Study Shows Marijuana References Prevalent in U.S. Hip‑Hop and Rap Music Videos
A recent government‑supported analysis found that more than a third of the most‑watched U.S. hip‑hop and rap videos on YouTube in 2024 contain references to marijuana. The research, funded by the Ministry of Justice and Health in the German state of Schleswig‑Holstein and carried out by the German Institute for Therapy and Health Research, was published in the journal Substance Use & Misuse. It highlights how deeply cannabis is woven into the visual and lyrical fabric of the genre.
Key Findings from the German‑Funded Research
The investigators examined the YouTube top 100 chart for hip‑hop and rap in 2024. They discovered that 37 % of those videos featured at least one cannabis reference, while an additional 4 % mentioned both marijuana and nicotine. Combined, 41 % of the leading videos in the genre displayed cannabis‑related content. By comparison, only about 2 % of songs from other U.S. musical genres included any mention of marijuana, underscoring the distinct association between hip‑hop culture and the plant.
Cultural Roots and Artist Influence
The study notes that cannabis has been “firmly anchored in the US hip‑hop scene since the 1990s” and points to the West Coast as a particular epicenter of this trend. Artists such as Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and The Game are repeatedly cited for promoting a “chilled” lifestyle that normalizes marijuana use. Researchers trace this connection back to Afro‑Caribbean and African‑American subcultures, where the plant has long held social and ceremonial significance, and observe that the wave of state‑level legalization has further reinforced its presence in mainstream music.
Impact on Perception and Policy
Cannabis activist and music producer Weldon Angelos, who has collaborated with Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre, told Marijuana Moment that hip‑hop did not merely reflect cannabis culture—it helped shape it. “I was first exposed to marijuana through artists like Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, and years later I ended up working alongside them in studios where cannabis was simply part of the creative process,” Angelos said. He added that the visibility of cannabis in music videos shifted public perception long before legislative changes, making reform more attainable.
Snoop Dogg’s influence extends beyond lyrics. After acquiring Death Row Records in 2022, he launched a hemp‑focused lifestyle platform under the label and expanded his Smoke Weed Every Day (S.W.E.D.) brand with a direct‑to‑consumer retail site selling hemp‑derived products, smoking accessories and merchandise. The platform also lists his physical retail locations, including a Los Angeles dispensary and an Amsterdam coffeeshop. In addition, Snoop has advocated for policy changes in professional sports, urging the NBA to allow players to use cannabis off the court as a potentially less harmful alternative to opioids.
International Contrast and Related Research
The study also examined German music videos, finding a reversed pattern: nicotine references appeared more frequently than marijuana depictions. This contrast highlights how regional cultural norms and regulatory environments shape substance portrayal in media.
Separate scientific work supports the idea that cannabis can enhance the musical experience. A 2024 Canadian study concluded that marijuana may improve auditory enjoyment compared to sober listening. Earlier, a 2021 investigation into psilocybin‑assisted therapy challenged the assumption that classical music is uniquely beneficial in therapeutic settings, suggesting that musical effects are highly individualized.
Conclusion
The data illustrate how hip‑hop and rap have become powerful vectors for cannabis normalization in the United States. Through artist advocacy, business ventures, and widespread visual representation, the genre has helped move marijuana from a taboo subject to a mainstream topic, influencing both public opinion and policy debates. As legalization continues to evolve, the interplay between music culture and cannabis legislation will likely remain a dynamic area of study.
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