by Aziah Siid
Online streamer and influencer Kai Cenat is no stranger to chaos during his live streams. From television personalities bashing holes in his bedroom wall, or Cenat and his co-host setting off fireworks, it’s often mayhem and laughter.
But not a lot of people were laughing after the New York streamer’s live session with rapper Kodak Black went off the rails into drug abuse. In fact, some viewers are questioning if Black, born Bill K. Kapri, is really O.K.
Black made a smooth entrance, rocking a red and blue scarf paying homage to his Haitian roots. Then, during the session, he stood up, tossed a pill into the air and caught it in his mouth.
Not long after that, the 27-year-old rapper started slurring his words, dropping his food, and barely kept his eyes open as Cenat looked more and more uncomfortable. And when it was time to showcase his rap skills? Black went into a jumbled, nearly inaudible freestyle about money.
Social media users watching the full stream didn’t hold back. They went off about Black’s drug usage, Cenat’s role in the situation, and overall concern about Black’s wellbeing.
“Kodak’s catching Percs like he’s in the Olympics, while Kai’s looking on like he just walked into the wrong classroom,” one wrote. “The decline after the perc was horrible. you don’t need that sh!t Kodak. you’re great WITHOUT IT” another said.
“I could pray for you? I want to pray for us,” Cenat says about 40 minutes into the stream. “Thank God, thank you so much for making Kodak pull up here. Making sure that we have a great time God. He’s happy, I’m happy, make sure we remain happy, and everybody who’s watching right now is having an amazing day, an amazing night, and we make sure that they watch and get positively influenced to just be happy.”
Nonetheless, folks are calling for some kind of explanation.
Substance Abuse and the Music Industry
Substance abuse in hip-hop is an issue on blast in the Black community. The substance-fueled behavior of superstars like Chris Brown — and overdose death of rappers like DMX — often come up in conversations about how drug use is downplayed in the music industry, particularly among Black artists.
Meanwhile the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found drugs like fentanyl are driving up overdose deaths in recent years. Studies show Black communities have been hit hard.
Local artists like Louisiana rapper Nykerrius Williams, also known as Young Nyke, have spoken out about drug abuse in hip-hop culture. Many of them, like Nyke, took their first dose of hard drugs when they were as young as 16.
His story — and watching Black glitch out on the stream — mirrors the drug-fueled, sometimes tragic stories of mainstream rappers like Lil Wayne, the late rapper Young Homie Quan, and other artists who’ve openly struggled with addiction.
Social Media Matters, Too
Black’s meltdown during the Cenat stream wasn’t the first time someone under the influence went viral on social media.
Whether it’s an intoxicated woman spilling secrets on a bro-themed podcast, or an up-and-coming rapper hurling on himself on camera, substance abuse as entertainment is on full display throughout the music industry, and social media only exacerbates it.
Despite preliminary studies seeing a decline in overdose deaths, ugly jokes around substance abuse videos undermine the work happening to protect youth from a life of addiction.
