Hate him or love him, Drake is one of the world’s most successful rap acts. As he so boastfully brags through his music, he’s surpassed several titans, such as The Beatles and the late Michael Jackson’s metric markers. Despite his record-breaking achievements to some, Drake still isn’t “hip-hop enough.”
On January 13, Yasiin Bey (previously professionally known as Mos Def) shared his thoughts on Drake’s music, and it sent users online into a frenzy. During an appearance on The Cutting Room Floor podcast, when asked by host Recho Omondi if he considered Drake to be a hip-hop act, Bey didn’t hold back.
“Why are you doing this to me,” he said. “Drake is pop to me, in the sense like, if I was in Target in Houston and I heard a Drake song… it feels like a lot of his music is compatible with shopping. Or shopping with an edge in certain instances… It’s likable.”
Bey went on to provide further context to his initial response. “What happens when this thing collapses,” he said. “What happens when the columns start buckling? Are we not in some early stage of that at this present hour? Are we seeing the collapse of the empire? Buying and selling, where’s the message that I can use? What’s in it for your audience apart from banging the pom-poms?”
@tcrfff
Season 5 Episode 2 #yasiinbey
The response caused a ripple effect online, with musicians, critics, and fans alike chiming in. Read a few of their responses below.
Drake took “If skills sold, truth be told, I’d probably be lyrically Talib Kweli” and amplified it x10 in comparison to Jay. Drake really started off as a Hip Hop purist type who found way more success going commercial, but the roots are def still in him. He still brings it out https://t.co/2NUZktYcTa
— DJ R-Tistic (@DJRTistic) January 13, 2024
Mos Def is a hip hop purist. Some shit ain’t gon ever be fly to him no matter how much money it makes. His hip hop principles work differently.
— jennay sehkwa (@Beatlove91) January 13, 2024
Missy Elliott Hip Hop but Drake isn’t Hip Hop? Make it make sense. They are BOTH Hip Hop. Hip Hop isn’t just ppl rapping like Black Thought or some sh*t. Y’all continue with bad Hip Hop takes because you don’t like an artist but forget their resume & facts. Facts don’t matter.
— TONYDaDome (@EnterDaDome) January 13, 2024
drake makes pop rap. a quarter of his catalog is pop songs he made on purpose. I do not understand how this is a controversial statement
— open michael eagle (@Mike_Eagle) January 14, 2024
Drake been fighting the “he’s not hip hop/a rapper” allegations since 09. He’s a Rapper. He’s Hip Hop and he has a catalogue of music that includes raw hip hop tracks and Pop ones. Two things can be true.
His music’s subject matter has seemed uninspired but he is still Hip Hop
— The Jobfather
(@TheJobfather__) January 14, 2024
Scary Hours 3 is Drake’s lowest streaming project allegedly. He rapping on the whole thing and I love it.
Thats not pop.
— IG: Mickey.Factz (@MickeyFactz) January 14, 2024
Listen to the full episode of The Cutting Room Floor podcast on Patreon. Find more information here.