T.I., Drugs, Celebrity and Understanding The Cost of Fame
In a life when performers and musicians experience highs and derive thrills from concert performances, award shows, and screaming fans, the downtime can seem menacing to some. “They are driven by the excitement and stimulation, and when the projects wrap they have trouble adapting the relatively idle periods that may follow,” said Sack. “Drugs start to play a bigger role as artists try keep their energy and creative edge in the face of sleep deprivation, fatigue,
and the loneliness of being on the road.”
During T.I.’s recent court hearing in October, when he was sentenced to 11 months in prison for the arrest in Los Angeles, T.I. told the judge the he needed to get help for drug addiction. His plea was widely recognized as a fabricated excuse to stay out of jail. In fact, Sack asserts that “only a small proportion of people who try a drug go on to become addicted to it,” but that the high is particularly attractive.
“All drugs that are used recreationally stimulate the reward center in the brain to release dopamine,” explained Sack. “Depending on the specific drug, they can also chemically signal feelings of euphoria, happiness, emotional closeness, heightened perception, reduced anxiety and increased energy.” The lure is no mystery but for artists like the 3o year old T.I., it’s clear that the consequences don’t outweigh the benefits for him. After the rapper completes his ordained 11 month sentence, it would be interesting to observe if he stays straight, or at least give off that appearance to the public.
He recently managed to post on his website the following message to his fans:”To all of you who say ‘He should practice what he preaches’ and ‘How could he do something so stupid…AGAIN?’ You’re absolutely right and I couldn’t agree with you more. But you know what? As history has shown us before, I find my greatest inspiration during my darkest hours.” According to the experts, the inspiration for T.I. should be a need to manage his relationship with the stresses of fame, rather than simply addressing the need to get high.
