Processed with ammonia or baking soda, crack is a freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked to achieve a high. Because it is cheaper and more readily available than powdered cocaine, crack quickly took hold in poor urban communities. A study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh in 2008 analyzed Billboard magazine’s list of the 279 most popular songs of 2005. The results showed why do rappers do drugs that substance use was referenced in 77 percent of rap songs, the highest percentage of drug mentions among all genres included in the study. Since the 1980s, rappers have referenced substance use in lyrics.

Why Do Celebrities Suffer From Addiction?

They may not have participated in drug use or heavy drinking prior to experiencing fame, but they were surrounded by these behaviors growing up. “It’s a stigma attached to drug addiction,” Carmela tells XXL about why so few people who find themselves in the throes of narcotics or opiod dependency get help. The occasion of celebrating 50 years of hip-hop provides a moment to reflect and honor some of the artists who contributed to the culture and are not here to celebrate this golden anniversary.

The Culture of Rap and Drug Addiction

• Age-specific treatment is important, seeing as younger and older individuals are initially prompted to use chemical substances for different reasons.
• 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.
• When doing that means you’re throwing subliminals to what people perceive to be hip-hop, that feels like it undercuts your point.
• “Wayne was referencing drugs that people didn’t traditionally rap about using.
• In conclusion, the prevalence of drugs, sex, and violence in rap and hip hop music can be traced back to the cultural and social context in which the genre originated, as well as the artistic expressions and the objectives of the artists.
• They may not have participated in drug use or heavy drinking prior to experiencing fame, but they were surrounded by these behaviors growing up.

This synthetic drug contains mood-altering properties that produce feelings of pleasure, warmth and energy. Also known as molly and MDMA, Alcohol Use Disorder the drug often shows up at nightclubs and concerts. However, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and other rappers who have glamorized marijuana use often fail to mention its consequences. Short-term side effects of cannabis use include memory loss, hallucinations and psychosis. Long-term use of the drug has been linked to temporary paranoia, suicidal thoughts and worsening of symptoms of schizophrenia. Since the beginning of his career, Snoop Dogg has made references to getting high in a collection of songs.

Hip-hop and health – why so many rap artists die young

• Early in his career, he used cocaine and marijuana to cope with newfound fame and alleviate his years-long battle with anxiety and depression.
• Several other rappers, from Macklemore to Kendrick Lamar, have relayed the dangers of drug abuse through song.
• A study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh in 2008 analyzed Billboard magazine’s list of the 279 most popular songs of 2005.
• It’s when he makes comments like these that cause me to raise an eyebrow.
• It’s just the way it is, and if you can’t conceptualize that you have no business involving yourself in that culture.

A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, analyzed 341 lyrics taken from the most popular rap songs between the years 1979 and 1997. During this period, drug references increased significantly. There was a noticeable shift from cautionary songs (songs that warned listeners about the dangers involved in substance use) to songs that glorified the use of chemical substances as part of the traditional rap and hip-hop lifestyle. While some argue that this is “just music” and has no noticeable impact on listeners, it has become increasingly clear that American adolescents are taking many of these messages to heart. One of the main themes in rap and hip hop music is the reality of inner-city life, which often includes references to drugs, sex, and violence. Drugs, such as crack cocaine, were prevalent in the inner-city communities, affecting many people’s lives, and hip hop artists used their music to document and comment on the devastating effects of drug use and drug-related crime.

The song prompted fellow rapper OG Maco to accuse Future of encouraging people to use drugs. In songs and interviews, Jay-Z has discussed the ubiquity of drugs he saw while growing up in Brooklyn in the 1980s. The streets of New York were rife with illicit substances, and Jay-Z saw evidence of crack use everywhere.

The most popular drug in hip-hop history isn’t the one you think it is.

It seemed like Lil Peep had so much going for him, and now I would never hear another Lil Peep song again. Deep fakes, influencers, viral fashion – we live in a world unrecognisable from the one we stood in ten years ago. As a chaotic decade comes to a close, we’re speaking to the people who helped shape the last ten years and analysing the cultural shifts that have defined them. Explore the decade on our interactive timeline here, or head here to check out all our features. In his music, he reveals the mental health problems that have plagued him for years. Dr. Chris Johnson, an emergency room physician, said that codeine-based cough medicine can be as dangerous as other opioids and that misusing these medications can result in serious physical and psychological problems.

Despite its health risks, marijuana continues to be championed by rappers today. Eminem credits fatherhood with helping him to get sober once and for all. Other sober rappers include Macklemore, Kendrick Lamar, Ice-T, and Andre 3000. One artist won’t change the epidemic’s course just like censoring EST Gee’s mentioning of “fentanyl” on his song “Sky Dweller” won’t prevent the crisis from continuing. “I use to think being sober would fuck wit my creative process, I see dats just a mind thing cuz I been more active skin glowing and I been dropping nun but pressure,” he wrote on social media in January as he denounced his biggest rap hit.

Okay, so this is where the interview started taking a nose dive for me. Remember the kids in high school who acted like they were too cool for social media? Like bro I tell them they’re just going off stereotypes and there’s rappers who don’t talk about that.

In an interview with GQ magazine, he spoke more extensively about his addiction to the antianxiety medication. Xanax is a benzodiazepine that is used to treat anxiety and panic disorders. The drug slows brain activity, helping people feel relaxed.

Medical Examiner’s Office’s report, the Atlanta rapper died from the combined effects of fentanyl, alprazolam, codeine and promethazine. A hip-hop artist dying of an accidental drug overdose has become more of a pattern than an anomaly in the past few years. Eminem has spoken candidly about his past struggles with substance use. Several other rappers, from Macklemore to Kendrick Lamar, have relayed the dangers of drug abuse through song.