Lamar Odom recently opened up about his personal experience with drugs, drawing a chilling comparison to the substances found in late singer Liam Payne’s system. Odom, a former NBA star and recovering addict, reflected on the mental torment he endured while using similar drugs and speculated that they could have played a role in the tragic death of the former One Direction member.
Speaking to TMZ, Odom, who survived a near-fatal overdose in 2015 after a drug binge at a Las Vegas brothel, revealed that he too had suffered from auditory hallucinations while under the influence of crack cocaine and other substances. “I’ve heard voices before,” Odom shared, describing the overwhelming paranoia and confusion that comes with drug-induced hallucinations. “If you’re hearing voices, then it’s hard to escape those voices. So God forbid if those voices told him to do something that led to his fate—that would be a real shame.”
Payne, who passed away after falling from a third-story balcony in Buenos Aires, had a toxicology report that revealed a combination of drugs in his system, including crack, “pink cocaine” (a dangerous mixture of methamphetamine, ketamine, and MDMA), and benzodiazepines, which are often used as depressants. Odom noted how crack, in particular, made him feel paranoid, commenting that the drug can “really drive you up a wall.”
Photos from Payne’s hotel room after his death showed evidence of drug use, with clonazepam—used to treat epilepsy and panic disorders—also found among his possessions.
The singer had reportedly been acting erratically in the days leading up to his death. Eyewitnesses at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires described seeing Payne behaving strangely, with one guest recalling how he had smashed his laptop in the hotel lobby after receiving a distressing email. The hotel manager, in a frantic 911 call, informed dispatchers that he had a guest who appeared to be “high and drunk” and feared for his safety, particularly because the room had a balcony.
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Payne’s death is still under investigation, but authorities have suggested that he may have been alone in his hotel room at the time of the fall. Forensic experts noted the absence of any defensive injuries, indicating that the singer was likely unconscious when he fell.
The National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office in Argentina stated that Payne’s body was found in a position consistent with someone who had been unresponsive during the fall, and his cause of death was attributed to the severe trauma and internal bleeding he suffered from the impact.
Odom, reflecting on the tragic loss of Payne, expressed his sympathy for the singer’s family and emphasized the urgent need for awareness about the dangers of substance abuse. The former Lakers player, who now runs three treatment centers, hopes that Payne’s death serves as a wake-up call for those within the entertainment industry. “It could have been fentanyl… like who knows? Who wants to get high? I call it getting low,” Odom remarked, using the moment to shed light on the often deadly consequences of drug use.
As someone who has personally battled addiction and faced near-death due to substance abuse, Odom’s words carry the weight of experience.
His prayer for Payne’s family, and his hope for increased awareness in the industry, speaks to the ongoing struggle many high-profile individuals face with drugs. Odom’s candid remarks serve as a sobering reminder of the dangers of drug use, particularly in an industry where access to harmful substances is all too common.
