Since the first house party, Hip-Hop has been used to explain away all kinds of crime.
As the culture of Hip-Hop grew past the inner-city and into the suburbs, the hate for what mainstream America was growing. From crime to drug abuse, if you could blame rap music for it, you would. Drug dealing, murder, drug abuse. If it was illegal, somehow Hip Hop had to be the blame. That still goes for today. If there is a way to tie Hip-Hop to it, it will be done.
Ironic, many of the “just say no” campaigns, would eventually involve rap music.
Still, Hip-Hop culture has been the designated scapegoat for anything wrong in the country for a while now. When it comes to this new codeine craze, it’s more of the same thing. Even though in this instance, sipping syrup didn’t actually start within Hip-Hop.
According to Houston-based author Lance Scott Walker, blues singers in Texas back in the 60’s are credited with being the first to experiment with purple drank. Then, they would take Robitussin and mix it in with beer.
The musicians who resided in the city would swap out beer with wine coolers. Generations later, the recipe changed from using Robitussin to codeine promethazine cough syrup and mixing it with something sweet like jolly-rancher candy and flavored soda.
The culture really began to take shape with Houston Dj, Robert Davis a.k.a Dj Screw created a soundtrack to go with their drink of choice. “Screw music” was music slowed down, complimenting the drink and it’s effects on a person perfectly. Artists like Z-Ro, Lil Keke, Trae Tha Truth, Big Moe, Lil Pokey and more.
With a soundtrack to go with the drink, the popularity of syrup skyrocketed in the 90s. It didn’t just stay in Texas. All across the Southwest, wherever the music spread, so did the drink of choice. With codeine and hip-hop now firmly tied together, all it would take is for a few ugly moments to make an appearance before someone could point a finger and say, “they did it.”
The death of Dj Screw was one of those moments.
On November 16, 2000, Davis was found dead inside of his Houston recording studio in the 8100 block of Commerce Park Drive.
From the second his death was announced, fans began to speculate about what could have been the cause of his death.
When the coroner reports were released, they confirmed that he died of a codeine overdose in addition to mixed drug intoxication. In addition to codeine, Valium and PCP were found in his blood.
Screws death would be followed by the deaths of rappers Big Moe. Fellow Texas rapper Pimp C died on Dec 4th 2007 from what many speculated was due to codeine use, but it’s never been confirmed.
Those deaths did spark some concern, but it didn’t do anything to slow down the popularity. Artists like Lil Wayne would pick up the cup and take it global.
Even though his addiction and attempts to kick the habit placed him the hospital multiple times and once, close to death. Wayne can still be seen sipping from a cup today.
Can we actually lay the blame on the popularity of drank on the music?
“Definitely, including myself,” said Elz Jenkins about music influence in making codeine an accepted recreational drug.
“To be honest I’m afraid because it’s 100 times more popular now and people are making fake lean. I think at this point though people have to know, but it goes back to what I was saying, you never think it’ll happen to you. You feel like you have it under control.You never really know what you’re getting when you get a bottle of that stuff.”
Radrigo agrees that today, artists have to be way more careful in what they promote.
“If you’re an artist and that’s your thing, then keep it in-house. Every time I hear a song on the radio reference it, it makes me upset because I know how and why I started and it’s a mind state that’s forced on you and easy to fall and stay in, until it’s too late.
Artists do seem to be getting the point. What started with Mozzy, turned into a movement. The day Fredo Santana passed away, producer Dj Mustard took to his Instagram page to announce “Its over for me.”
DJ Mustard says it’s over for lean pic.twitter.com/6MJkEfXg8B
— Rap Good Money (@rapgoodmoney) January 22, 2018
While their statement was powerful, it was met with as much criticism from other artists as it drew praise. Some people are just going to continue to use, despite concerns.
https://youtu.be/o2xIFP5Zwjw
At this point, the concerns should outweigh any fun that comes from drinking lean.
Great American Lean, Part 4: Can’t stop, won’t stop tackles problems with kicking the habit with medical professionals.
