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. From Mac Miller’s fatal overdose to Juice WRLD’s drug-induced seizure, the link between death and addiction has been a recurring topic in rap. However, there are plenty of rappers that choose the sober route.
Some of today’s biggest names like Lil Wayne and Kid Cudi, among others, have spent much of their careers looking for a way to cope with their own personal traumas. Many times, the long-term effects of chasing a temporary high (usually from weed, lean, pills and beyond) has proven to be detrimental to the hip-hop community. The glamorization of substance use is in their rhymes, peppering hooks with one-liners that speak to internal struggles. But despite drug culture’s influence over music and trends, a number of the game's favorite artists embrace sobriety.
Most recently, Toosii went on Instagram to set the record straight about what he likes to do in his spare time. Speaking in third person, he captioned the IG post, "Toosii if you don’t smoke or drink how do you have fun?," dismissing any notion of relying on drugs to have a good time. He also revealed a striking revelation about his personal life: he’s addicted to bowling.
Other rappers have also sided with sobriety, too. In 2020, during an interview with Converse for their Creative All Star Series, Tyler, The Creator shared that he’s never been interested in drinking despite trying weed twice. At first, he joked about his past experience with an edible, before revealing that his "addictive personality" is what could potentially lead to his downfall.
Take a look below to find out more about how rappers such as Kendrick Lamar, Vince Staples and various others are proud to be sober.—Derrius Edwards
See Rappers Who Are Proud to Be Sober