The entertainment industry is known for its movies, music, red carpets, and award ceremonies; however, the unfortunate truth is that the industry also boasts a dark side.

     While fans applaud the array of songs and blockbusters that Hollywood produces, critics are quick to cry out that lyrics and scripts frequently reveal a myriad of abuses, especially involving drugs. Bands such as the Weeknd and the Rolling Stones have used music as a way to discuss drug use. During the development of hip-hop music,the use of drugs in music was brought to light. Fans appreciated the honesty from artists, but with the honesty came controversy

     “Writing about drugs in music is probably controversial because anybody can listen to music, and people might not want their kids listening to music about drugs,” sophomore Kaitence Underhill said.

     Overtime, more artists in the entertainment industry have fallen to drugs as supposed- solutions to their problems.

Celebrities Prince, River Phoenix, and Whitney Houston have succumbed to their drug addictions even as others, 

including Eminem, Macklemore, and Demi Lovato have survived instances of overdose. 

        “ I’d always thought that if I could get sober and stay sober, I would be able to have a career making music.My drug and alcohol addiction was the one thing holding me back,”musician Macklemore said.  

     In 2008, Macklemore was hospitalized for his drug use and admitted to rehab, but six years later he relapsed after abusing sleeping pills and marijuana. The rapper has always been open about his struggles with addiction and sobriety. He called the struggle the “hardest moment” of his career. 

      “There is definitely a difference in the music when the artist is doing drugs because the songs are sadder and more negative,” freshmen Caleb Michael said. 

   After she nearly overdosed, Lovato released songs “Sober”, “Anyone”, and “Dancing with the Devil” to show her experience with addiction .  “Time and trust is the only thing that will work for people, and over time you’ll see that I’m good,” Lovato said in the 2021 “Dancing with the Devil” documentary. However, some artists that you can see the effects that doing drugs had on them through the lyrics of their songs. 

     Another musician who had almost had a fatal overdose was Eminem. In 2005, Eminem went to rehab for his addiction to sleeping pills; however, in 2007, he spiraled out of control again. He was hospitalized for a methadone overdose. Deciding that he didn’t want to lose himself to drugs, he went into rehab again and became sober. He released two albums “Relapse” and “Recovery” that deal with his addiction and comeback. 

          “Because celebrities are looked up to by so many people, that they might follow in their footsteps and this could cause some of them to use drugs.” Michael said.