Bieber Celebrates ‘Swag’ Success With DMX Reflection and Family Time

Justin Bieber’s public life has always been met with an intense level of scrutiny, but the singer reignited conversation surrounding religion, sobriety, and personal choice — without saying a word — on Instagram on Sunday.

The 31-year-old singer reposted a video clip to his Instagram Story that originally aired over a decade ago. The simple clip, from a 2013 episode of the reality show Iyanla: Fix My Life, sent fans online scrambling to interpret its meaning.

In the clip, DMX is heard responding to a question from life coach and television host Iyanla Vanzant: “Do you want to live your life as a clean man?” the coach asks the rapper. “No weed, no drinking, nothing? Why would I?” DMX retorts. “If you’re sober, you can be a clear, pure vessel for the voice of God,” Vanzant continues. “I think I’m exactly where I need to be with God,” DMX calmly responds.

The video was originally posted by Gassy, a cannabis dispensary in Los Angeles, and Bieber reposted it to his Story with no caption. But in a realm where a caption can go a long way, Bieber’s silence on the matter spoke volumes.

Fans and curious viewers alike began to question the singer’s reasoning behind the repost, his relationship with sobriety, and his relationship with Christianity in light of his own public changes and struggles over the years.

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Fans expressed both support and speculation in the comments section of Gassy’s original post, the Daily Dot reported. “Justin just quoted DMX from an interview when Iyanla asks him about sobriety and if he wants to live sober,” one fan wrote. “Justin agrees with DMX cause he smokes weed so ? ????????? ?♀️ He was just in agreement with the quote.”

Another fan concurred, “Justin smoked weed before marrying Hailey, and this confirms it.” A third wrote, “DMX was right bro … And Justin does the same…. Why be sober? God is real.”

Fans of Bieber have questioned him over his relationship with sobriety and cannabis use in the past. The singer’s own publicized growth and change have centered on his Christian faith. He is a self-professed Christian and is currently known to be very close to Churchome pastor Judah Smith.

In a 2018 docuseries with his then-girlfriend Hailey Baldwin, Bieber spoke at length about his past struggles with fame, mental health, drug use, and his journey back to sobriety through his faith. Bieber’s testimony in that same 2018 series with Hailey included a major showdown between Bieber and God, resulting in what many called a spiritual breakthrough for Bieber.

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Now a father of one, Bieber and his wife welcomed their son, Jack Blues Bieber, into the world in September 2022. Friends and family of Bieber claim he’s an entirely different person since becoming a father, with the singer himself often sharing updates on social media about his son.

He has grown calmer, more grounded, and — despite the public scrutiny that often comes with regramming an old video — has less overall concern with public perception and is allowing himself to exist more fully, simply.

Instagram/Front Row Management

In the past, Bieber has posted photos of himself with bongs and other smoking paraphernalia that are seemingly visible with smoke surrounding him. Many fans of Bieber have expressed concern over this, and despite the optics, his team has been quick to make it clear that he is not breaking the law or engaging in dangerous activity.

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In fact, according to a rep for Bieber speaking to TMZ in February, “The recurring narrative that Justin is using hard drugs is not true.” The rep said he is in “one of the best places in his life.” They added that he is currently “focused on family life” with Hailey and raising his son.

In addition, the rep said 2023 has been “a very transformative” year for Bieber, in which he cut ties with “many long-term business relationships, both personal and professional, that no longer serve his life.” Justin Bieber’s seventh studio album, Swag, dropped on July 11 and, just days later, fans are buzzing.

A planned Australian tour is rumored, but according to Rolling Stone, when asked for comment, Frontier Touring said they had “no information” on the tour. This would be the singer’s first after canceling his Justice World Tour in 2022 for health reasons.

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Whether Bieber tours or not, he appears to be in a quieter, more introspective chapter of his life — one he has said he needed more of after his first few albums. From fatherhood to faith and growth as an artist, Justin Bieber, at 31, appears more intent on being his truest self than on public approval.

And if his DMX video regram is any indication of his true self, the singer isn’t afraid to post things that get people talking — even if those things pose more questions than they answer.