In case anyone still doubted that hip-hop is one of cannabis’ most powerful cultural platforms, a new academic study has finally put hard numbers behind what the culture has been saying for decades.
According to research published in the journal Substance Use & Misuse, more than 37% of hip-hop and rap music videos produced in the United States feature cannabis imagery.
Sounds about right, doesn’t it? But this isn’t a vibe check or an editorial take. It’s a large-scale content analysis. Researchers reviewed 1,160 music videos, in both English and German, that appeared on YouTube’s Top 100 charts throughout 2024, logging every instance of cannabis and nicotine. They then cross-referenced those appearances with total view counts through March 2025.
They found thousands of cannabis scenes which, when multiplied by audience reach, resulted in an estimated 49 billion cannabis impressions. And there’s more: this isn’t just about geography. It’s about genre.
The U.S.: more weed, more hip-hop, less nicotine
When it comes to the U.S., the data is pretty unambiguous. Within hip-hop and rap videos:
- 37.2% include cannabis
- Only 8.8% show nicotine
- Hip-hop accounts for the vast majority of cannabis depictions across genres
- Other genres trail far behind
Statistically speaking, hip-hop music videos are 13 times more likely to feature cannabis or nicotine than videos from other genres.
But beyond the numbers, the study confirms something hip-hop culture has been rapping about for decades: weed isn’t a prop or a costume in hip-hop, it’s part of the language.
From the genre’s earliest days, cannabis has signaled identity, creativity, and belonging. It’s been there for the cyphers, the bedroom studios, the tour buses, the pre-session rituals, and the day-to-day life narrated in the lyrics. Lyrically and visually, cannabis has long been tied to resistance, leisure, the neighborhood, and (when it arrives) success. It’s cultural continuity. And that continuity has played a real role in normalizing cannabis within mainstream popular culture.
Germany: Less weed, more tobacco
One of the study’s most striking contrasts comes from Germany. In German hip-hop and rap videos:
- Only 9.4% include cannabis
- 38% feature nicotine
- Tobacco remains the dominant substance
- Cannabis appears far more marginally
In short: less weed, more cigarettes.
That gap matters. It raises cultural, regulatory, and generational questions. While cannabis visibility in the U.S. has grown alongside legalization efforts, public debate, and a rapidly expanding industry, Germany’s mainstream imagery —even amid recent regulatory shifts— still appears more anchored to nicotine.
And yet, the broader pattern holds on both sides of the Atlantic: hip-hop is the genre most likely to depict substances, regardless of country.
Why this matters (without moral panic)
The researchers make an important clarification: their findings are descriptive, not judgmental. They don’t assess whether cannabis appears in a positive, negative, or neutral light. They simply document how often it shows up, and where.
So why pay attention? Because YouTube remains one of the most heavily used platforms among young people, and hip-hop is one of the most listened-to genres in those age groups. At that intersection, cannabis becomes a routine part of the media environment, not an outlier.
The study suggests these findings can help inform discussions about:
- Age-appropriate content labeling
- Media literacy
- How shifting social norms and legal frameworks are reflected in popular culture
Not to ban or censor, but to understand.
Cover photo created with AI.
