Over a brilliant instrumental De La Soul relate about a (fictional) brother who went from starting to use drugs at a young age to becoming a full-fledged addict later on. A clever track in which MC Shan depicts crack cocaine as a girl he fell in love with, a girl he warns others to stay far away from. Ice T’s classic cautionary rappers that dont do drugs tale deals with a number of different ways in which people can ‘play themselves’.
MC Shan – Cocaine (
It’s hilarious that Usher’s “U Don’t Have To Call” falls into this story. His recollection is probably not how things actually went down, but I love the image of Pharrell working with Usher, discovering the music of a young T.I., and then hours later passing out in a bathroom. Pharrell’s brain is clearly otherworldy enough on its own to travel to other worlds without any help. And while he’s signed to Kanye’s G.O.O.D music, where the majority of his labelmates indulge, Common has managed to stay away. Now that weed is legal in eight states, decriminalized in 13 and available for medical use in 29, no wonder 10 million more Americans smoke mary jane than 12 years ago.
Tyler The Creator
On “Otherside,” Macklemore raps about Lil Wayne being a major influence of his personal codeine addiction. While many musicians struggle with drugs and alcohol, others choose to remain sober or get clean after experiences with addiction. Some famous rappers who don’t drink or do drugs went to rehab while other sober rappers quit cold turkey. A few famous rap stars who are sober even inspired other hip hop stars to kick their addictions for good.
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Like many, the artist struggled during the Covid pandemic, and during lockdown he relapsed. However, he cleaned up, and now works with CLEAN Cause – a sparkling yerba mate brand, who donate towards supporting addiction recovery. Eminem is now well-known not only as one of the most influential rappers of all time, but as a rapper who is continuing to overcome his struggle with addiction. His sobriety also spelt the beginning of better health and fitness for the rapper, who shed some serious weight. If recent pictures are anything to go by, it looks like Guwop has stayed sober. These are the artists who’ve forsaken the booze for a healthier lifestyle.
Sober Rappers Who Dont Drink Or Do Drugs
I didn’t see a problem with the fact that I just couldn’t get up and walk sometimes.” Hopefully Budden can continue to make strides without the use of any drug. It turns out that there are quite a lot of rappers alcohol rehab who don’t touch drugs or alcohol. Many other sober celebrities, including Pharrell Williams and Eminem, also fit the cateogry. Kendrick Lamar credits a childhood impacted by substance abuse for his choice to live sober. The Grammy award-winner doesn’t drink or do drugs, and he’s a vocal advocate for clean living.
- It’s one thing to play up drug use as part of the creation of a musical persona (see The Weeknd), but it’s another to completely fake it for the sake of selling records and signing sponsorship deals.
- Several dinosaurs are out there living by the drug-free, or straight edge, code.
- But as he clarified in a one-on-one interview with Complex in 2013, he was able to make a song about smoking weed because he stepped away from it in 2011.
- While, for the most part, drug use in hip-hop has never been taboo (meaning you can’t totally blame this on the kiddos), the promotion and use of drugs of the highly addictive nature is at an all-time high.
Understanding the cycle of addiction is crucial in comprehending the struggles faced by rappers who battle drug addiction. This section explores the factors that can lead to substance abuse and the challenges these individuals encounter when seeking help. It’s important to note that not all rap music promotes drug use, and many artists use their platform to address the negative consequences of substance abuse. However, the portrayal of drug use in certain rap songs and the association of drugs with the rap lifestyle can inadvertently influence listeners, especially impressionable individuals, to experiment with drugs. Drug addiction has been a prevalent issue within the rap industry for many years. Rappers, like many other artists, often face immense pressure and stress due to their demanding careers, lifestyle choices, and the need to maintain a certain image.
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He further expressed that he has never once wanted to get drunk. Like Kendrick Lamar, Vince Staples has avoided taking drugs and drinking alcohol. The Long Beach, California rapper’s decision to stay sober stems from the traumatic events he witnessed during his childhood. In an appearance on Drink Champs, Vince expressed that he never wanted to get caught with drugs and https://www.minority-defenders-forum.org/2020/10/05/5-stages-of-alcoholism-comprehensive-wellness-2/ always wanted to stay alert when growing up in an area filled with gang violence.
Some have personally struggled with addiction and needed to get clean to get their life in order. And others abstain simply so that they can function at the highest level. While many of the rappers on this have either dabbled or gone deep into addiction, Tyler, The Creator has basically never been tempted.
Andre decided to make the change after partying too hard in his younger days. “I actually looked in the mirror and saw myself deteriorating,” Andre 3000 told “VIBE” in 2012. “I was like, ‘Man, we’re doing too much—way too much.” He is also a vegetarian. It’s easy to assume that Lecrae leads a straight-edge lifestyle because he’s a Christian rapper.
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- The Long Beach, California rapper’s decision to stay sober stems from the traumatic events he witnessed during his childhood.
- And quite evidently they all strongly believe—whatever their varying reasons and circumstances and perspectives and challenges—that sobriety has made life better.
- They may not have participated in drug use or heavy drinking prior to experiencing fame, but they were surrounded by these behaviors growing up.
Although the star isn’t a complete teetotaler, she has attributed her success to drinking responsibly and steering clear of drugs. “Everything bad would happen,” she said of her prior drug use, speaking to People. His high energy, colorful personality and fan demographic (who indulges in drugs quite heavily) doesn’t stop him from speaking on his commitment to the straight edge lifestyle. They use their platform to raise awareness, encourage dialogue, and promote resources for individuals seeking help. Additionally, it is essential for the music industry to prioritize the well-being and long-term health of its artists over short-term gains. When you look in someone’s eyes and see that they are feeling you, nodding their head, or making expressions of awe, then that’s motivation to kill it.
We are here to listen to your story and help you take the first step in your own journey toward a happier, healthier life. It wasn’t until Jada Pinkett Smith found herself drinking two bottles of wine alone that she realized she needed to change. “I said, ‘Jada, I think we’ve got a problem here,’” she told Contact Music. “From that day on, I went cold turkey.” The actor and singer has now been sober for eight years. It’s important to note that most people won’t find recovery going “cold turkey.” It’s OK, and normal, to experience setbacks along the way, and to accept help on your journey.
Some of these artists have never done drugs in their life, while others choose to abstain from smoking or drinking because of near-death experiences they’ve had. Though some listeners may disagree, these artists have continually shown that they’re more than capable of making quality music without the enhancement of drugs. To anyone who’s had even a mild exposure to rap songs, you’ve probably found the music replete with drug references. In addition to the usual alcohol- or marijuana-related ones, there’s a plethora of allusions to other drugs — “purple drank,” “popping pills,” “milly rock,” etc. At times, it might seem like the mentality of rappers today is that the more drug references they insert, the more fame they will achieve — that somehow, alluding to drugs is a guaranteed pathway to fame.
