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The fight for mental health awareness continues, most recently with rising producer Ekali sharing his thoughts on the issue.


Ekali is responsible for many of bass music’s favorite tracks and is a quickly rising producer that most people will know about within the next year. But behind the scenes, he reveals he is afflicted by a chronic persistent “epileptic phenomenon” that manifests with near constant physical, emotional, and mental symptoms.

“It’s a bit of a mixture of epilepsy, panic/anxiety disorder with extreme dissociative symptoms (derealization + depersonalization). […] I am constantly having a minor panic attack.”

Of course to the fans, and even to those he’s met in person like myself and other members of our staff, he shows a normal face on the surface. It would’ve been impossible to know he was suffering underneath – and that’s the point that Ekali is getting at.

“Now that you know how I feel constantly, I have a very important message for everyone. You don’t know what people you meet are going through. Your perception of reality is not a reflection of what other people feel. And when you are mean and shitty and cruel, you can exascerbate the astronomical mental trauma people are going through. And that can cause some very serious and irreversible damage.”

Ekali’s solution? Simply treat others with respect. Remember the Golden Rule you were taught as a child? It still applies as an adult.

This had to have been extremely difficult for Ekali to share, and we applaud him for his bravery and sharing his story. Hopefully his sentiment reaches the ears of some who need to hear it, as well as those who might also be suffering beneath the surface and now have someone to identify with.

You can read Ekali’s full story below, and catch him on his Crystal Eyes tour soon with 1788-L and Slumberjack – details here.