Fame: The Worst Drug Known to Man

The following is an excerpt from a song by Jay-Z called "Lost One:"

"And I don’t even know how I came to this
Except that fame is
The worst drug known to man
It’s stronger than
Heroin
But you can look in the mirror like ‘there I am”
And still not see what you've become
I know I’m guilty of it too
But not like them
You lost one..."

I really love this particular part of the song because it shows how success or fame can change people. Famous people are constantly in the public eye, constantly receiving some sort of adoration from either their entourage or adoring fans. That type of attention is like a drug, and a drug is something you can become addicted to. What Jay-Z is referring to is an addiction to attention; a craving for the limelight. According to him, this craving for adoration and attention is stronger than a drug-addict's addiction to heroin.

It makes me wonder then, if being famous is all it's cracked up to be. Sure, you have lots of money and attention, but you would have to be naive to believe that obtaining any level of celebrity doesn't change people. I have to admit, when I was a director for my school's senior class play, I let that position of authority get to my head, and it changed how I treated people, and I regret that.

Personally, I would rather live in a middle-class environment with a low profile and maintain my values and beliefs than become some famous millionaire with no morals or empathy for other people. I like how Jay-Z puts it as "looking in a mirror and still not seeing what you've become," because it sums up perfectly how people change. You see yourself as someone who hasn't changed, but your actions have illustrated to other people just how much you have.

When I first heard the song, I didn't quite understand why he called it "Lost One." I now realize that if you allow outside forces to change who you are, you are no longer the same person. You might retain some old qualities, but you lose a part of yourself.