Death of Juice WRLD Raises The Discussion Of Drug Abuse In Hip Hop Culture
By: Omar Cook
Hip Hop for the last 40 years has been at the forefront of growing trends in America, with every decade bringing in new waves of rappers and new styles. This particular decade of the 2010s I have noticed a growing trend of glorifying drug use and it’s becoming disturbing with lives being lost unfortunately.
Just recently we lost 21 year rapper Juice WRLD to an overdose of prescription drugs. 21 y’all. The crazy thing is that this could have been prevented, and it was his own doing. We also lost legendary Mac Miller to the same issue. While these guys make some dope music, it’s obvious that hard drugs have become a major issue.
This time period is weird because it’s like, when did glorifying drugs and being high alllllll the time become the thing to do? You hear rappers daily speak about using percocets, codeine, Xanax, Molly, cocaine, etc. What issues are plaguing these rappers so much that these drugs become the only option? Hitting the blunt a few times wasn’t enough???
These rappers perpetuate this lifestyle into the minds of an already impressionable generation that holds onto rap lyrics like gold. And killing themselves in the process. I just want to say before I keep going, glorifying these drugs and being high all the time is not the wave. These are the signs of a junky.
J Cole spoke about the issues of drug abuse and drug addiction on his song “Friends” on his album KOD.
You running from yourself and you buying product again
I know you say it helps and no I'm not trying to offend
But I know depression and drug addiction don't blend
Reality distorts and then you get lost in the wind
And I done seen the combo take niggas off the deep end
One thing about your demons they bound to catch up one day
I'd rather see you stand up and face them than run away
I understand this message is not the coolest to say
But if you down to try it I know of a better way
Meditate
J. Cole - FRIENDS
We don’t get to hear about the lives of regular citizens that are lost due to these drug problems, only when celebrities or music artists die because of it. How many more people have to pass away before we start labeling this as a real problem? It would be easy to say stop supporting music that encourages this drug culture, but that would be irrational because this is a generational problem. There are a number of artists that push drug culture and normalize depression and sadness in their music.
My issue is not with the artists that choose to live this lifestyle because these are grown people making their own decisions, but the fact that their are kids and teenagers coming up that feed off of these young rappers is where this becomes a major problem. Hip hop will continue to be a major influencer but at what point do we start pushing music that speaks on real issues or encourages its audience to do better instead of continuously pushing music that sets us back?
It is very unfortunate what happened to Juice WRLD as this was another young black live lost, but he is also fully responsible for his actions. Anyone that chooses to abuse drugs will have to deal with the consequences that comes with it. The solution…don’t do drugs.
YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN:
