Musicians Must be Mindful Not to Promote Drug Abuse Among Youth

By Simon Mwangi and Judith Twala

For centuries, musicians have used drugs to enhance creativity and listeners have used drugs to heighten the pleasure created by music. And the two benefit from each other, unendingly. The relationship between drugs and music is also reflected in lyrics and in the way they are composed by musicians, some of whom are undoubtedly influenced by the copious amounts of heroin, cocaine and other drugs they consume, as their songs sometimes reveal.

Kenya is experiencing a budding local music scene that has been propped by the numerous opportunities brought about by technological advancement. While this is a positive attribute and progress in the creative arts, there is a growing concern on how music is promoting the use of alcohol and drugs among the youth. This is either through the lyrics in the songs or videos showcasing blatant drug use among artistes who are supposed to be role models.

At a time when it is increasingly becoming clear that media consumption trends are swiftly moving online, and knowing very well how easily youths access content through the internet, there is need for musicians to be mindful of their content.

In the 1920s, marijuana use became associated with jazz where musicians used their songs to tell narratives of their drug use. As expected, this caused the general public to worry that this music would influence youth to follow in the musicians’ footsteps. The use of marijuana in the jazz subculture partly motivated early movements to criminalize the drug.

The way people interact with music goes beyond lyrics and the content of the music itself. Music choices often define the subcultures that many young people embrace. And certain types of music prominently feature certain drugs and related lifestyles.

Certain styles of music match the effects of certain drugs. Amphetamine, for example, is often matched with fast, repetitive music, as it provides stimulation, enabling people to dance quickly. MDMA’s (ecstasy) tendency to produce repetitive movement and feelings of pleasure through movement and dance is also well known.

Listening to music without the influence of drugs is gratifying, can reduce stress (depending on the type of music listened to) and improve feelings of belonging to a social group. But research suggests that some drugs change the experience of listening to music.

There is a rich representation of drugs in popular music, and although studies have shown higher levels of drug use in listeners of some genres of music, the relationship is complex. Drugs and music are powerful ways of strengthening social bonds as they both provide an identity and a sense of connection between people. Music and drugs can bring together people in a political way too.

People tend to form peer groups with those who share their own cultural preferences, which may be represented through intertwined musical and substance choices. Although there are some obvious synergies between some music and specific drugs, such as electronic dance music and ecstasy, other links have developed in less explicable ways. Drugs are one component of a broader identity and an important means of distinguishing the group from others.

Published by Daily Nation and The Star 9/2/2022.