Purple drank or muddy has been a part of rap music earning it a reputation. Many artists have not only mentioned it in their songs but have also abused this very drug. In 2000, Sippin’ on Some Syrup, a song by Three 6 Mafia about Lean, was released. Rainbow Colors, a song from 2003, also mentions the beverage. Purple Rain by Beanie Sigel, released in 2005, includes the line, “Please don’t blow my high when I’m sippin’ that purple rain,” in reference to Purple Drank. Young Buck’s Sippin’ Purp came next in 2006. In his 2008 song 2MPH, Chamillionaire discusses the drug’s slowed-down effects by singing, “sippin’, sippin’ on lean, sippin’, sippin’ on bo.” The craze persisted until 2009, when Lil Wayne, a notorious cocktail abuser, introduced the song “Me and My Drank” and elevated lean music to a whole new level.
Purple Drank can have deadly side effects when taken alone as the Codeine Promethazine cough syrup mixed with soda, but many users also combine it with alcohol or other drugs. The beverage is now significantly riskier as a result of overdose. The two Lean active chemicals already stifle the CNS and respiratory system. The risk of heart failure or stopped breathing only rises when alcohol, another CNS depressant, is added.
Teenagers at risk
Teenagers and young adults are particularly vulnerable to Purple Drank’s risks. Many members of this extremely vulnerable group mistakenly believe that Purple is safe and are unaware of its true dangers. Many people think that something is safe because it is prescribed and comes from a doctor.
Young people are more impressionable because their faculties for making decisions are still developing, but in their favorite songs, their idols extol the virtues of Purple Drank. A final selling point for the younger crowd is the soda’s sweet flavor and the candies included in the beverage.