Houston Drug Lord On Being Codeine Kingpin, Making Millions Every Day, Causing OPIOID CRISIS

In this episode Houston legend Mike D — the man many call the original King of Lean — unpacks the true story behind codeine culture in the American South.

Before “lean” was a mainstream rap flex… before double cups and purple memes… there was a street-level hustle that changed Houston forever.

Mike D breaks down how promethazine with codeine went from a quiet substitute for heroin to a full-blown cultural phenomenon — influencing DJ Screw, the Screwed Up Click, and icons like Pimp C, Bun B, and Lil Wayne. What started as something passed around on the corner turned into an underground empire moving thousands of dollars a day — long before law enforcement even understood what was happening.

In this interview, we cover:

* How Mike D became Houston’s go-to supplier
* The birth of “drank” culture inside DJ Screw’s house
* The economics of the codeine black market
* Street wars between Houston neighborhoods
* Texas prison brutality and plantation-style incarceration
* The real story behind Pimp C’s death
* Addiction, droughts, and what happens when supply dries up
* How music and drugs fed off each other to build a movement

This isn’t just a drug story.
It’s a story about culture, capitalism, addiction, loyalty, betrayal — and how one underground market reshaped Southern hip-hop forever.

From Astroworld fights to state prison bids… from Mercedes at 16 to moving cases of syrup… Mike D tells it all.

Go Support Mike!

YouTube: @1on1wMikeDpodcast (studio.youtube.com/channel/UCxjbg-UPWesDMk-LBt…)

Join The Patreon For Bonus Content!
patreon.com/theconnectshow

00:00 Introduction & Mike D's Beginnings
01:20 Early Hustle, Music & Street Life
07:16 Houston's Hood Culture & Neighborhood Conflicts
17:51 Inside State Prison and Houston's Rap Legends
19:35 This Episode Is Sponsored By CashApp
21:12 Pimp C, UGK & Houston's Musical Roots
27:47 The Origins of Lean & Houston's Drug Culture
32:12 Spreading Lean Culture, The Detail Shop, and DJ Screw
38:42 This Episode Is Sponsored By Betterhelp
39:52 The Screw House, Houston Rap Scene & Lean Epidemic
45:50 Market Growth, Addiction & Codeine Business Expands
52:44 Scarcity, Turf Wars & Million Dollar Moves
59:42 The California Connection & Smuggling Lean
01:10:32 Law Enforcement, Risks, and Hustle Tactics
01:17:12 Market Collapse, Addiction, and the Opioid Shift
01:29:30 The Bust, Downfall & Lessons from the Game
01:42:43 Legacy, Chopped & Screwed, and the Codeine Cowboy
01:46:42 Closing Thoughts & Where to Find Mike D

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices