Why are Rappers Dying 'Too Much'? The Alarming Trend Behind Industry Losses

Hip-hop has suffered, losing quite a lot of greats in 2024. At the same time, this culture is celebrating milestones and achievements, it has also been rocked by tragic losses of prominent figures within the rap community.

Among its casualties included Texas hot new star Enchanting, who died June 11 at age 26 of an accidental drug overdose. She was a former member of Gucci Mane's 1017 label, and her death left fans and artists around the world devastated.

After her death, social media was flooded with tributes to her peak within the hip-hop world.

Meanwhile, from the passing of De La Soul innovator Trugoy the Dove at 53 in February 2023 to Gangsta Boo dying from a drug overdose at 43, the recent deaths of prominent acts add to a troubling trend in the genre that has been evident over the years.

The rapper – who was part of the Atlanta trio Migos – was shot dead last November at age 28.

Jim Jones, one of the most prominent rappers in hip-hop, called rap "the most dangerous profession."

Fat Joe said rappers are an "endangered species," and Lupe Fiasco more succinctly said in his 2022 song "On Faux Nem," "Rappers die too much."

Hip-hop artists tend to die from a variety of causes that are shocking — gun violence, health, overdose, and harm.

This trend, per A.D. Carson, Associate Professor of Hip-Hop at the University of Virginia, raises questions about systemic challenges that impact artists of the genre's health and wellness overall.

Various artists like Nipsey Hussle and the Notorious B.I.G. have been synonymous with violence in hip-hop.

It is, of course, no surprise that the industry, as well as the music, suffers wrongfully because of the portrayal the media takes of the violent deaths of stars.

It's not easy being a rapper, and A.D. Carson's mixtape "V: ILLICIT" tackles a lot of the ugly things happening, contextualizing the uncomfortable truths beneath a blanket of morality that we can easily confuse with humanity.

Alongside violence, health is relatively more impactful for a lot of artists. Among the top killers of rappers are heart disease, diabetes, and drug-related conditions.

Everybody knows Big Pun and J-Dilla died from heart issues at a young age, and we could continue down the path of Eazy-E, who died from AIDS.

The statistics are sobering. Heart disease and diabetes are well-known, perennial health concerns for Black men and Hispanic men, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, two demographics that make up a good portion of hip-hop artists.

With hip-hop looking back on its roots and celebrating its anniversaries, the time has come to make equity a part of the picture for the health of the artists who create the music.

Now more than ever, lyrics from hip-hop duo Dead Prez's song "Be Healthy" ring true: "We got to start taking better care of ourselves."

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Rapper