Cocaine, cannabis, champagne-pharmacological and toxicological references in the lyrics of the German rapper Haftbefehl: a content analysis.

Spark C.; Krichevsky B.; Schröder S.; Groh A.; Schulze Westhoff M.; Klietz M.; Greten S.; Stoetzer C.; Jäger D.; Heck J. · Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology · 2026

**Background & Methods** This study performed a systematic content analysis of 121 songs across seven studio albums (2010-2022) by German rapper Haftbefehl to identify and categorize pharmacological and toxicological references to psychotropic substances. Lyrics were obtained from genius.com and analyzed for explicit and contextual drug references, slang terminology, and consumption/trafficking contexts using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. **Key Findings** - Cocaine was the most frequently referenced substance, appearing in 82.6% of analyzed songs, followed by cannabis (52.9%) and alcohol (38.0%) - References to μ-opioid receptor agonists (9.1%) and amphetamine-type substances (7.4%) were significantly less prevalent, with no mentions of benzodiazepines - The lyrics contained extensive slang terminology for substances, particularly for cocaine, indicating sophisticated language use around drug-related content **Dosage & Administration** Not reported. **Safety & Adverse Effects** Not reported. **Evidence Quality** This study represents a qualitative content analysis rather than clinical research, with significant limitations regarding generalizability and clinical relevance. The analysis focuses on a single artist's work, which may not represent broader trends in German rap or influence on youth behavior. The study lacks empirical measurement of actual behavioral outcomes or attitudes among listeners. As a descriptive analysis without control groups or longitudinal follow-up, it provides no causal evidence regarding the relationship between lyrical content and substance use behaviors. The findings are observational in nature and descriptive rather than explanatory. While the study appropriately identifies substance-related content prevalence in popular music—an important cultural phenomenon—it cannot establish mechanistic links between lyrical exposure and substance abuse risk. The research contributes to understanding drug-related messaging in youth-oriented media but should not be construed as clinical evidence regarding cannabis or other substance effects.

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