. Sex and symbol. What’s the symbol? I’m not doing anything,” says Method Man, who has been married to wife Tamika Smith for more than 20 years. “You get to a certain age where you just stop caring, and I think that’s the sexiest thing in the world right there. The September 2023 issue of Men’s Health — the Hip-Hop Is Life Issue — hits newsstands on August 8.