Rap Culture’s Evolution from Glorifying to Decrying Drug Use

Several dinosaurs are out there living by the drug-free, or straight edge, code. Many rappers abstain from drugs and alcohol for personal and/or professional reasons.

Despite Eminem never using it, Necro still said positive things about Eminem and would appear on Shade45 years later. Starting in late October 2017, Eminem and Paul Rosenberg began teasing what fans speculated was the title of a new album titled Revival, in the form of advertisements for a fake medication of the same name. Later in November, the first single “Walk on Water” was released, which featured Beyoncé. The song was first performed, by Eminem, at the 2017 MTV Europe Music Awards on November 12, featuring Skylar Grey. He appeared on Saturday Night Live on November 18, performing “Walk on Water”, “Stan” and “Love the Way You Lie” with Skylar Grey. On November 28, Dr. Dre posted a video confirming the album’s release date as December 15, 2017. On December 8, Eminem released a promotional single titled “Untouchable”, which featured a sample from the duo Cheech & Chong.

2009: Comeback and Relapse

In 2017, he spoke with XXL about maintaining his sobriety after his release. G Herbo claims he spent nearly $100,000 on lean before cutting it loose in late 2016. He told XXL, before he quit, the drug had him acting way out of character.

rappers in recovery

Eminem was soon signed to Jeff and Mark Bass’s F.B.T. Productions and recorded his debut album Infinite for their independent Web Entertainment label. One lyrical subject of Infinite was his struggle to raise his newborn daughter, Hailie Jade Scott Mathers, on little money. During this period, Eminem’s rhyming style, primarily inspired by rappers Nas, Esham and AZ, lacked the comically violent slant for which he later became known. Detroit disc jockeys largely ignored Infinite and the feedback Eminem did receive (“Why don’t you go into rock and roll?”) led him to craft angrier, moodier tracks. At this time Eminem and Kim Scott lived in a crime-ridden neighborhood and their house was robbed several times. Eminem cooked and washed dishes for minimum wage at Gilbert’s Lodge, a family-style restaurant at St. Clair Shores.

Addictions

Eminem has written several songs referring to a relationship with R&B singer Mariah Carey, although she denies that they were ever intimate. Eminem has referenced her on many songs, including “When the Music Stops”, “Superman”, “Jimmy Crack Corn”, “Bagpipes from Baghdad” and “The Warning”. While “Superman” was released in 2003, Carey released a song entitled “Clown” on her album Charmbracelet, released in 2002, which makes similar references in line with her 2009 hit “Obsessed”. After he was fired from his job and evicted from his home, Eminem went https://ecosoberhouse.com/ to Los Angeles to compete in the 1997 Rap Olympics, an annual, nationwide battle rap competition. He placed second and an Interscope Records intern in attendance called Dean Geistlinger asked Eminem for a copy of the Slim Shady EP, which was then sent to company CEO Jimmy Iovine. At age 14, Eminem began rapping with high-school friend Mike Ruby; they adopted the names “Manix” and “M&M”, the latter evolving into “Eminem”. Eminem sneaked into neighboring Osborn High School with friend and fellow rapper Proof for lunchroom freestyle rap battles.

Music is definitely the rapper’s vice, initially saying Wolf would consist of “weird hippie music for people to get high to”. While he’s said that he’s never really had any desire to drink or do drugs, it’s also notable that he’s pretty naturally turnt up as it is. Multi-talented Pharrell Williams chooses to abstain from drug use. “Everybody else can do what they want, but that stuff isn’t for me. I’ve been drunk nine times in my life, and I ate some weed brownies once,” he told Paper Magazine. Pharrell once ate six weed brownies and passed out in a bathroom, as he recalled in a 2013 interview with Nardwuar. When people attempted to tell him he had a problem, he didn’t believe them because he was using legally procured drugs, not heroin, cocaine or crack.

At age 8, she knew she wanted to be a rapper. Today, Latto has the Grammys in her sights

In fact, between 2000 and 2015, DMX was arrested over 20 times for various charges like possession, parole violation, theft, animal cruelty, and outstanding child support payments. The well-known hip-hop artist Macklemore, born Ben Haggerty, earned himself quite a following a few years ago when he broke out on the scene with his breakout album,The Heist, which won him the 2014 Grammy for Best Rap Album. Macklemore and collaborator rappers who are sober Ryan Lewis also scored the Best New Artist Award, along with a bunch of No. 1 singles. This evolution in rap music may be one that benefits society. Like many other successful rappers, Logic has a painful past. 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.

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Honorable British musician Amy Winehouse died of an alcohol addiction in 2011. Known for her eclectic style and deep contralto vocals, Winehouse has much going for her but turned to drugs and alcohol due to stress and her sad life story. Kid Cudi has been in the media quite a bit lately after recently entering rehab to treat depression and suicidal thoughts. He was previously very vocal about his marijuana use but decided to get addiction treatment, change his lifestyle and dedicate himself to sober living.

Eminem – Not Afraid

Although his fans were shocked and saddened by the abrupt news, “Grand Champ” still lived up to its predecessors and hit number one on the Billboard 200. Despite the best efforts of the medical team at White Plains Hospital, the American Music Award winner passed away a week later, on April 9. While DMX’s cause of death is ruled a massive heart attack, there is much speculation surrounding how the heart attack was induced. Many reports have stated that the hip-hop artist’s heart attack was a result of excessive drug abuse. Although it hasn’t been ruled out, a potential overdose has not been officially confirmed. On April 2, iconic Hip-Hop star DMX was rushed to the hospital after suffering an overdose-induced heart attack at his home in White Plains.

  • In addition to his solo career, Eminem was a member of the hip hop group D12.
  • A 2008 study conducted by the University of California, Berkley found that drug references in rap music increased drastically from 1979 to 1997.
  • The information provided by Find Addiction Rehabs is not a substitute for professional treatment advice.
  • Eminem later stated that the couple misinterpreted the track and it was wishing the two the best.
  • Thus, he turned to running, which gave him a natural high and helped him sleep at the same time.
  • In his younger years, Eminem had a serious pill-popping addiction, something which is generally well-known if you’re a fan of the MC.

In his past, oxycontin and syrup have caused him near-death experiences. On “Otherside,” Macklemore raps about Lil Wayne being a major influence of his personal codeine addiction. Minus one relapse he’s had with codeine, Macklemore has been clean since August of 2008. Eminem’s Bad Meets Evil cohort, Royce Da 5’9”, is currently killing the rap game dead sober.

I was out there.” Although he lives a sober lifestyle today, he doesn’t consider drinking as a sin. “I ain’t got nothing against you if you wanna throw one back,” as he told Sway on Sway In The Morning. Every individual can find something that works for them and their needs. The same goes for fans, some of whom just like the delicious bleakness of a song like his “XO Tour Llif3” or Future’s “Mask Off.” But some others with mental illness may feel the pull of a truly harmful idea. Rappers looking for some chemical enhancement to their lives is nothing new, but right now it’s definitely more flow than ebb.

  • He would not express political views again until the 2016 United States presidential election when he released “Campaign Speech”, which criticized presidential candidate Donald Trump.
  • Many reports have stated that the hip-hop artist’s heart attack was a result of excessive drug abuse.
  • As it was, his medical attendants did not think he would survive.
  • If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, you should consult your health care provider.
  • D12 member Swift responded to the record publicly and had the following to say about DZK .
  • The now 47-year-old posted a photograph of his 12-year medallion on his public Instagram account, captioning the image, “Clean dozen, in the books!

He has faced many challenges in life, including active addiction, but he never let anything stop him. Eminem has shared his life, struggles, and achievements openly in his music and in interviews. Later in 2018, the rapper was on trial for 14 counts of tax fraud and relapsed on cocaine and Oxycodone after leaving a court-ordered addiction treatment program. Due to this, the judge ordered DMX to be remanded to jail pending his trial. After pleading guilty on all counts, DMX was sentenced to one year in prison and three years of supervised release.

Comparisons with other artists

Sanitation worker DeAngelo Bailey sued Eminem for $1 million in 2001, accusing him of invading his privacy by publicizing information placing him in a false light in “Brain Damage”, a song that portrays him as a violent school bully. Although Bailey admitted picking on Eminem in school, he said he merely “bumped” him and gave him a “little shove”. The lawsuit was dismissed on October 20, 2003; Judge Deborah Servitto, who wrote a portion of her opinion in rap-like rhyming verse, ruled that it was clear to the public that the lyrics were exaggerated. On November 21, 2000, Eminem published Angry Blonde, a non-fiction book featuring a commentary of several of his own songs, along with several previously unpublished photographs.

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