DJ Paul Celebrates Two Years Sober: A Milestone Against Three 6 Mafia's Dark History

DJ Paul marked a major turning point with two years of sobriety, a deeply personal win that stands in stark contrast to the drug-related deaths that have haunted Three 6 Mafia.

The Memphis-born producer and rapper shared the milestone in a short but powerful message on social media: "2 Years Sober!!!" For a founding member of a group whose music often celebrated drug use, the announcement carried extra weight.

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Three 6 Mafia's legacy is built on brooding beats and lyrics that frequently referenced everything from codeine to cocaine. Their 1995 debut Mystic Stylez helped define Memphis rap's gritty sound, and tracks like "Sippin' on Some Syrup" became anthems of a drug-fueled lifestyle. For Paul, now in his 50s, stepping away from that world represents a full-circle transformation.




"Now I've entered year 3 & all I can say is "Everything thats going to happen will...but what if i did this Decades ago," DJ Paul said.




The timing of Paul's announcement adds to its emotional impact. In January 2023, the group lost Gangsta Boo at age 43. Her death, according to TMZ, "seems to be linked to drugs," with fentanyl possibly involved. The loss devastated the Hip-Hop community and served as yet another grim reminder of the genre's ongoing battle with substance abuse.




Nearly a decade earlier, Paul's half-brother and fellow group member Lord Infamous died at 40. He passed away in December 2013 at their mother's home in Memphis. "He did pass away at his mothers house last night in Memphis," Paul's publicist confirmed. "The cause of death is unknown." However, Lord Infamous had a history of health issues tied to drug use, including heart attacks and kidney complications.




Paul's decision to go public with his sobriety comes at a time when Hip-Hop continues to lose young talent to addiction. Artists like Mac Miller and Juice WRLD were both mourned after fatal overdoses, and the genre has struggled to reconcile its lyrical themes with the real-world consequences.




Though Paul didn't chronicle his recovery journey in real-time, his post implies he began the process in late 2022-months before Gangsta Boo's passing. That detail adds another layer of meaning to his achievement, as he had already committed to sobriety while enduring the grief of losing another close collaborator.




Three 6 Mafia's influence stretches far beyond Memphis. Their sound has inspired everyone from Travis Scott to A$AP Rocky, and their dark, drug-laced aesthetic helped shape modern rap. But their legacy is also marked by the toll addiction has taken on the group.




Paul's milestone doesn't erase the past, but it does signal a shift. It shows that even those who once helped glorify drug culture in music can choose a different path. His announcement serves as a rare moment of clarity in a genre still reckoning with its relationship to substance use.




Paul's two-year sobriety mark was shared in April 2024, offering a moment of reflection for both himself and the Hip-Hop world still grappling with loss.







































via: https://allhiphop.com/news/dj-paul-celebrates-two-years-sober-a-milestone-against-three-6-mafias-dark-history/