I think either you're creative or you're not. In general, I don't think you need to be in pain to actually be creative unless you're writing love songs. Then you might need to have some ups and downs within your emotions to start to capture that.
Curtis Jackson2Pac wrote about life threatening situations after being shot so often, it made it seem like he was obsessed with it. He even wrote music and material that he left behind after he died that made reference to him dying already. I think the significance in that ties back to us knowing that that's our fate.
Curtis JacksonI done been to the pearly gates, they sent me back said the good die young I ain't eligible for that
Curtis Jackson