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.The few, the proud, the sober. Scroll through the list to learn about which rappers abstain from using drugs. Try this list of famous straight edge celebrities (sometimes spelled “straightedge”) and notable people.

• Two dealers have been sentenced to prison in connection with Mac Miller’s fatal overdose.
• A shifting attitude toward addiction and mental illness has taken place among the rap community.
• Because it is cheaper and more readily available than powdered cocaine, crack quickly took hold in poor urban communities.
• We’re Recovery Unplugged, a behavioral health initiative bringing effective treatment right to your home.
• 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.

Straight Edge Celebrities

Because celebs, especially rappers, have more access and resources to get their hands on the magical green leaf, I made it my personal mission to find out who doesn’t partake, and why. Although Wayne popularized lean in the late 2000s, Houston group the Botany Boys were some of the first MCs to mention lean on wax. Their 1995 record, Smokin’ N’ Leanin’, is littered with references to syrup, some 20 years before Atlanta’s Future released Dirty Sprite 2—an ode to the drug he denies being addicted to. He may rap about blood and gore, but Tyler, the Creator says “no to drugs, I never spark it.” The Odd Future leader has a strict stance against drug use, despite being surrounded by it. Judging by his boundless energy and creative mind, he’s doing just fine without it. According to his own social media posts Ice-T is pretty much – if not entirely – sober.

• More than a hundred of these charted on Billboard Hot 100, surpassing Elvis Presley.
• In this article, we will explore the lives of renowned and talented rappers who overdosed.
• In the first verse, Lil Chano seems to make reference to the fairytale, Peter and Wendy.

Staying Sober: Fifteen Rappers Who Don’t Use Drugs

Also known as molly and MDMA, 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. From the underrated second album of the clown prince of Hip Hop, this is a great song in which the Biz gives us three examples – in typical Biz Markie fashion – of how drugs will mess up your life. The opening track off MC Shan’s debut album is a sad but all too common example of the path drugs will take you on.

More From: Celebrity Deaths

In an interview with the New York Times in 2016, the trap legend described that he had not been fully sober since the age of 21. “I was infatuated with gang life.” Lecrae told Complex magazine. “I tried pretty much every drug there was to try, except for heroin and crack. 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 rappers that dont do drugs you wanna throw one back,” as he told Sway on Sway In The Morning. As someone who loves hip-hop music but does not endorse such behavior, it’s become second nature to skip over the overdone drug references.

A former drug dealer, 50 Cent is sufficiently knowledgeable about the adverse effects of drug abuse. “I had an experience with alcohol that made me paranoid because of it and I stayed away from it,” 50 told Piers Morgan. In an interview with G-Unit, Tony Yayo confirmed that 50 Cent abstains from drugs and alcohol. Many rappers are known for celebrating drink and drugs, from smoking weed, to sipping heroin addiction lean, to popping Xanax.

• These resources can help rappers navigate the challenges of addiction and provide them with the necessary tools for recovery.
• Of course, one does not have to be in a punk band to be straight edge–anyone who follows all of the above listed rules can be straight edge.
• More and more artists are bravely sharing their stories of sobriety, highlighting the authentic challenges of recovery and debunking the myth that creativity thrives on drug use.

Xanax, Ecstasy and Codeine Celebrated in Rap Community

After struggling with cocaine, Kid Cudi first went to rehab in 2016 aged 32. He has described the shame and isolation he felt, taking drugs alone and hiding it from other people. His sobriety also spelt the beginning of better health and fitness for the rapper, who shed some serious weight.

Music In Minnesota is run by a group of passionate music lovers. Sadly, Shock G was found dead in his Florida hotel room on April 22, 2021. Reports indicated that his death resulted from an accidental overdose involving fentanyl, ethanol, and meth. According to his father, Hella Sketchy was initially revived and rushed to the emergency room. However, he remained in a coma for 14 days before ultimately passing away. Rolling Stone hailed him as “this generation’s Kurt Cobain,” but tragically, Lil Peep passed away due to opioid addiction shortly after celebrating his 21st birthday.