this post was submitted on 05 May 2024
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Generally these sorts of feuds are a flash in the pan without breaking Kayfabe. This, however, is quite different.
Kendrick Lamar and Drake are two of the most successful artists in the industry. Their music appeals to very different tastes. Drake’s music has been relaxed, poppy, and laid-back. Think of the kind of hip-hop/pop that you’d listen to in a car with mixed company or at a bar. Kendrick Lamar’s work is much less approachable by pop-music standards. It’s more emotional, bitter, and raw. His most recent album feels almost like an explosive therapy session. They’ve both seen regular airtime, but Drake’s music is much more palatable to a wide audience.
Kendrick fans will see Drake’s music (and by extension, Drake himself) as “fake” or as a “sell-out” since his music aims for the most broad appeal possible without making a “statement”. Drake fans will see Kendrick and his music as “angsty”, downplaying Kendrick’s success since Drake is more popular in the “mainstream”.
They both have their pernicious aspects. Drake has allegedly used money and coercion to silence women that he’s slept with, allegedly isn’t super involved with the lives of his children, and allegedly surrounds himself with registered sex offenders (including allegations of questionable conduct coming from his Instagram account). Kendrick has… let’s say “complicated” opinions on R-Kelly and the way music platforms like Spotify responded to his downfall. However, to my knowledge, Kendrick faces far fewer allegations of sexual misconduct (at least nothing that’s publicly known).
What makes this particular “beef” (or feud) exceptional is the degree of vitriol coming from Kendrick toward Drake. And it’s not anything that Drake can really “defend” against. I’m not suggesting that Drake himself is a sex offender, but surrounding yourself with registered sex offenders is horrible optics. In addition, some of Drake’s entourage has flipped, becoming informants for Kendrick and confirming some of the rumors floating about.
Anyway, that’s my summary. Full disclosure: I personally prefer Kendrick’s music to Drake’s. However, I don’t really care too much about feuds in the rap world. I just hope no one resorts to violence.
You can't just throw out terminology like that to explain something to someone who has already told you they don't understand rap culture…
Kayfabe is not rap culture but wrestler culture. For anyone who doesn't know what it's mean, is the make believe world that artists and fans pretend is true to keep the drama going on.
Right, so kayfabe is like…"don't break the masquerade"?
Basically, it means you stay in character at all times. If you're being enemies with someone at the time, you can't be seen being nice to them, ever, even if you're all just colleagues and the fight is for ratings.
Until you go too far and spit on a little girl's face.
Not just that, but don't acknowledge that it is a masquerade. Wrestling is "real" in that the performers and fans act like it is, even though everyone knows it isn't.
I don't really find my taste in music and government need to have anything to do with each other.
There is that layer but I'm not that invested into it. I just like the music and rappers can get motivated by it.
"Some rappers are fighting" is not exactly crucial breaking news. If you don't get it you don't have to care.
But it’s a wrestling term, gottem
I still have catching up to do. Which track goes into the R Kelly stuff?
Nothing that Drake’s talked about so far, but I was trying to be fair. As the commenter was asking for a neutral perspective.
Specifically, I'm referring to Kendrick's threat to remove his own music after Spotify stated to take down R. Kelly's work. I don’t think Kendrick condones R-Kelly’s behavior but his opinion is an easy point of attack that Drake likely won’t swing at since he’s a shit lyricist.
I think it could be seen as "separate the art. From the artist". Okay, yes, the artist is absolutely fucking horrific. But. If the music is alright, then it should be removed, especially if it helps others.
One example of this from me is Call Of Duty Advanced Warfare. Whilst there is an argument to be made about Spacey, I thoroughly enjoyed the campaign of that game and will replay it every so often. This has happened woth music artists that I thoroughly enjoy. Whilst I can't name any off the top of my head, I think one or two may have been on the worse side.
There's also a case for Elvis Presley, I have heard of bad things that he has done, and those are terrible actions, I do still enjoy his music.
For a really extreme example, Hitler. His actions and opinions are vile. But he was a talented painter.
My point being, I feel there is a case in Kendrick's opinions of R Kelly that whilst he doesn't support those actions, his views could be, fuck the artist, but don't fuck the art.
Drake's main new allegation is that Kendrick allegedly committed domestic violence against his wife, and that one of his friends could be the real father of their kid. Which Kendrick chose not to respond too.
I'm sure no one who is actually involved will resort to violence, only dumb fans would do that.
I don’t think it’s worth Kendrick’s time (or anyone’s) to respond to “your kid isn’t actually yours”. Not an attack on his character, not relevant to the discussion, and well-adjusted adults are able to move past this kind of infidelity.
Domestic violence would be fair game and definitely worthy of response. I’d be interested to hear what Kendrick has to say. His capacity for self-reflection was apparent in Mr Morale and it would make for a fascinating track. I do not hold out hope that we’ll see any real comments on this point on any diss track that comes from this beef. There are far too many easy targets for Kendrick to fire at and the subject deserves more than one or two lines in between verses calling Drake a pussy.