Fentanyl is pain medicine—used as a last resort to numb pain for patients who are severe cases. It is used in conjunction with anesthesia during operations to keep patients in a painless limbo. Unfortunately, fentanyl is also used illegally as a recreational drug. When mixed with other drugs like cocaine, it produces a long-lasting high that is followed by intense headaches, mood swings, nausea, etc.
Despite its many side effects, fentanyl is a highly addictive opioid that has claimed the lives of many musicians through overdosing.
PRINCE
Prince Rogers Nelson, known to millions by his first name Prince, enjoyed an incredible musical career over four decades, showcasing his performing talent even before he hit adulthood. His biggest success was the film Purple Rain and its accompanying soundtrack album, which spent 24 consecutive weeks at No.1 on the Billboard 200 chart. He won seven Grammy Awards, seven Brit Awards, and even an Oscar (Best Original Song Score for Purple Rain). With 100 million albums sold, he is one of the best-selling musicians of all time.
Sadly, Prince died of an accidental fentanyl overdose on April 21, 2016 at the age of 57. It is still not known whether he was prescribed the fentanyl or obtained it illegally.
LIL PEEP
Real name Gustav Elijah Ahr, Lil Peep had a troubled childhood and saw his parents divorce when he was 14. After dropping out of high school, he began releasing music on Soundcloud in 2014. Over the next three years, he enjoyed a meteoric rise with a series of singles and albums, each one attracting a larger audience. Pitchfork described him as “the future of emo,” and he was noted for his innovative blend of hip-hop and rock.
However, he also battled constantly with mental illness, including depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. In his lyrics and on social media, he frequently referenced addictions to ecstasy, cocaine, and Xanax. On November 15, 2017, at the age of just 21, he was found dead of a Fentanyl and Xanax overdose.
MAC MILLER
The latest victim of fentanyl in the music world is Mac Miller. Though he was raised Jewish, his parents sent him to a Catholic grade school. At the age of 15, he started taking music seriously, describing hip-hop as “almost like a job.” His breakthrough came at age 18 with the release of his mixtape K.I.D.S, and he continued to release music regularly until his death.
His lyrics frequently referenced drug use, and in 2014, he admitted that he was taking drugs daily. In May 2018, he was arrested for driving drunk, crashing into a utility pole, and fleeing the scene. Charges were filed against him, but he died before his arraignment. Miller was found dead in his home on September 7, 2018 at the age of 26 due to a drug overdose consisting of alcohol, cocaine, and fentanyl.
The life of a musician can take a dark toll on a person’s well-being and sanity, whether they’re new to the scene like Lil Peep and Mac Miller, or an established, respected artist like Prince. Fentanyl and other opioids are a particularly dangerous class of drugs that claim thousands of lives each year. If you or a loved one is suffering from drug abuse, seek treatment at a professional facility.
