With roots firmly planted in Atlanta, GA, Young Dro has always paid homage to the Dirty South in his music. But, despite a successful span of records over the course of his hip hop career, he was immersed in a drug addition that spanned decades. Now, with nearly four years of sobriety to celebrate, he’s more focused that ever. Crystal talks to Young Dro about how he currently fits in the hip-hop puzzle, his sobriety journey and his hopes for how his testimony can uplift others.
Chapter 1: What is the main topic of this episode?
Coming up on Keep It Positive, Sweetie.
I was in pain because, you know, when you have 56 staples and a colostomy bag sitting right here and a tube right here, you feel what I'm saying? And then you're healing up from the gunshot. You know what I'm saying? I went under a couple of surgeries, you know? So I'm in pain, pain. So when that lady hit me with that stuff and I went out, it felt like, it was like, I don't know how it is.
I don't know how I feel to be born, but it felt like I was just coming into the world, like coming out of a womb, like, oh my God. And I was like, this feels...
Chapter 2: How did Young Dro overcome his drug addiction?
Hi, I'm Chris Renee Hazlett, and this is the Keep It Positive Sweeties Show, a safe space to heal, laugh, grow, and love. I'm really looking forward to the show today because we've been trying to get this next guest on for a while. I'm talking about hip-hop great Young Dro. We'll deep dive into how he overcame a lengthy drug addiction and how he's using his testimony to inspire and uplift others.
Best known for hip-hop hits like Shoulder Lean and We in the City, Young Dro has been a part of the soundtrack of my life along with so many others. Despite having hit records over the course of his career, young Joe was immersed in a drug addiction that spanned decades. Now nearly four years sober, Joe is more focused than ever.
He's here now to share his powerful testimony and how he's moving forward in music, movies and more. Dro, we got you here.
Yes, I'm in the building.
You are here. I'm so happy. I just, I love your energy. Thank you. I appreciate your support. We follow each other on Instagram. We do. I was like, oh my gosh. I just, from growing up, well, we're probably about the same age, but like we grew up together and you were such an instrumental piece of hip hop. So to actually know you now, I feel blessed.
Oh, thank you, man.
I'm so happy. Thanks for having me. How you feeling?
Feeling good, man. Woke up this morning.
Listen. You did. You did.
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Chapter 3: What does Young Dro's day mean for him?
I said, y'all put that shit on. And I was like, I said, so when you get dressed, because I had about to like Louis Vuitton and all that stuff, so they was looking good. And I said, y'all had it on. I said, that's when you put your fits on, you look good. They're like, oh, okay, we put that shit on. Yeah. And then I was listening to your song this morning. I was like, put it on.
Yeah, so that song, man, I just wanted to make sure that I just put the fun back into it. Because when we was coming up, we didn't want to stand and do all that stuff, man. We just wanted to be fresh, have a good day. Everybody see the outfit. You feel what I'm saying? Back up, man. I'm clean.
I love it. I love it. Congratulations on Young Dro Day. I heard that that just happened. And guess what? What? That's my birthday. What? October 18th. So we share a special day together.
We got to get together and do something.
We need to collab on our day. That's crazy. How about that?
That's lit.
I love it. What did it mean to you to have that level of recognition in your city?
When my manager, Sierra, had got it all together and, you know, the powers that be came together and said, we're going to give Young Droids day to day. I always wanted a day. You feel me? They used to have Dro Day in Atlanta, but it was unofficial. You know what I mean? But I felt like... this is a important time for me.
Like I w I was thinking like have fun on that day, but I do want to make it meaningful and impactful, like giving back to the kids and doing stuff with the community also, you know what I mean?
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Chapter 4: Why is voting important for the community?
Yes, it is.
At what point did you know that you had a gift to rap?
It had to be... in high school, I think I was listening, I was listening to something like some Tupac stuff and like Biggie, Mo' Money Mo' Problems, and you know, Mason, Puff and all that. So when they came out with that song, I had this Sherlin coat on that I got from my sister's boyfriend. He was a hustler. You know what I'm saying? So I go to school, I got this Sherlin on.
I stole my sister's Versace glasses. Got the big glasses. So I'm kind of looking like, you know what I'm saying? And I learned the verse. You know what I mean? B-I-G, B-O, B-P-A. So I'm rapping it. So, you know, and there was a girl in there. She was kind of green. She didn't know what I was saying. She was like, that's you? I was like, I lied. Yeah. Yeah. She was like, yeah, that's you.
She was like, you sound good. And in my head, I'm like, man, if I could do that. You know what I mean? Then I heard Tupac one day, I Gotta Get Mines with MC Bree. And then I rapped that. And then they was like, that sounds like your music. And I was like, oh, maybe it's my voice.
You know what I mean?
Then I knew the voice was something that they was fond of. And then when I put it in pen and paper, it kind of worked.
i love that so when you put it on pen to paper i used to write poetry as well as a kid my mom used to always say don't buy me a car write me a poem because i was i was pretty good at it i need to get back to it um but i would write poetry at what like when did you say okay i'm gonna put it to pen to paper and then i'm gonna get in the studio or did you just start doing like talent shows or rap it in the neighborhood oh to be what's crazy was like when i was young i i was i used to like this girl named maya in the second grade okay and i wrote her this
extravagant poem.
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Chapter 5: What was Young Dro's experience with getting shot?
You thought that was your friend that was approaching you and then it wasn't.
I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe that I had got shot. I had seen it in movies. I had heard of, you know, I'd seen some people shot before, but it was just, it was groundbreaking for me and my position, you know, how young I was, you know, bleeding from somewhere and throwing up. And, you know, you know, it was it was crazy. And now now I think everybody's going to do I think the worst.
Like if I'm at a club, yes, I'm standing somewhere. I'm like, this cat finna hit me in the head with a bomb or I'm finna get stabbed or, you know what I'm saying? And I have these fears and this anxiety that, you know.
To this day.
To this day.
Oh my goodness. You spoke about at that point, the situation being in the hospital and getting addicted to drugs, to the pain medicine. When I was in college, I tore my Achilles tendon and my mom, she works in a hospital.
and by day three she took the hydrocodones away from me because she was like you're fine you're okay and i remember what it felt like the sleep i was telling them earlier i could hear myself snoring like it was the best sleep i had ever had in my life and um i know i was like even though i don't have an addictive spirit i know how people have just i just want to feel that um at that age what was it for you um well nobody in the family ever
Had these talks about hey addiction is very powerful because I thought that you know My aunties and uncles did drugs and everybody was cool. Yeah people drinking beers Mm-hmm smoking weed and you know, they doing crack and shoot heroin. You know I'm saying we're saying that yeah, you know I'm saying because it was I just like, like on shoulder lean.
I was saying like, I don't know about Lil Momo, but a bunch of junkies, like all her brothers and sisters would come over and this would be normal, you know what I'm saying?
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Chapter 6: How did pain medication affect Young Dro's life?
Chapter 7: What is Young Dro's message to young black men?
Yeah. She was like, Sane, baby, I'm going to get you a cap. And by the time I got through Sane, I had like four of them. Grandma.
Or the open face, you know.
Yeah, like one of them had the little cut in it, like a little nugget, you know what I'm saying? One of them had a champagne, and one of them had a little heart, you know what I'm saying? That is funny. And one of them was silent, so it was almost like... Did you catch it? Yeah, I caught it. Mr. Miyagi drove.
So that's when I knew I was musically inclined, but I would just go around rapping, you know, in the hood, you know what I'm saying? And one day I was on Bankhead at the Bounce, And I was rapping up there, and I got noticed.
Wow. Is that when T.I. noticed you or somebody else?
Nah, I was in my teens at that point. Yeah, so what me and T.I. was, we grew up together, like, like a time after that, I met Tip because we had got our Section 8 voucher and stuff like that. You know, we went from, you know, apartments that just had heat, you know what I'm saying? Then the big radiated thing that was on the side. You know what I'm saying?
I done burnt my behind on that a couple times. But you know, we weren't used to carpeting. You know, when we got our Section 8 voucher, that's when I met Tip. You know what I'm saying? So, you know, at that talent show, though, on the west side, I think I was around about, I couldn't have been no more than about 16, 17. Wow. You know what I mean?
Okay, that's what's up. So I guess Tip decided he was going to do Grand Hustle, and did he come back and was it one of those, hey, come with me, or were you like, hey, bro, you see what I'm doing?
I was on before Tip. I was on before Tip. It was a dope thing. That's what's up. And I knew what he wanted to do with music because in the beginning, He didn't really even do, he didn't rap. He used to produce. And you know, he did beats and hustled. And I couldn't, he was, so I was like, one day I was like, you know, what are we doing? He was like, I'm gonna do these beats.
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