Offset Says He’s 4 Years Sober from Codeine and Son Gave Him a ‘Wake-Up Call’

Codeine is no longer part of Offset’s life.

The Migos alum appeared on the Tuesday, Oct. 7 episode of the Baby, This Is Keke Palmer podcast and opened up about his past codeine use, revealing he’s four years sober from the drug after getting a wake-up call through his 15-year-old son, Jordan.

Offset, 33, recalled starting to use codeine after his rap career began to feel more “like a job” with the success of Migos’ “Bad and Boujee” in 2016. “I was taking to the cup, and then you know what you get tricked on? A lot of artists I feel like be tricked on like, ‘Oh, I can’t make music without the drugs.’ That’s cap,” he said.

He then spoke about the moment when “giving yourself an excuse” to use drugs becomes a problem. “At first you’re just doing it, okay, experimenting and playing with it,” said the rapper, whose real name is Kiari Cephus. “You could get high a little bit, but then it becomes an addiction, and then it starts to then, like, your loved ones start to peep.”

The father of six recalled, “My mama started telling me, ‘Hey boy, I don’t like you on this, what this is.’ And you sleep, and you aggravated, and you ain’t being my son, you’re arguing.”

“And then I had a wake up call,” explained Offset. “My oldest son kept asking for like pineapple Fanta, but he don’t even really drink soda… And then one day he came in studio like, ‘Why yours is different color than mine?’ It killed me.”

He seemed to be describing lean, which Addiction Center describes as “an illicit substance made with codeine, containing cough syrup, soda, hard candy, occasionally alcohol, and the antihistamine, promethazine.”

Upon realizing Jordan was “paying attention” to his drug use, Offset knew something had to change. “I’m like, ‘Oh no, I gotta get off of this.’ That’s what touched me,” he said.

“One day I was in the studio and he was like, ‘Yours is a different color than mine. Why?’ I had to lie to him because I ain’t know what to say,” continued Offset. “I’m like, ‘Mine is old, I’m about to throw it away,’ and I just grabbed it and walked off. When I went in my room, it’s just like, I damn near cried.”

Offset explained he “felt bad as a father” in that moment. “He don’t even notice it’s drugs in here though. He don’t know, but in my head it’s like, him even just saying he want the same soda I want. It’s just like, ‘Oh no, I’m influencing him,'” he said.

“And it was a thing with my family. My mama didn’t like it. Nobody in my family liked it and they just kept saying it, and it started to hurt,” added the star. “I’m successful, I got money and when your mama calling you like and you and she like, ‘You need to get off that stuff,’ and she said it two [or] three times, it hurt for sure.”

Ultimately, Offset said he’s grateful to have “solid people around me” who brought the issue to his attention. “I try to surround myself with people around me that’s gonna put me in my place because sometimes, you know, you got the money, you’re living life, can’t nobody tell you nothing,” he said.

“I always get that wake up call from my core people, my family. I’m thankful for having that,” added Offset, whose latest album Kiari was released in August.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.