The relationship between rappers, alcohol, and drug addiction is a complex and multifaceted issue. It’s important to note that not all are involved in drug abuse, and many rappers are completely sober. However, artists have openly discussed their experiences with substance abuse in their music and public interviews over time. The reasons behind their strong dependence on alcohol and drugs are diverse. It can include cultural influences, socioeconomic backgrounds, mental health struggles, and the desire to portray a particular image. Fortunately, artists who struggle with addiction often take the bold step of going to rehab. Over the years, many rappers have sought help in an effort to deal with their addictions. Also, some artists proudly speak out against the current drug obsession in Hip Hop.
Grammy-winning rapper Macklemore has been put through the wringer in the past due to his drug usage. These days, he openly talks about his experience with drug abuse and his recovery. In an interview with MTV in 2014, the “Thrift Shop” rapper shared that he first got acquainted with alcohol when he was 13 or 14. Soon after, he got into weed and eventually leveled up to oxytocin. At 25, Macklemore’s father encouraged him to go to rehab when his addiction became too apparent to ignore. Thankfully, the rapper heeded his father’s advice and decided seek help. He shared, “If it wasn’t for that rehab center, I probably wouldn’t have been here.”
Kid Cudi had a difficult upbringing that ultimately made him turn to drugs. He got increasingly into substance abuse the older he got, and it got worse the more prominent he became. The rapper had always dealt with anxiety and depression, but he began to sink deeper into those waters as time passed. When it got so bad that he started subconsciously plotting his death, he knew something had to change. Cudi informed his manager about his intention to go into rehab and was checked in soon after. Although it was a tough ride, and he tried to escape three times in the process, Cudi eventually beat his addiction.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 01: Rapper Gucci Mane performs onstage during night 2 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on July 01, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
Gucci Mane is one of several rappers who didn’t quit their addiction because of their time in rehab. Although he spent time there and admitted that it was great for him, the rapper stated, “I was ordered to go by the court, so it didn’t stop me.” Mane had a rough childhood and had struggled with drug addiction for some time. However, he did not put much effort into fighting it until 2014. “What stopped me was when I was facing 20 years in prison. That was the deciding point for me. I knew I couldn’t have drugs in my life,” Gucci Mane shared with the finance publication Money.
Famous Dex
SAN BERNARDINO, CA - DECEMBER 17: Rapper Famous Dex performs onstage during day two of the Rolling Loud Festival at NOS Events Center on December 17, 2017 in San Bernardino, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
Not many rappers have been in rehab twice, but Famous Dex has. The first time was in December 2020, when he voluntarily sought out professional help. Evidently, his first visit was not as effective as intended. Dex has had several legal issues throughout his career and has been arrested a few times. In June 2022, he violated a protective order filed against him by his ex-girlfriend and was subsequently sent to jail. When he was released in September of that year, the rapper reportedly headed straight to rehab in the hopes of finally achieving sobriety.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MAY 12: Young Dro performs onstage during Strength of a Woman's MJB “Celebrating Hip Hop 50” Concert in Partnership with Mary J. Blige, Pepsi, and Live Nation Urban at State Farm Arena on May 12, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for Strength Of A Woman Festival & Summit)
Young Dro’s rehab story is particularly sad because of how the effects of his drug use hit close to home. The rapper was initially introduced to drugs by a peer. At the time, he had no idea he would get addicted or how far the effects would reach. Unfortunately, he did struggle with substance abuse down the line, and much later, he discovered that his teenage daughter had started using as well. Dro shared that the discovery pushed him to check himself into rehab in 2021 and has stayed clean since.
Lil Scrappy
Lil Scrappy checked himself into rehab in 2013. The Atlanta-based rapper openly admitted to being extremely addicted to marijuana and decided he would try to beat his addiction. He revealed in 2013 that he had been smoking marijuana every day since he was 12 years old. It was a sad reality, as the drug had become something he was heavily dependent on. Before going to rehab, he said, “It is my hope that my time away from my family and especially my little girl, my daughter, will make me a better man.”
Eminem
Eminem is one of the most prominent rappers around and has been open about his time in rehab. His drug addiction began in 2002 when he started taking pills for his insomnia. For the next few years, the rapper struggled with addiction to prescription drugs, including Vicodin, Ambien, and Valium. In 2005, Eminem went to rehab and successfully achieved sobriety after spending time there.
However, following the death of a close friend of his, rapper Proof, Em relapsed in 2006. In 2007, the rapper almost died due to an accidental methadone overdose. After the incident, he picked himself up and got sober in 2008. The rapper has been clean ever since. Eminem’s battle with addiction is documented in some of the rapper’s albums. Relapse and Recovery, in particular, are two concept albums that detail the rapper’s relapse and recovery from drug addiction.
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