Chronic stress and drug use have been intrinsically tied together since the beginning of time. So it comes as no surprise that rappers have adopted the recreational coping mechanism as a means of dealing with the pressures that come with absolute fame. Just yesterday, Young Thug posted the following message to his Instagram via his storyboard: "Drugs help depression."
https://www.instagram.com/p/BtzIk0JnZph
While it's unclear what is meant by "drugs" in this usage of the word, it's not hard to imagine a scenario where Thugger reaches for a double cup of lean in lieu of his prescription medication - by no means the be all end all when it comes to clinical depression.
Other rappers such as Future have touched on the subject in a more sardonic tone. "Hate the Real Me" off Beast Mode 2 tells the story of a rapper of using dissociative benzos to steer clear of negative thoughts. Young Thug saying "Drugs help depression" isn't the cry for help it might seem at first glance. For one, clinical depression has become a normalized condition of our everyday Capitalist-lives. Secondly, Young Thugger and Future alike, have been known to embellish the precarious intimacy of their lives - like a hedonistic dreamscape brought to life.
