The moment has arrived...and it's a little lackluster to be honest. But that's a good thing. Let me explain. So this all dates back to the Control verse and Kendrick calling out Drake among a myriad of the game's top young rappers in what I thought was a very harmless line about competition. The game disagrees...and ever since, there have been responses, beefs, and minced words about how people felt about it. Drake has highlighted in interviews that he thought calling people out by name was a cheap ploy that anyone could have done, that the verse was forgettable (honestly do you know how that verse begins?), and that if there's beef let there be beef ("when I saw him it was all love though so it was confusing"). Kendrick responded by saying that Drake and him are peers, and that despite getting his start on Drizzy's, Club Paradise Tour, he's okay if they're no longer cool. This was only exacerbated when K. Dot performed at the BET Cypher and dropped, "and Nothing's Been The Same since they dropped Control, and tucked a sensitive rapper back in his pajama clothes."
So then we waited...and waited...and then we waited some goddamn more. Talks about how Drake has to respond, that Kendrick isn't on Drake's level in terms of their respective resumés, and who really is the #1 MC in the game have persisted. Today, Drake released his response on Future's, SH!T, which features lines like, "I hear ya talk about your city like ya run there, then I brought my tour to ya city, you my son there" (Drake just came off a sold-out show at Staples Center in Kendrick's city of L.A.), "and if a nigga say my name, he the hot shit, and if I say that nigga name he still the hot shit, fucked up" (Drake likes Kendrick and his music...what is he supposed to say he's whack?).
I know people will disagree...but I think this was the smartest move the kid from Degrassi could have ever made. I mean, this is Drake's first official "diss" record and this is the most polite shit I've ever heard. I know that hip-hop is a bloodsport and there are definitely winners and losers (see 50 Cent vs. Fat Joe or Rick Ross vs. 50 Cent to see how fickle the game can be). However, this situation does not need a victor.
Drizzy and Kendrick are the top MC's in the game and it would be stupid for Drake to go after him. Kendrick has no shot at touching Drake's touring, sale records, or female-fan base, so a battle back and forth could only hurt Drake's credibility. Of course there are still some Old Heads who think that by not responding aggressively or not saying Kendrick's name in the verse, that Drake has lost...but the game has changed. You need to be smart now, not impulsive. Kendrick had nothing to lose when he spit at that cypher, after all...half of the hip-hop community makes fun of Drake. But you know what...100% of them respect him.
This was a smart, safe, and Jay Z like move from the OVO Camp. Sure Jay went at Nas back in the day (where baby mommas and physical appearances were all touched upon) and shit got ugly...but Jay didn't have Roc Nation Sports, Rocawear, the Brooklyn Nets and D'Usse Cognac to lose at the time. The kid from T.O. doesn't need this petty shit. Spit your game, drop them hit records, and show the world how a 27-year old from Canada rolls with his own record label (OVO Records), clothing line (OVO), sports affiliation (Toronto Raptors), shoe partnership (Air Jordan), soft drink deal (Sprite) AND wears the crown at the same time.
I just think it's funny how they danglin' the bait, but I'm the one that's killing niggas on the hooks though...
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