Lil Durk says he’s aiming to "change the world as much as possible," including by sharing his sobriety story in an effort to inspire others.
This week, the "Old Days" artist was approached by a paparazzo in the Malibu area, per a report from TMZ, and asked about his experience in rehab. As seen in a resulting video credited to Backgrid and @browngirlgrinding, Durk was notably candid with his answers, noting that he wants to "embrace" talking openly about getting sober "because it helped me a lot." Initially, Durk added, getting clean "was tough," though his end goal helped him press forward.
"It was tough at first but it ain't that tough because I really knew what I wanted," Durk said. "I knew what was holding me back. I wanted better. I wanted to be a better man, a better father, a better leader. But more action, so I gotta make sure that the self is good before anybody else."
From Durk’s perspective, getting into rehab helped him start "thinking clearer" while getting him closer to a sense of peace. That clarity also improved his artistic process, leading to a new type of inspiration. Asked what his lifestyle looked like prior to entering rehab, Durk was again decidedly candid.
"Moving fast, making excuses, letting the drugs take over me," Durk recalled of his darkest moments. "Codeine and everything. Xanax. But it don’t make me. I can see myself just staying on the right track and trying to change a lot of lives."
Durk also said that he hopes his efforts toward spreading a sobriety and betterment-focused message will have an impact on people of all ages who may have the desire to make improvements in their own lives, but feel held back for whatever reason. In the future, he’s hoping to "get the foundation down" for a rehab facility of his own in his hometown of Chicago.
Getting clean is a topic often broached by artists across a wide variety of genres, ages, and levels of notoriety. Back in April, for example, Eminem commemorated 16 years of sobriety. Durk himself, meanwhile, took to the pen to share insight on his personal journey in the aforementioned "Old Days" track. Released back in February, the song's first verse sees him reflecting on his past abuse of Percocets.
