“They tried to make me go to rehab, I said, “No, no, no” Yes, I’ve been black, but when I come back you’ll know, know, know.” These lyrics by Amy Winehouse ring eerily true for many who have abused drugs and alcohol. From prescription drug abuse to extreme alcoholism, we’ve had to say goodbye to so many legends as a result of their addictions. They say success comes with a price and, unfortunately, these celebs paid with their lives.
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Whitney Houston
Legendary singer Whitney Houston drowned in a bathtub after falling into a deep sleep. She had consumed a deadly cocktail of coke and prescription medication, including Xanax and the muscle relaxant Flexeril. Her hotel room was littered with twelve different prescription bottles. She died February 11, 2012 at the age of 48.
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Amy Winehouse
Famously known for her sultry voice and Rehab song, singer Amy Winehouse was found dead in her North London home in 2011. She had been battling a drug and alcohol addiction for years. She was only 27.
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Judy Garland
Best known for clicking her red heels and chanting “There’s no place like home,” The “Wizard of Oz actress died from overdosing on sleeping pills in her London hotel in 1969. She was 47.
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Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger was best known for embodying his role as Joker in the Batman film, Dark Knight The Australian actor overdosed on prescription drugs, including sleeping pills, anti-anxiety drugs and painkillers. He died in New York on January 22, 2008. He was only 28.
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Michael Jackson
The King of Pop and dancer like no other, Michael Jackson, made the whole world gasp at his shocking death, which was due to a lethal injection of the powerful anesthetic propofol. He died on June 25, 2009.
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Brittany Murphy
Rollin’ with the homies “Clueless” actress Brittany Murphy died from prescription drug intoxication, anemia and pneumonia on December 20, 2009. She was just 32 years old.
David Ruffin
Front-man and soulful singer of hit group, The Temptations, David Ruffin died in a crack house in Philadelphia after reportedly splitting ten vials with a friend in less than 30 minutes. He died on June 1, 1991.
Chris Kelly
Chris Kelly, rapper from 90’s hip-hop group Kriss Kross, died of a drug overdose on May 1, 2013. His mom said he used coke and heroine the night before his death. He was 32.
Elvis Presley
Rock ‘n’ Roll king heavily used painkillers, opiates and tranquilizers. He suffered a hearth attack, and died at the age of 42 years on August 16, 1977. His addiction is thought to be the cause of his death.
Dorothy Dandridge
Beautiful, young, and an in-demand Hollywood actress, Dorothy Dandridge seemed to have it all. She was the first African-American actress to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. She died from a drug overdose of the tricyclic antidepressant, melipramine. It was September 8, 1965, several hours after talking with long-time friend, Gerry Brantonfound. Her body was discovered in her West Hollywood flat at 42 years old.
Jean-Michel Basquiat
The Haitian and Puerto Rican artist was hailed for his neo-expressionist, international street art. He battled depression and used drugs heavily to self-medicate. He overdosed on heroin on August 12, 1988, in his New York City studio.
ODB
Rapper ODB collapsed and died in a New York recording studio on November 13, 2004 after complaining of chest pains. His death was caused by a lethal mix of coke and the prescription drug Tramadol, a synthetic opiate that is usually prescribed to treat severe pain.
Donyale Luna
The world’s first black cover girl, Donyale Luna, who was the first African American woman to grace the cover of Vogue magazine, died in an Italian clinic after a drug overdose in 1979. In a 1960’s interview, she admitted her love of LSD, claiming that it was “great.” She was only 34 when she died.
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall Hendrix put the rock in rock ‘n roll. He used blues, funk and soul to take his fans by storm as the king of electric guitar. He died at the age of 27 on September 18, 1970 at Samarkand Hotel. He’d ingested nine prescribed Vesperax sleeping pills and asphyxiated on his own vomit and red wine.
Rob Pilatus of Milli Vanilli
Known for his mesmerizing gaze and lip-syncing fiasco as co-singer of the group Milli Vanilli, Rob Pilatus died of a heart attack in a Frankfurt hotel room on April 2, 1998. He was just 32, and the cause of the heart attack was due to an accidental overdose of Methadone and alcohol.
