Offset credited a question from his teenage son and tough love from his mother as the catalysts behind his decision to quit codeine after years of dependency that began during the peak of Migos’ fame.
The Atlanta rapper reflected on his four-year sobriety journey during a revealing conversation on the “Baby, This Is Keke Palmer” podcast, where he explained how his drug use escalated following the success of the group’s 2016 hit “Bad and Boujee.”
He described how the pressures of the music industry pushed him toward lean—a potent mix of codeine cough syrup, soda, candy and other additives.
The pivotal moment came when his 15-year-old son Jordan, who rarely drinks soda, began asking for pineapple Fanta. One day in the studio, he noticed something off.
“And then one day he came in studio like, ‘Why yours is different color than mine?’ It killed me,” Offset recalled.
Offset admitted he lied to cover up the truth. “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.”
That moment forced him to confront the influence he was having on his children.
“He don’t even know that 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.
Offset also revealed that his mother repeatedly called out his behavior, pushing him to reflect on how the drug was changing him.
“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,” he said.
That family intervention, while painful, made an impact.
“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,” Offset shared.
The rapper, who has six children and recently released his solo album Kiari, said he’s grateful for the support system that helped him change course.
“I always get that wake up call from my core people, my family. I’m thankful for having that,” Offset said.
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