Hip-Hop thrives on debates, whether fans are arguing about the merits of an artist’s latest release or stacking one rapper’s skills against another’s. As a result, plenty of Hip-Hop fan accounts on social media capitalize on Hip-Hop culture’s contentious tendencies by encouraging online debates and fanning heated discussions. Naturally, some are bound to spark outrage by rap fans, and that is best illustrated by a new poll that pits Talib Kweli versus Young Thug. The Atlanta rapper known for projects like So Much Fun, JEFFERY, and I Came From Nothing led early results in the poll, and Talib Kweli fans were furious, with their commentary making it all the way to the veteran lyricist himself.
Talib Kweli recently posted a screenshot of a fan’s Instagram story that read, “I can’t believe what I’m seeing. The amount of disrespect is ridiculous. @talibkweli goated. To this day I still don’t know what the f*ck Thug be saying.” However, the Black Star rapper’s stance on the matter was far more graceful and laid back.
After starting his caption with a flood of laughing emojis, the rapper wrote, “These kind of polls always crack me up but probably not for the reasons y’all think. Young Thug can’t do what I do and I can’t do what Thugga do. I’m secure and comfortable in that. Yes we both can be qualified as rappers technically but what we do and what we have been inspired by regionally and artistically is so different, the gulf is too wide for this kind of comparison.”
“All of this is subjective anyway, but it’s always fun to see people get passionate about hiphop,” he continued, touching on the nature of the poll. Still, Talib Kweli remains confident in his talents and abilities, writing, “with that said, ain’t nobody beating me in my lane, which is being Talib Kweli.”
Before ending his Instagram post, Talib Kweli also shows love to Young Thug and his generation of Hip-Hop artists, writing, “one love to all the so called “mumble rappers” because while it might sound like mumbling to some of us, many others hear them loud and clear…”
What’s pretty interesting about the poll is that the contest was, at the time, still pretty competitive, with 58% of voters siding with Thugger and 42% going with Talib Kweli. However, as the poll nears its end, Young Thug’s victory has expanded. See the original tweet below, and check out the fan account for more unorthodox Hip-Hop polls.
Do you think polls like the one that inspired Talib Kweli’s statement are foolish or a great way to spark dialogue in Hip-Hop culture?