Rappers all influence the world of entertainment, often reminding listeners of their anguish. Statistically, rappers face far more tragedy due to their lifestyles and environments that they are familiar with. Most of these tragedies include deaths of their close friends and family members. Another portion stems from being subject to overt poverty at a young age, leaving them scraping for means of survival. So how do these rappers cope with these conditions without seeking therapy? Weed. There is a stigma with Black men seeing therapists or seeking help with emotional instability. So, rappers cope with recreational drugs, mainly marijuana or what most folks call it, weed.
Rappers, Weed, and Emotional Health
First of all, what is weed? According to Drug Abuse, weed is a greenish-gray mixture of dehydrated flowers of Cannabis sativa. The main psychoactive chemical in cannabis. Consumers can choose from different methods of consumption, such as joints, blunts, water bongs, or bowls. Weed can also be consumed through edibles or vaporizers.
According to The Recovery Village, there is a link that exists between cannabis and depression. The herb offers sedative and stimulant properties, which makes it popular among its users. However, cannabis can definitely contribute to depression. Rappers seem to self-medicate, which can lead to cannabis addiction. Marijuana alters normal functioning of certain chemicals in the brain, conflicting equilibrium.
The drug affects the amygdala, an enzyme that modulates emotions, fear, and anxiety. At another angle, weed can cause health issues with the cardiovascular system.
Most of the hardest, most violent rappers express their emotions in their songs, often displaying cries for help. If you look at any music video, More than likely there will be a rapper rolling or smoking marijuana, habitually. On the contrary, though studies show that weed can harm mental health, rappers seem to use it as a getaway from their internal struggles. Whereas alcohol can promote violent behavior, weed is quite the opposite. For rappers, most who are still in the streets mourning their dead homies, weed seems to neutralize the pain.
Rappers Take a Stand against Smoking
Most recently, Philly’s own Meek Mill chronicled his experience with weed and how it makes him feel.
“I smoke weed every day and feel depressed as soon as I get high… But I’m extremely happy when I’m sober lol. It just helps me think more deeply and realistically lol.”
— Meek Mill (@MeekMill) January 8, 2022
Jacksonville native Tokyo Jetz expressed her relationship with weed:
Memphis-born rapper Co Cash details his reason for leaving marijuana alone:
[…] Depression in entertainment is real. So how do these rappers cope with these conditions without seeking therapy? Weed.https://www.hypefresh.co/weed-vs-rappers-does-marijuana-worsen-depression-in-rappers/HEALTH […]