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Three 6 Mafia’s “Sippin’ On Some Syrup” and Big Moe’s City Of Syrup set the stage for hip-hop’s new drug of choice—lean. DJ Screw passed away in 2000 and UGK’s Pimp C died from a codeine overdose in 2007, right around the time Lil Wayne was diving in head first. Erik Ritland is https://ecosoberhouse.com/ a songwriter, musician, journalist, and podcaster based in Nashville, Tennessee.

• Discovered on SoundCloud,the Long Island-based rapper developed a cult following before experiencingmainstream success with his debut album Come Over When You’re Sober,Pt.
• In the song “Unwind” by Healy, he is talking about his past use of drugs when unwinding from the day.
• In recent years, another drug-fueled movement has taken shape.
• The usage of fentanyl has increased and more have been taken by that drug.
• Certain songs mention substances like cocaine as metaphors for success or wealth, while others reference party culture.
• He was a Southern hip-hop icon, and he lived the life he rapped about.

Macklemore

Her unexpected passing was a profound loss that was felt by her fans and fellow artists. Ari Lennox, Ella Mai, and Kehlani have all paid tribute to the promising young rapper. Rolling Stone hailed him as “this generation’s Kurt Cobain,” but tragically, Lil Peep passed away due to opioid addiction shortly after celebrating his 21st birthday. Like with Royce da 5’9″, exercise helped him get through it. He started cranking out 17 miles per day on the treadmill and slimmed down from 230 pounds to 149. Royce called Eminem when he decided to get sober, Alcoholics Anonymous and they still have conversations about sobriety to this day. As a youth, Lecrae earned the nickname “Crazy Crae” for his wild drunk stunts.

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Other artists have talked about their drug usage and how drugs have shaped hip-hop music. The list of rappers who’ve succumbed to drugs features a spectrum of artists. In hip hop and rap music, controversial topics are constantly talked about, including gun violence, drugs, and gang violence. Drug usage and the abuse of these drugs are very prominent in hip-hop and rap lyrics today. Most songs talk explicitly about how bad drugs are for a person.

Celebrities Who Died in 2022: Gone but Never Forgotten

We used the Genius lyrics database to track drug trends through song lyrics. From Grandmaster Melle Mel in 1984 to Future in 2016, every artist referencing the drug of the moment is only a piece of a larger puzzle—a story told through rap. Take a look at this list and find out which of your favorite rap stars abstain from drugs and alcohol. Next on our list of rappers who overdosed is another young talented rapper who was gone too soon, JuiceWRLD. At the young age of 21, Jarad A. Higgins, or JuiceWRLD, died as a result of oxycodone and codeine toxicity.

Understanding these complex themes requires careful consideration of context, artistic expression, and social responsibility. Through thoughtful engagement with these topics, hip-hop can contribute to important rappers with drug addictions conversations about community health and support. Hip-hop emerged from communities often affected by systemic inequality and limited opportunities.

And while it’s alarming enough when a grown-ass-man dives into the depths of addiction, the fact is, these kids are sixteen and seventeen years old. Not to mention the fact that their fanbase is probably made up of even younger, even more impressionable listeners. It can’t be helping matters to have legions of pre-teens screaming “I’m on the Xan, ou, I’m on the Xan, ou” at the top of their underdeveloped lungs. The use of synthetic opioids, particularly fentanyl, began to surge in Black communities around 2014–2015, with mortality rates rising sharply by the late 2010s. By 2022, fentanyl was the leading driver of opioid-related deaths among Black men. Deaths involving cocaine and psychostimulants have also risen dramatically, with cocaine-related fatalities seeing a particularly sharp increase.

• Mr Scobie stressed the artist had earnings in excess of £3m at the time of the drug dealing activity.
• Rap music may have affected adolescent substance use in Texas.
• This synthetic drug contains mood-altering properties that produce feelings of pleasure, warmth and energy.
• While hip-hop has its many celebratory moments from lyrics to accolades, in recent years, the genre has been hit with the negative consequences of drug culture, which has claimed the lives of many young rappers.
• Rap’s obsession with Xanax began in 2011 when Tyler, The Creator mentioned the pill on “Yonkers.” Since then, Young Thug, Future, and 2 Chainz have all mentioned Xanax in their music.

• While many musicians struggle with drugs and alcohol, others choose to remain sober or get clean after experiences with addiction.
• In order for someone to receive the same amount of dopamine or increase it, they have to take more of the drug than the previous time.
• Learn about treatment options like inpatient and outpatient rehab by calling our admissions team at for free, confidential, 24/7 support.
• A month after his release from the hospital, Eminem relapsed.
• Over the last 30 years, rappers have mentioned, paid homage to, and warned against the pitfalls of drugs, from lean to Xanax.
• There must be a change in our society with how we choose to handle drugs.

His addiction resulted in broken relationships and a lack of productivity. Six months later, he moved back to Chicago, his hometown, and stopped using drugs. In 2006, after the death of a friend, he began abusing Vicodin, one of the most dispensed prescription painkillers in the United States. During this time, he also began misusing Xanax and other sedative medications. Xanax is a benzodiazepine that is used to treat anxiety and panic disorders. Because of its euphoric properties, a host of rappers over the years — from Eminem to Kanye West — have espoused the drug in music.

His death was caused by heavy usage of the life-threatening “purple drank,” a combination of codeine and promethazine. In recent years, another drug-fueled movement has taken shape. “Lean,” which consists of promethazine, codeine, and Sprite, has become the drug o’ choice for more rappers than you might think.

Snoop Dogg – “Gin and Juice”

Pharrell once ate six weed brownies and passed out in a bathroom, as he recalled in a 2013 interview with Nardwuar. Artists increasingly emphasize positive messages about mental health, community support, and personal growth. These preventable deaths as well as violence leading to rappers’ being murdered have had a lasting effect on hip-hop. Orlando Wharton, executive vice president at Capitol Music Group and president of Priority Records, knows very well how death can take a toll on the genre’s progression.