The hip-hop community is still reacting to the death of Chicago rapper Fredo Santana, who passed away after having a seizure on Friday (Jan. 19). He was 27 years old.
Throughout his career, Santana has openly talked about his drug use and drinking Lean, the liquid drug made up of codeine, soda and sometimes hard candy. Other names for the mixture include Sizzurp, Dirty Sprite, Purple Drank or simply Drank.
Just three months ago, Santana was hospitalized for having kidney and liver failure and admitted it was a result of longtime drug use. According to medical professionals, kidney and liver failure, as well as having seizures, are all side effects of drinking Lean.
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“Hopefully, I can be the face to show n—– to slow down,” tweeted Santana in October of 2017. “We got our whole life ahead of us. F— being rock stars getting high. I got PTSD. I was running from my old life trying to get high. Didn’t want to face them demons. I’m getting help. I might just go to rehab. Gino found me on the floor shaking bleeding out the mouth having a seizure. Sh– could’ve been the end.”
Hopefully I can be the face to sho niggas to slow down an we got our whole life ahead of us fuck being rock stars gettin high I got ptsd…
— FREDO SANTANA SSR (@FREDOSANTANA300) October 14, 2017
Shortly after news of the rapper’s death surfaced, artists like Travis Scott, Joey Bada$$, Lil B, Trippie Redd and Chief Keef, who’s Santana’s cousin, responded through social media.
“Love you dude forever,” wrote Keef. “It was good to be able to hug you.”
Another person who commented on the rapper’s death was Karrueche Tran, but she received instant backlash for it.
Like many have throughout the years, the actress and model denounced the use of Lean since it’s been made popular by a slew of rappers like Three 6 Mafia, Future, Young Thug, Migos and Lil Wayne, who’ also suffered from seizures.
Lean was also said to be the cause of DJ Screw’s death, as well the rapper Pimp C, who both passed away in 2000 and 2007 respectively.
“Lean is weak AF,” wrote Karrueche in a now deleted tweet. ”#Lame, #Corny, #SorryNotSorry.”
Then after, the backfire came, because some thought the timing of her tweet was all wrong considering the news of Santana’s death was so new.
“Yes, Lean isn’t good for you, but the timing of your tweet and your ‘#corny, #lame, #sorrynotsorry’ comments reflect a lack of education and empathy in you that saddens me,” one person wrote. “Delete it if you want to.”
Karrueche then responded and made it clear that she meant no harm.
“That totally came out the wrong way,” she clarified. “Wasn’t trying to offend anyone. I meant it in general terms. Bad timing.”
Afterwards, someone asked why the 29-year-old was apologizing for her initial message, which made her reiterate what she said about having off timing. But she did stand by her words in terms of what she thought about Lean and its dangers.
“What I said was 1000 percent true,” wrote the “Claws” star. “It was bad timing and seemed directed towards Fredro (RIP), which it wasn’t at all.”
Whether Karrueche receives more backlash for her tweet remains to be seen, and time will also reveal whether Santana’s death will make other rappers turn away from Lean once and for all.
So far the West Coast producer DJ Mustard said he’s done with it, and he posted a video of himself pouring some purple liquid down a sink.
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Mustard isn’t the only celebrity who’s turned his back on Sizzurp. Just last month, the rapper Famous Dex said the same thing after drinking some and being rushed to the hospital. He encouraged his fans to leave the drink alone as well.
“If I’m your role model, then stop f—-ing doing the Lean,” he pleaded. “I just want to let my Live know, all my fans know, I quit codeine. I don’t do the Lean no more. That’s on my kids. You’ll never ever see me with a double cup. It f—–ed me up. I’m in the hospital right now, but I feel so much better. I feel so good. God is so good. That’s why y’all haven’t been seeing me do no music. I been f—-ed up … In the long run, it’s really going to f— ya’ll over. Your body will shut down on you.”
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Since Santana’s passing his dad took to social media and posted series of heartfelt messages that detailed what he felt after hearing of the news of his son.
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Back in 2014, Dr. Robert Glatter of New York City’s Lenox Hill Hospital spoke to NBC News about the dangers of Lean and why it’s so addictive.
“This is a very dangerous drug. It can lead to seizures and essentially lead you to stop breathing,” he warned. “It’s quite addictive. The sweetness of the soda and candy combined with the drug itself makes people want to have this all day long. They just don’t know how much they’ve had throughout the day and then it’s almost too late.”
In a separate interview, anesthesiologist Dr. Wolfgang Steudel talked about Lean’s addictive nature and explained how it could stop one’s breathing.
“Codeine is a light narcotic, and narcotics suppress a cough, but in stronger concentrations they also suppress breathing,” he told Complex. “They can put you in a coma, they can slow your heart rate down and they can bring your blood pressure down. A typical sign that someone has a narcotic intoxication is small pupils. Someone who has taken a lot of narcotics can get into a circulatory collapse and cardiac arrest, and they might die.”
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Rip to my dawg.
Rest up easy love you bro pic.twitter.com/CeZV7A4O52— TRAVIS SCOTT (@trvisXX) January 20, 2018
This one fucked my head up i can’t even lie 😢 rest up young king @FREDOSANTANA300
— THE VOICE (@lildurk) January 20, 2018
Let one off in the air for fredo santana !! For life they cudnt stop that man SSR for life CHICAGO for life Chief Keef chop durk Reese Gino sd the whole Chicago what it do joe we living it up joe Chicago joe for life too fredo – Lil B
— Lil B THE BASEDGOD (@LILBTHEBASEDGOD) January 20, 2018
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