Erik Ritland
Table of Contents
Within the hip-hop industry, a significant issue plagues numerous talented rappers: abuse of illicit drugs. Numerous rappers have seen their careers and their lives plummet due to the devastating impact of drug abuse.
In this article, we will explore the lives of renowned and talented rappers who overdosed.
20 Rappers Who Overdosed
1. DMX
First on our list of rappers who overdosed is multi-platinum rapper DMX. On April 9, 2021, the “Party Up (Up in Here)” rapper suffered a heart attack that was triggered by a cocaine overdose.
Sadly, DMX wasn’t able to recover despite medical efforts, and he passed away at the age of 50.
2. Mac Miller
Legendary rapper Mac Miller is another artist whose life tragically came to an end due to drug use. His death still remains a huge and sad loss to both his fans and the music industry, shedding light on the importance of mental health awareness.
Miller died from mixed drug poisoning, which includes the combination of cocaine, fentanyl, and alcohol. He passed away on September 7, 2018, at the age of 26 years old. Two dealers have been sentenced to prison in connection with Mac Miller’s fatal overdose.
Related: How Did Mac Miller Die?
3. Juice WRLD
Next on our list of rappers who overdosed is another young talented rapper who was gone too soon, JuiceWRLD. At the young age of 21, Jarad A. Higgins, or JuiceWRLD, died as a result of oxycodone and codeine toxicity.
The “Lucid Dreams” rapper had been known to grapple with drug addiction and depression, and his passing stands as a heartbreaking loss for both his fans and the music industry.
Related: How Did Juice WRLD Die?
4. Lil Peep
Rolling Stone hailed him as “this generation’s Kurt Cobain,” but tragically, Lil Peep passed away due to opioid addiction shortly after celebrating his 21st birthday.
Lil Peep, or Gustav Elijah Åhr, passed away on November 15, 2017, and his death was ruled as accidental overdose. His passing represented a notable loss to the music industry, marking yet another star claimed by the opioid epidemic.
5. HellaSketchy
The fifth entry on our list of rappers who overdosed is the 18-year-old rapper Hella Sketchy. Jacob Tyler Thureson died on June 27, 2019, from an accidental drug opioid overdose.
According to his father, Hella Sketchy was initially revived and rushed to the emergency room. However, he remained in a coma for 14 days before ultimately passing away.
“Never in a million years would I have imagined that it would end like this,” his dad said.
Related: 21 Best Rap Songs
6. Coolio
Another rapper who tragically fell victim to substance use is the Grammy-winning hip-hop star Coolio. The “Gangsta’s Paradise” rapper, Artis Leon Ivey Jr., tragically passed away on September 28, 2022, at the age of 59.
His untimely death resulted from an accidental overdose that involved addictive substances including fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine.
7. Lexii Alijai
Singer, songwriter, and rapper Lexii Alijai also makes our list of rappers who overdosed. She died on New Year’s Day of 2020 due to a mix of alcohol and fentanyl poison. The “Love Me for Me” singer was found unconscious after suffering a cardiac arrest in the Loews Minneapolis Hotel.
Her unexpected passing was a profound loss that was felt by her fans and fellow artists. Ari Lennox, Ella Mai, and Kehlani have all paid tribute to the promising young rapper.
“Please please please please be safe out there. This shit was so much deeper than music[,] that was my little sister” Kehlani said in tribute.
8. Pimp C
Legendary southern rapper Pimp C also tragically died because of a drug overdose. His death was caused by heavy usage of the life-threatening “purple drank,” a combination of codeine and promethazine.
9. Chris Kelly
Chris Kelly, one-half of the iconic 1990s rap duo Kriss Kross, is another sad entry on our list of drug users who ended up overdosing on illegal drugs.
On May 1, 2013, at the age of 34, he was discovered unresponsive at his home in Atlanta. The toxicology report later confirmed that his death was from a combination of opiates and stimulants, more specifically, heroin and cocaine.
10. DJ Screw
Known for his hit songs like “My Mind Went Blank” and “Pimp Tha Pen,” DJ Screw also suffered a terrible fate from substance abuse.
He was found dead inside a recording studio in Houston, with the primary cause of death being the same drink that claimed Pimp C’s life: purple drank, a combination of codeine and promethazine.
He’s another cautionary tale on our list of rappers who overdosed.
Related: 14 Best Rappers
11. Yams (A$AP Yams, Steven Rodriguez)
Yet another rapper who had a tragic accidental overdose is Steven “A$AP Yams” Rodriguez, the co-founder and visionary behind Harlem’s A$AP Mob collective.
He was only 26 when he died in his apartment on January 18, 2015. A$AP Rocky, who shared the apartment with him, vividly recounted this distressing moment during an interview with The New York Times,
“I just look at his face. I look at Lou. You could just tell. We knew, I was scared. I was wilding on everybody, like, ‘Who let him do drugs?’ Even though you can’t blame nobody.”
12. DJ Rashad (Rashad Harden)
DJ Rashad’s career was on the rise until his untimely and tragic death.
On April 26, 2014, Rashad Harden was discovered by a friend in an apartment on Chicago’s West Side, surrounded by narcotics and drug-related items.
His cause of death was the result of a lethal combination of heroin, cocaine, and Xanax. Another sad story on our list of rappers who overdosed.
13. Shock G
Digital Underground’s Shock G was best known for his alter ego Humpty Hump. The band created some of the best rap music of the 80s and 90s, including hits like “The Humpty Dance” and “Same Song.”
Sadly, Shock G was found dead in his Florida hotel room on April 22, 2021. Reports indicated that his death resulted from an accidental overdose involving fentanyl, ethanol, and meth.
14. ODB
The hip-hop community suffered a sad loss with the passing of ODB, also known as Russell Jones.
The “Shimmy Shammy Ya” rapper was found at a Manhattan Recording Studio on November 13, 2004. The hip-hop legend had been known for his cocaine use. He died as a result of lethal intoxication from cocaine and the painkiller Tramadol, making him one of the many legendary rappers who overdosed.
15. Gangsta Boo
Gangsta Boo, a former member of the legendary hip-hop group Three 6 Mafia, also suffered a tragic fate. On New Year’s Day, January 1, 2023, she was discovered lifeless on her mother’s front porch.
Her death was attributed to a drug overdose involving fentanyl, cocaine, and alcohol.
16. Chynna
At the peak of her career model-turned-rapper Chynna Rogers was tragically found dead due to drug abuse on April 8, 2022, in her home in Philadelphia.
Her passing was an immense loss to both the hip-hop community and her devoted fan base.
17. SauxePaxk TB
One of the youngest rappers on the list of rappers who overdosed is Tobias “SaxuePaxk TB” Johnson, who tragically passed away at the age of 16. He gained viral fame on TikTok in 2022 with his hit song “Ballin.”
Unfortunately, his life was cut short on November 6, 2022. An autopsy found that Johnson had fentanyl, amphetamine, Xanax, oxycodone, and tramadol in his system.
One month later, his mother took legal action by filing a lawsuit against Sony Music. She alleged that the company was responsible for allowing SauxePaxk TB to overdose while under their supervision.
18. Eyedea
Minnesota indie rapper Eyedea, one-half of the group Eyedea & Abilities, was found dead of a drug overdose on October 16, 2010. According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the 28-year-old rapper died from a drug overdose. Opiate toxicity was said to be the cause.
19. Baatin
Baatin, born Titus Glover, was a member of Detroit rap group Slum Village. He was found in his home on Anglin Street in northeast Detroit, where it was later revealed that he had an accidental cocaine overdose.
20. Big Scarr
Last on our list of rappers who overdosed is the “Solcyboyz 2” rapper Big Scarr. He was at his girlfriend’s house in Memphis when he was found dead on December 22, 2022. His passing was attributed to an accidental prescription drug overdose.
The 22-year-old rapper received widespread love from his collaborators and loved ones including the likes of renowned rappers like Gucci Mane. “ This hurt I’m a miss you @bigscarr,” Gucci Mane wrote.
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