A viral X post from June 2, 2025, claimed rapper Pusha T said in an interview,
“We all know it needs to happen. I’ll be the one to put that sh*t back if it comes down to that,”
referring to putting cocaine back in Coca-Cola’s formula. The quote spread like wildfire, but is it true?
The statement reminded one of one such tweet Elon Musk issued in 2022:
“Next I’m buying Coca-Cola to put the cocaine back in.”
That tweet, which was generally regarded as a joke, became the subject of memes and commentary. Pusha T, known for his “coke rap” persona, responded with a pair of eyes emoji, hinting at amusement. That interaction fueled speculation, but no evidence ties it to the alleged 2025 quote.
Context is provided by the history of Coca-Cola. Formulated by John Pemberton in 1886, the drink was prepared using coca leaf, to which cocaine was added, which was then legal. In 1929, cocaine was removed due to potential side effects and laws including the Controlled Substance Act of 1970, which ranks cocaine as a Schedule II substance.
Pusha T, real name Terrence LeVarr Thornton, built his career on “coke rap” with Clipse and solo work like his 2018 album Daytona. His lyrics often glamorize drug culture symbolically, not literally. His 2022 single Diet Coke and controversial Daytona cover art, showing Whitney Houston’s bathroom, reflect this provocative style.
The supposed attribution rings true to Pusha T, but does not appear to be verified. Provocative commentary tends to become viral when pulled out of context, confusing satire, artistry, and disinformation. Such talk of cocaine in Coke is a cultural cliché, not a serious suggestion, as one can see expressed in the tongue-in-cheek tweet by Musk.
There is no confirmation from Pusha T or from Coca-Cola about the claim in 2025. With cocaine’s risks—24,000 plus U.S. overdose deaths in 2022, according to the CDC—normalizing it is unwise.
