Lupe Fiasco has been trying to convince us of some pretty wild things for years. Whatever the topic, he is often prepared with many sources to be quoted, proving that he has done research. Therefore, even when he described the medical use of cocaine and potentially advocating the legalization of cocaine (under certain circumstances), I was open to listening.
Earlier this week, several news outlets picked up news about a Mexican court that ruled that two unidentified people owned, transported and used cocaine, but did not buy or sell it. Although the decision still needs to be approved by a higher court, this decision marks an important event. The NGO, Mexico United Against Crime (MUCD), was involved in this case. “We have spent years working for a safer, fairer and more peaceful Mexico,” said Lisa Sánchez, director of MUCD. “This case is about the need to stop the criminalization of drug users … and design better public policies that explore all available options, including regulation.”
Understandably, this story caught the attention of many people, including Lupe. On Saturday, the Chicago rapper posted a screenshot of reporting on this story and wrote a lengthy description to share his thoughts about the decision. He opens with a quote from his song “NGL” from his 2017 album Drogas Light. This quote discusses the legalization of cannabis and how it causes (or leads to) industries controlled by large companies. Lupe explained that if Wall Street ultimately regulates the distribution of cannabis, black people would not benefit from compensating them for being disproportionate targets for participating in their distribution and use before. He then predicted that this same process could occur with cocaine, therefore related to the case in Mexico.
Although the Mexican court ruled this decision in an effort to ward off war on drugs and the threats to public safety that it produced, Lupe then went on to register the use of cocaine in clinical settings – such as for anesthesia. Lupe ended his writing by stating that this news made him “happy … for various reasons that most people would not understand.” Oh, he also threw #Popeyes at the end, either to get into jokes or take advantage of trending topics. This must make many people laugh at that comment.