Pharrell once ate six weed brownies and passed out in a bathroom, as he recalled in a 2013 interview with Nardwuar. Having grown up in Compton, Kendrick Lamar smoked and drank a bit as a teenager. Lamar recalled the conversation he had with his father in an interview with SPIN’s Jessica Hopper. It’s fair to say that the genre has a close association with drugs and alcohol. Lyrics are littered with references to the likes Drug rehabilitation of weed, cocaine, alcohol and more and with that comes a lifestyle that can swallow you up if you’re not careful. When Cole repeats the phrase “made it out, it gotta mean something,” it’s as if he’s carrying the weight of his city’s deferred dreams.

J. Cole – Once an Addict

Kanye West has had a tumultuous few years, but his difficult journey also included a successful sobriety journey. Kanye has spoken publicly about his struggles with alcohol and drug abuse in the past, and in 2019 he revealed that he is now a year sober. He credits his family, his faith and his newfound dedication to sobriety as the driving force behind his success. While many rap artists like to boast about their sex, drugs and rock and roll lifestyle, it’s landed many in prison, many broken, battered and bruised, and a number even six-feet under. 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.

Jason Isbell

It’s fair to say that the genre has a close association with drugs and drug addiction alcohol. Arguably the most successful rapper of all time, Eminem has had an incredibly successful career after overcoming a long history of substance abuse. His hit single “Lose Yourself” even references his struggles with drugs and alcohol in its chorus. Eminem has been open about how he was able to win his battle with addiction, citing his family and faith as the major factors in his success.

Some Musician Members of the 27 Club

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. Rappers looking sober rappers for some chemical enhancement to their lives is nothing new, but right now it’s definitely more flow than ebb. Between A$AP Rocky writing songs about “LSD” to The Weeknd fulfilling more prescriptions than a CVS to rappers legally making money off weed, drug rap is at an all-time high (pun intended, get used to it).