„For a lot of these youth, [I thinking they feel like,] how could you even know?” said the star. During his virtual appearance on People’s Party with Talib Kweli, the rap star, 37, revealed that he could have died if his father didn’t pay for a 30-day intake program that he feels ultimately saved his life. Macklemore’s in-depth conversation comes after the release of his latest freestyle tune, „Trump’s Over.” Macklemore first sought treatment for addiction in 2008.

• I worked alongside them to find methods that helped them stay aligned with their goal of sobriety.
• He believes that being open and honest about your experience allows others to feel safe to share theirs.
• The Grammy-winning rapper recognizes that he would not be where he is today had his dad not stepped in.
• He relapsed in 2011 and again in 2014 and has also been open about a near-fatal overdose he survived.

In 2021, Macklemore did an interview on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast. During this conversation, the artist confessed that sober rappers he had experienced a relapse in the year prior. Macklemore has shared that the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to his relapse.

MORE: Macklemore says ‘not staying sober has been the worst’ part of his music career

In the wide-ranging interview, Macklemore, who is currently on his Gemini tour, also explained why he released a song called „White Privilege” in 2016. „Dealing with the love, criticism and outside public perceptions is a balancing act. Over the years I figured out how to deal with it, and it’s by not giving a f—,” he remarked. „I remember being like, ‘I don’t ever want my kids to see me loaded,'” https://ecosoberhouse.com/ he said of learning Davis was pregnant with their first child. According to a report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2018 more than 67,000 people lost their lives to drug overdoses in the U.S. alone. The CDC’s research also found that more than 46,000 of those drug-related deaths involved opioids — with two out of three fatalities involving synthetic opioids.

• He’s been honest about the fact that his dad helped him pay for drug rehab.
• The CDC’s research also found that more than 46,000 of those drug-related deaths involved opioids — with two out of three fatalities involving synthetic opioids.
• „Because I didn’t feel confident without the alcohol.”
• There’s this false notion that musicians are at their best when they are using a ton of drugs — that’s how they channel the spirit.
• In this partnership, Macklemore has been named CLEAN Cause’s new Creative Director.
• The singer (born Benjamin Haggerty in 1983) took the occasion of the conclusion of a world tour to deliver a four-minute poem on the subject of the Israeli war on Gaza.

„The relapse was an opportunity for me to get back to that place of, OK, what went on? Let me talk about it, and let’s get vulnerable. And what are you afraid to say right now? That’s what you need to lean into.” While he considers being a dad his „greatest success,” the musician also said he knows that his kids can’t fix him. In January, the rapper opened up to PEOPLE about his relapse during the summer of 2020 and the progress he’s made since. Macklemore is opening up about his „very painful” 2020 relapse. Macklemore then warned those trying to recover of how serious things can get when they deal with the symptoms of physical withdrawals, ranging from sweating „through the sheets” to fighting the urge to relapse. Several of Macklemore’s TikTok followers shared their own stories in the comments section, to which the artist responded with words of hope and optimism.

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He recalled how his father put him in a treatment facility during his 2008 relapse and said, „Getting that help saved my life.” In July, Macklemore shared with his followers on TikTok that he relapsed in 2020 during the first summer of the COVID-19 pandemic. While he has been sober since, Macklemore wants others to know that recovery isn’t linear. Tell the people in your life that you are not going to drink this holiday season and set boundaries if anyone pushes back.

• When the pandemic hit and we were all in lockdown, I finally got to press pause.
• He began recreationally using OxyContin, drinking excessively, and smoking Marijuana.
• The amount of pain and damage that I can do very quickly in losing the trust of others happens instantaneously.
• „I hope that people will come out of the shadows, that the guilt and the shame of the disease of addiction lessen and we don’t feel like we need to hide anymore.”
• For anyone thinking of cutting down on drinking this festive season, Kali, Tom and Jamie shared some of their top tips with BBC Newsbeat.

He soon realized the times he felt most fulfilled were when he was performing acts of service and having a „sense of community,” so he wouldn’t feel alone. He admitted he didn’t figure out what the root of the addiction was until recently when he found „a community of men in recovery,” especially those who had experienced „sexual trauma.” Macklemore is getting candid about his journey to sobriety after struggling with addiction for years.

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And then I had two and I wondered what four would feel like. “I’ve been close to death too many times to count and it’s scary,” he said. Without drinking, she says she’s a more attentive friend but she admits it’s a bit harder to find your feet on the dancefloor. „There are so many amazing options now whether that be beer, wine, spirits, proseccos,” Jamie adds, which can help you still feel included. So if you aren’t drinking this year, you don’t have to be limited to orange juice. And it’s easier to say no to any well-meaning offers if you’ve already got a drink in your hand.

If you find yourself in a situation where others are pressuring you to drink or rejecting your decision to stay sober, or where being around others while they are drinking feels too challenging, you are allowed to leave the party. You can work on mending the relationship later, but you must take care of yourself first, and sometimes the only way to do that is to put physical distance between you and the external pressures. He’s been honest about the fact that his dad helped him pay for drug rehab. The cost of addiction treatment is a common barrier that often prevents people living with the disease from seeking professional care. Macklemore talked about it during a 2021 interview on the People’s Party with Talib Kweli podcast. Macklemore has always been incredibly open about his addiction and sobriety.

„It was really painful for myself and for the people who loved me. I stopped doing the work,” he tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue of his relapse during summer 2020. „When I have to be still and exist within my own head, that’s where my disease lives… [But] I’m like, ‘You know what? I don’t need to pretend like I’m some perfect dude in recovery.’ I am not at all, and there’s no shame.” “Sobriety is not a daily struggle, but it’s a daily effort. If I’m not reaching out to others, being of service, going to meetings, working the steps, I will eventually forget how bad it gets. I will end up thinking that the drug is the best solution to take me out of whatever momentary pain I’m in,” Macklemore wrote in his TODAY essay. „It was really painful for myself and for the people who loved me. I stopped doing the work,” he said at the time.

There is guilt and shame around the disease of addiction. To people who are struggling right now, recovery starts with being honest with yourself, and then seeking help. The natural tendency as someone with active addiction is to hide, to lie, to manipulate. It’s so important that we’re honest with ourselves and with our loved ones. We are not responsible for the disease, but we’re responsible for what we do about it.