Staying Sober: 16 Rappers Who Don’t Smoke

Eminem’s battle with addiction is documented in some Halfway house 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. Yeah, Young Chop doesn’t rap, but it’s worth noting that the “Hate Being Sober” producer doesn’t smoke weed or drink.

Resilient Recovery Circles: Somatic Support Group

That speaks of the personality changes we can undergo from wallflower to loud and gregarious. A reminder for all of those recovered alcoholics about the morning after. Benjamin was a member of Quentin Tarantino and Lawrence Bender’s production company A Band Apart until its close in 2006. In May 2012, Benjamin began filming a biographical film about Jimi Hendrix entitled All Is By My Side. His sobriety also spelt the beginning of better health and fitness for the rapper, who shed some serious weight.

Stay Sober: Rappers Who Don’t Smoke Or Drink

• Back 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, though he’s tried weed twice.
• While there is no statistical proof, there has been a suggestion that a higher-than-average number of celebrities pass away at the age of 27.
• Initially coming off as self-flagellating tale of relapse, ‘Starting Over’ soon finds Macklemore instead embracing the opportunity to start again.

Cendrine is specializing in the treatment of trauma and substance abuse. Cendrine is also an advocate of Hip Hop Therapy and has been featured by the Huffington Post and XXL magazine for her work. Yet another rapper who had a tragic accidental overdose is Steven “A$AP Yams” Rodriguez, the co-founder and visionary behind Harlem’s A$AP Mob collective.

More From: The List

Between A$AP Rocky writing songs about “LSD” to The Weeknd fulfilling more prescriptions than a CVS to rappers legally making money off weed, drug rap is at an all-time high (pun intended, get used to it). It’s fair to say that the genre has a close association with drugs and drug addiction alcohol. The first time was in December 2020, when he voluntarily sought out professional help. 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.

Get music insights in your inbox

Yet, fame in the hip-hop world is not restricted to established names. Emerging talents, including those who might be the biggest rapper in the world soon, are redefining rappers that do drugs the genre with their unique styles. Artists like Lil Uzi Vert have become synonymous with the term popular rapper, gaining rapid fame and a dedicated fan base.

The old adage is that rock ‘n’ roll goes hand in hand with drugs, drinking, and partying like peas go with carrots. Some see these expectations as having played a part in what happened to them, though most ultimately see their decisions and actions as also—if not mainly—a matter of their own psychology and personality and predisposition. It’s one thing to play up drug use as part of the creation of a musical persona (see The Weeknd), but it’s another to completely fake it for the sake of selling records and signing sponsorship deals. Notably, drug usage has troubled the career of Glo Gang boss Chief Keef.

Rehab (Amy Winehouse)

Minus one relapse he’s had with codeine, Macklemore has been clean since August of 2008. Kendrick has spoken about how he faced challenges when he first tried to get sober, but his hard work and dedication eventually paid off. Kanye West has had a tumultuous few years, but his difficult journey also included a successful sobriety journey.

Royce called Eminem when he decided to get sober, and they still have conversations about sobriety to this day. Surprisingly, it appears he has no official stake in Luc Belaire though, the French brand that launched its popular sparkling rosé in 2011, despite undoubtedly being its most notorious ambassador. 3 Olives partnered with Lil’ Kim to create their “Purple” blend, a grape flavoured mix. Originating in Chicago, and created by brothers Brian and Brett Berish, 3 Vodka was distributed sober rappers by Sovereign Brands. Dupri was first impressed with 3 Vodka because of its distinct taste. Most Vodkas are made from grain or grapes, while 3 Vodka boasts that it is the first company to distribute soy-based vodka.

Reasons I Drink (Alanis Morisette)

Yeah, Young Chop doesn’t rap, but it’s worth noting that the “Hate Being Sober” producer doesn’t smoke weed or drink. 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.

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. 50 Cent may have briefly dealt drugs as a youth, but he has always refrained from using them himself. In a CNN interview, Fifty said that he has always “stayed away” after seeing family members use substances and witnessing the effect it had on them. Clapton has been sober for almost 30 years https://ecosoberhouse.com/ and wrote very frankly about his struggles with addiction in his memoir, Clapton. In fact, here is a list of performers that don’t drink at all, which which challenge society’s alcohol-soaked stereotypes of rock stars and famous singers.

The Girl You Lost To Cocaine (Sia)

Utilizing Hip Hop therapy often results into my clients discussing the stressors that drugs and alcohol help them avoid. In many cases the youth are avoiding pain and distress from violence directed toward them, physical and/or sexual abuse, and losing loved ones to violence. These experiences contribute to psychiatric conditions including posttraumatic stress disorder and depression. With Hip Hop therapy some youth gain insight into how drugs and alcohol numb their feelings, temporarily alleviate symptoms of PTSD and depression, and promote destructive behaviors. I have used songs by artists such as Kendrick Lamar to help facilitate conversations about how drugs and alcohol numb feelings.

This is not an article telling anyone how to live; this is not an article advocating the wisdom or foolishness of different paths. Alysse Bryson is a strong woman in recovery, an innovative media maven, marketing guru, and gal about town. “I’m just a laid-back old school Seattlite…with sober superpowers. You can take the girl out of the party, but you can’t take the party out of the girl.” Their stories help reduce stigma and inspire others pursuing sobriety. Many rely on support systems, routines, and sober communities while traveling.