Speaking in third person, he captioned the post, “Toosii if you don’t smoke or drink how do you have fun?,” dismissing any notion of relying on substances to keep himself busy. “Well… I got a bowling problem,” he continued, evidenced in the 30 plus balls that he was pictured laying in front of. 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, I do know that I never would have thought of those questions without this track.
• This triggered his mother’s trauma due to her own history of sexual abuse and led to his cousin unjustly seen as an abuser, his mother being beaten in response to that and Kendrick taking on all the blame and responsibility for what happened.
• That did not, however, stop Pharrell from famously launched a women-focused liquer, Qream, in 2011.
• Collective sexual trauma may be the most poignant example of this inward struggle, hence why we have yet to truly grapple with the matter.

These 10 Celebrities Choose Sobriety

Kendrick connects personal trauma to historical violence against Black communities. Music becomes his coping mechanism while he seeks legal and therapeutic help. The verse revisits violence against his mother, with his uncle seeking revenge. This cycle of violence creates a burden of guilt that weighs heavily. The haunting chorus, sung by Beth Gibbons, reveals the depth of pain and self-rejection that comes from trauma.

Kendrick Lamar ft. Beth Gibbons – Mother I Sober Lyrics

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. Like many, the artist struggled during the Covid pandemic, and during lockdown he relapsed.

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• There are a few hip hop artists who excel in laying themselves bare for all to see.
• Whether through abuse, addiction, projections of queerphobia or even general confusion and insecurity, this is a generational trauma that has touched all of us in the Black community in some capacity at one point or another.
• I was slyly disappointed when i listened to the first half of the album so i ran it back n forced myself to listen thoroughly and there i found the peace that kendrick is revealing.
• At the peak of his addiction, the rapper reveals that he was taking 75 to 80 valium per night.

We have the opportunity to connect with each other better than any generation before us, but we’re not taking advantage of it. Choosing to moderate your drinking, or ditch the booze altogether, is a hugely personal decision and one that requires careful consideration. It also presents a few challenges since many social situations involve alcohol in one way or another. A life-long musician, a former promoter, and a vinyl enthusiast, he loves digging into the stories behind the great artists of our time. With a background in academia, he is passionate about bringing rigour and insight to music journalism.

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• Our compassionate team is here to support your path to recovery, just as we’ve helped countless others find their way to lasting sobriety.
• She even refers to booze as “the first love of my life” in a 2012 interview with GQ.
• It turns out that some of the most famous and successful rappers of all time don’t drink alcohol or take drugs.
• Since then, he has been open about the importance of sobriety and how it has helped him better himself as an artist.
• The track, featuring Beth Gibbons of Portishead, explores generational trauma, healing, and transformation.

While the final song explores the far reaching effects of sexual assault through a story of his mother, this version of the song https://wispa.luxury/alcohol-related-liver-disease-stages-symptoms-and/ finds Kendrick much more hopeless in both his lyrics and delivery. Here is asking far more questions than he is giving answers, like he would on Disc 2 of Mr. Morale. Tyler, The Creator’s story with alcohol and drugs is a little different to some others on this list. While many of the rappers on this have either dabbled or gone deep into addiction, Tyler, The Creator has basically never been tempted. Gucci Mane’s’ story with alcohol and drugs is one of radical transformation.

Philthy Rich :: Trip’n 4 Life

This simple but powerful refrain represents the dissociation that survivors often feel—the desire to escape oneself because the pain of existing in one’s own skin becomes unbearable. “I would say the last time I cried was probably on Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers on the ‘Mother I Sober’ record. BDO is the world’s largest and most comprehensive online health resource specifically targeted to African Americans. BDO understands that the uniqueness of Black culture – our heritage and our traditions – plays a role in our health. BDO gives you access to innovative new approaches to the health information you need in everyday language so you can break through the disparities, gain control and live your life to its fullest.

Kendrick not only forces you to see him differently, but you see the world differently. The more I listen to this song the more I learn about the world and myself. Could I have the empathy necessary to see toxic masculinity as a coping mechanism and a call for help? However, I do know that I never what is alcoholism would have thought of those questions without this track. For that, I am grateful that Kendrick Lamar found the strength to record this track and release this record. Kanye West has had a tumultuous few years, but his difficult journey also included a successful sobriety journey.

Mother I Sober (feat. Beth Gibbons of Portishead)

Call them straight edge, call them teetotal – these guys have discovered that alcohol does kendrick lamar do drugs and drugs don’t do them any good. Five years and one month removed from the release of “Damn,” Kendrick Lamar has shared his brilliance with the world yet again through his new album, “Mr. “Big Steppers” offers the perspective of an older and wiser Kendrick, willing to strip his mask and allow his audience a glimpse into the world he’s lived in over the past 1,855 days. Leaning on themes of authenticity, autonomy, masculinity and panentheism, Lamar unveils his struggles with his depression, relationships, writer’s block and more.