Hip hop's never been as big as it is in modern day. It's a genre that's officially the most consumed in America and one of the most consumed genres across the globe. However, this year particularly, we've seen an influx of rappers blatantly speaking on their use of drugs in their music. If you skim through music of some of hip hop's more prominent young rappers of today, you're bound to hear a few references of Xanax, Percocet or lean. In a recent interview, hip hop's elder statesmen, Jeezy, spoke on the new era of drugs in hip hop.
Jeezy recently sat down with Mass Appeal for their "Open Space" series where the rapper spoke on his latest album Pressure as well as other subjects. During the interview, Jeezy touched on the topic of drugs in hip hop. While he says he respects people and their vices, he wants the younger generation to understand the overall impact their words have.
"I can get it if that's your vice and that's what you like, then we gon' respect that," he said, "But once your words get out and you telling people this is 'it' and that's how it is, I don't know if I could respect that."
He later states that regardless of whether the music sounds good or not, ultimately he wonders what these rappers stand for.
"Okay, the music is cool but like, what you stand for, though? If I had a conversation with you like, you gon' be too doped up to tell me something cool? You know what I'm sayin'?" he said, "I can't follow you to the end of the earth like for one, you don't even know what the fuck you talkin' bout. These people are leaders. I don't think they understand that."
He continues to mention that people should've learned the harms of using these drugs when Pimp C died from drinking lean.
Check the full interview below with that particular section poppin' up at the 5:22 mark.