Drake vs Kendrick
When J. Cole spat on Drake’s song First Person Shooter from his album ‘For All the Dogs’:
was his intention to ignite a decade-old simmering feud in hip hop? Kendrick Lamar, sensitive to sneak dissing with his bipolar temperament and self-confessed PTSD, clapped back: “Motherfuck the big three, nigga, it’s just big me.”
Cole’s Underwhelming Response
Cole’s 7 Minute Drill response was lame and goofy. He apologized and confessed: “I was conflicted because… I know how I feel about my peers, these two [rappers] that I’ve been blessed to even stand beside… But the world wants to see blood.”
But who wanted this? A lyrical death match between the two biggest rappers in the game. It’s part of the culture—a test of lyrical skill and a declaration of superiority that has produced hundreds of classic diss tracks but also countless murders in the process but who cares?
The Commercial Success vs. Artistic Genius
Drake, with his vulnerable blend of rap and R&B, is the most commercially successful hip-hop artist of the 21st century versus Kendrick, the acclaimed newcomer with his eccentric style, conceptual vision, and compelling rhymes. Friendly fire over the years became a volcanic eruption, and after reaching monumental heights, the battle has hit an apparent lull.
Kendrick’s Uncontested Victory
Kendrick’s victory was irrefragable. A lyrical genius, master storyteller—the only rapper to win a Pulitzer Prize for Music – would you enjoy being on the receiving end of that pent-up, venomous tongue-lashing straight from Compton?
But after dropping “Not Like Us,” some asked if he felt good going to bed that night. In the aftermath of the salvos fired, fans of both rappers are debating the merits of their arguments, and some believe that the reputations of both artists have already been torched. To be crowned King in that empty chair is a heavy burden.
The Corporate Connection: UMG’s Role
While Drake and Lamar profess to be mortal enemies, their corporate ties make them look more like frenemies. Universal Music Group (UMG), the world’s largest recorded music company, ties them together through Lamar’s licensing deal with Interscope Records and Drake’s OVO affiliation with UMG’s Republic Records.
No matter which of these superstars are shocking fans with the latest revelatory dishing of dirt upon each other and the culture, UMG is raking in the money.
Media Reaction and UMG’s Profits
BBC Radio 1Xtra, a British digital radio station owned and operated by the BBC, broadcasts black and urban music, including hip-hop and R&B. Apparently, they retain listeners by playing the hottest, most popular songs over and over again.
But after another round of:
this particular DJ expressed an unspoken sentiment: “I don’t like playing this song,” he said. “It makes me feel awkward,” –
while the honchos of UMG, the real certified bogeymen, contemptuously puff their big cigars, pat each other on the back, and raise their glasses to the tremor.
Another poem by Skendong: Popcorn Brain: Here Is a Unique Addiction Exposed