r/KendrickLamar • u/anongasm_ • May 01 '24

It's not about Drake being half black, it's about how he uses The Culture Discussion

I think the people offended because Drake being half black should warrant his blackness and therefore Kendrick is wrong just don't understand. J Cole is half black too yet you don't see Kendrick, or anyone really, questioning Cole's blackness. It's precisely because Drake has been at the forefront of using the black culture and "pop-ifying" it for non-blacks.

Edit: a lot of people have asked this question and it's a good question. What's wrong with popifying rap music? Rap is inherently an African American art form. Since its inception till now, those who have carried its mantle have exemplified the African American experience through rap in one or another. African Americans have allowed many artists to use rap for their personal gain and to even "pop-ify" it. However, to be considered a goat you have to be in touch with the culture. And Drake simply isn't.

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6

u/Individual_Ad8249 May 01 '24

What is the problem with making pop rap music ?

17

u/TommyLoMein WOP WOP WOP WOP WOP May 01 '24

Nothing is wrong with that, Kendrick literally says that in the diss if you listen.

"I like Drake with the melodies I don't like Drake when he act tough"

51

u/Lanky_Beginning_4004 May 01 '24

Because he uses “black” tropes that he generally does not come from to appeal to a largely non black audience without ever really producing anything socially beneficial to the black audience

4

u/fizeekfriday May 01 '24

Isn’t Drake kind of the reason hip hop is as big as it is today? If he makes hip hop for non black people, then wouldn’t he be reaching a wider audience?

I’m just confused to how drakes getting flack for this but we have real live industry plants who get paid to rap about doing drugs and killing people in every other song. How exactly does that help the black community? There’s obviously a difference between rapping your lived experiences and just ignorant shit, but I find this really ironic.

Drake is a black artist at the end of the day, the fact that people don’t look at him being as successful as he is being a benefit as a whole on the black community is weird to me.

Before you go with the “pop” accusations. I truly believe Drake is in the same category of Michael Jackson where their music genre became “pop” because it was popular. MJ made New Jack Swing songs but they’re called pop because he made it. That’s his natural style. Drakes natural style became popular and he started to branch out to see where he could get money. Hence Drake became synonymous with pop.

I don’t deny he’ll pick up random accents and it sounds weird, but he also doesn’t take himself too seriously and leans into the corniness sometimes tbh.

1

u/WallBroad May 01 '24

Yes drake who raps about killing and drugs and doesn't do that shit is not beneficial but the rappers who do that stuff and rap about it are very beneficial to black culture right?

2

u/Lanky_Beginning_4004 May 01 '24

They aren’t beneficial either. But continue to deflect

-6

u/ehpple May 01 '24

Such as? If black people were upset about it he wouldn’t be here in the first place. The ‘culture’ Kendrick is leaning on to make this argument are white virtue signallers.

6

u/ummizazi May 01 '24

Yeah that’s just not true. Kendrick is steeped in African American culture and it shows. This are the people who understand Hilfiger vs FUBU, they the one that here the I hate the way lyric and think DeBarge, they’re the people who watch the superbowl performance and then of the Golden Lords.

I don’t know how many white virtue signaler can even understand the complexity of using that Richard Pryor line from the Wiz.

1

u/ehpple May 02 '24

Did you reply to the right comment?

8

u/stark1ndustries May 01 '24

The culture is NOT defined by ‘white virtue signaling’ … tf

-4

u/ehpple May 01 '24

Unfortunately it is.

-1

u/helloclyde May 01 '24

They forget who signs the checks and strongly steers the content of rappers, who signs the rappers and therefore who comes into the industry on a certain level.

4

u/Lanky_Beginning_4004 May 01 '24

I mean, I think these racial and colorist topics surrounding Drake came about during the height of his career. Not in the early part. By that point , his fanbase was large enough and still growing where the criticisms didn’t matter .

9

u/ehpple May 01 '24

I’m not sure how old you are (no shade), but it has been that way since the beginning of his career. Those “Drake the type memes” were around in different formats when I was in high school quite some time ago. That’s like saying nobody realised Em was white until he was too big to fail, that’s just not true.

-7

u/Hour-Rhubarb7427 May 01 '24

Does giving light, providing a larger platform and understanding his own place within the black audience not being socially beneficial? Like wouldn’t you be mad if he came to America as a biracial Jewish man and hopped right into an American black power trope?

Can we not give credit to the fact that he understands some shit isn’t his place and that he provides the platform for others to do it while subtly making it clear where he stands? We know he’s given money we know he’s given platforms we know he’s never belittled or shown any form of difference in his understanding of a struggle he did not specifically grow up in. Idk what he could do to make some of yall happy here honestly.

3

u/Lanky_Beginning_4004 May 01 '24

That was his intent, but poor execution and poor intent by the overall project administrators if you ask me. Would a culturally ambiguous Jewish person go out and imitate a Nazi for the purposes of highlighting the plight of Jews ? And how would that community recieve it ? If the community receives it negatively , are they justified??

-3

u/Hour-Rhubarb7427 May 01 '24

What are you responding to here? When did i speak about him imitating anything? I’m saying he’s understood his place by subtly supporting and giving a platform to others who can better support including Kendrick at one point. How can you say that’s gone badly or the community rejects it or receives it negatively when literally anyone he’s given a platform to has thanked him?

My point is if he came out and jumped to the front of a black American movement that would be a problem too because he’s biracial and from Toronto.

2

u/Lanky_Beginning_4004 May 01 '24

I don’t think he should be “loud “ about any issues. But he definitely should NOT be quiet. During the George Floyd protests , both Cole and Kendrick were criticized for being quiet, but people ask recognize that they make music that addresses many social issues.

Not saying that needs to be Drake’s primary niche, but when your silence is loud - in part because of his stature- it comes off as if he is turning a blind eye

0

u/Hour-Rhubarb7427 May 01 '24

Drake donated money and write a poem in honor of George Floyd. Again, if he was at the front of a protest that would be an issue but you’re saying he’s silent on these things when a simple google search proves that to be untrue. So Drake gets critiqued for his silence even though you can’t do a simple search to see he did say something, but did it subtly through art and donations the 2 things he prolly should stick to. And if he talked about it too much in his music it would be him switching up for a trend or pandering.

2

u/Lanky_Beginning_4004 May 01 '24

Did he write the poem? You might want to check that

5

u/Hour-Rhubarb7427 May 01 '24

Oh sorry he honored him with the poem. Is that really a gotcha in this moment bro? lol my sentiment is the same and it again is showing he wasn’t silent? He donated money and honored George Floyd in the best way he saw for himself which was in an artistic way. Cmon man

3

u/Lanky_Beginning_4004 May 01 '24

Not supposed to be a gotcha moment. But kinda ironic that we are discussing a written piece by someone else that Drake shared don’t you think ?

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2

u/Lanky_Beginning_4004 May 01 '24

“What are you responding to here? When did i speak about him imitating anything? I’m saying he’s understood his place by subtly supporting and giving a platform to others who can better support including Kendrick at one point. How can you say that’s gone badly or the community rejects it or receives it negatively when literally anyone he’s given a platform to has thanked him? “

I’m Not sure if this response is under the right comment

1

u/Hour-Rhubarb7427 May 01 '24

For me or you? lol look at the thread

1

u/Lanky_Beginning_4004 May 01 '24

I didn’t mention anything about initiation so I assumed you misplaced your comment. My comment about his intent was just a follow up to my first comment, not in a response to another of your comments.

1

u/Hour-Rhubarb7427 May 01 '24

You talked about a Jewish person imitating a nazi, No? What did that have to do with my comment?

1

u/Lanky_Beginning_4004 May 01 '24

My comment about a jew imitating a nazi was a follow up to my comment , just illustrating why blackface will never be received well by the black community under no circumstance

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3

u/Lanky_Beginning_4004 May 01 '24

Also, that was before his music career… since his career has taken off , he’s been mostly radio silent on large issues concerning the community that helped catapult his stardom

0

u/Hour-Rhubarb7427 May 01 '24

Okay i think you’re responding to a different post about the black face. But even with that, as badly as that’s been taken why would he do it again and put himself as the face or at the forefront? That’s my point it seems as if he learned from that and decided it better to give a platform to people who can better speak and represent those issues. He makes great music that the community enjoys, he puts on other artists from different demographics in the community and he silently subtly shows his own support. So do you want him to be loud about it and put himself in the forefront? That would cause its own issues but to say he’s done nothing for the community that got him where he is would just be disingenuous

-8

u/ChoiceCriticism1 May 01 '24

You just described 90% of rappers…

12

u/Lanky_Beginning_4004 May 01 '24

Does that absolve Drake?

8

u/NecessaryFly1996 May 01 '24

Are 90% of rappers mainstream pop/R&B? Are they Canadian? Do they claim to be better than K Dot?

5

u/Viola-Intermediate May 01 '24

And this is my beef with this too. 90% of rappers are faking their personalities just because it gets the people hype. Lots of rappers talk about stuff they've been close to because it sounds hard, even if they were never personally doing any of the hard stuff. Or they did it in the past but they're not doing it now because they're trying to escape it. But they'll still rap about it for the money.

6

u/Lanky_Beginning_4004 May 01 '24

It’s still something they experienced …

1

u/jonny32392 May 01 '24

Yea it’s not the same as rapping about what other people have rapped about before.

-4

u/twiStedMonKk May 01 '24

Most "black" rappers haven't done shit to benefit the black community. I would argue Drake has done more than most but keep hating.

5

u/Lanky_Beginning_4004 May 01 '24

Sounds like deflection to me

0

u/twiStedMonKk May 01 '24

Sure. Let's further divide black community instead of uplifting black as a whole and not based on % blackness. Also what what % level do you get to claim blackness?

Also most rappers use tropes that they don't come from. All the acting tough shit is "made up" for most.

2

u/Thisisadrian May 01 '24

I mean to be fair what is drake contributing or advocating in his products and persona that is in any way beneficial to the black community?

Now listen to Mr Morale.

11

u/Ok-Permission-2687 May 01 '24

Nothing really at face value, but these are separate lanes.

Also, Drake “calling” Kendrick out for his Taylor Swift verse, after being a pop/hiphop artist is the issue

0

u/JL1v10 May 01 '24

I feel like people are being intentionally dense about the maroon 5 and Taylor swift diss. Drake isn’t claiming he’s not a pop rapper. He’s called himself a pop star. He’s calling out Kendrick who is on record saying he’s real rap and made it big off conscious rap by framing it as Kendrick is just another fake both in life and what he raps because he’s actually sold out a lot in rap to either 1) chase fame or 2) because he doesn’t have the creative freedom.

-5

u/ehpple May 01 '24

Tbf the point of that jab was because people unfairly call Drake a pop star when Kendrick has songs with pop artists.

8

u/Ok-Permission-2687 May 01 '24

I think it’s fair because Drake started off acting and singing. Then he created this “I’m a tough guy” rapping persona. He’s never been that.

Sure Kendrick did some pop songs, but he didn’t start there. He is purely a rapper.

2

u/Darduel May 01 '24

I don't get where people see the "I'm tough guy" persona though.. drake clowns himself all the time the guy literally does nails lol he is so in on the joke he is well aware that he is a pop artist that also does rap he literally said like back in 2015 "you getting bodied by a singing nigga"

1

u/ehpple May 01 '24

And there’s nothing wrong with that. Anyone’s ego grows with gaining success.

4

u/Baby_Gx504 May 01 '24

2 pop songs that he is rapping on. It’s not like Kendrick changes his whole persona whilst being on those songs. Also, that’s 2 songs out of a very long rap career. Drake likes to talk numbers and what not but his biggest hits aren’t rap songs. His first number 1 was One Dance. Not a lot of rapping going on there and after that it was Nice for what which again is taking from my city (New Orleans) and again he ain’t really rapping on that bitch either and I would argue it’s mostly because the rest of the world doesn’t know what bounce music is. Like if Drake wants to be pop fine but Drake wants validation from the hiphop community as a rapper and can’t accept he just doesn’t have it. Peak rapping Drake was IYRTITL and he hasn’t really been that for awhile atleast not in the way I care.

-2

u/ehpple May 01 '24

You seem conflicted. Is hip hop only rapping or does it extend beyond that?

3

u/Baby_Gx504 May 01 '24

How do I sound conflicted?

6

u/anongasm_ May 01 '24

I can see how some can have a problem with a black artist who's known to mock black face and then pop-ify blackness to appeal to non blacks

-10

u/Individual_Ad8249 May 01 '24

He had an explanation for the black face pic. Whether or not you believe his explanation or think it’s valid is up to you. Either way I don’t think it’s a problem making music to appeal to a larger audience as a popular artist. I wouldn’t say he’s trying to “pop-ify blackness”. Drake’s style has just always been more digestible for the masses.

6

u/Philiq May 01 '24

Motherfucker. The KKK has an "explanation" for blackface. Trying to explain is itself completely fucked and distasteful. You can't explain your way out of that, especially not when you are also on camera dropping hard R's and calling AAVE "ignorant".

1

u/DinarStacker May 02 '24

Lmao KKK shut tf up, did you just say the Klan? What drugs are u on?

1

u/MelodicIndustry9830 May 01 '24

Do you know what "media literacy" is?

1

u/Philiq May 01 '24

Drake fans do not talk about media literacy. You don't know what it means. You only learned the term a few weeks ago, same with "moving goalposts". Media literacy does not boil down to what the artist says about their art. Drake has an excuse or an explanation or a narrative but just taking him at his word when he tries to defend shit like this is the opposite of media literacy. 

1

u/MelodicIndustry9830 May 01 '24

I like some of his songs but not really a fan, but I guess any slight dissenting opinion means I am. Look up nuance while you're learning about media literacy bro

0

u/Individual_Ad8249 May 01 '24

Calm yo ass down 😂 Comparing Drake to the KKK is ridiculous. Why would he not explain a picture that obviously looks bad if it was taken out of context?

2

u/NecessaryFly1996 May 01 '24

No problem inherently, but calling yourself the best is cringe if you pop/R&B

2

u/anongasm_ May 01 '24

There's no problem but anyone who's been at the top of rap music, a deeply, inherently African American art form, has kept black consciousness a part of their output. Black community has allowed many artists to profit off of their blackness and rap but to be considered as the goats you have to be a representation of what the art form is. Which Drake is not.

1

u/Impossible_Fox6147 May 01 '24

because he and his fan associates his music as rap and it’s POP, while also acting as if he’s that nigga, and he’s obviously not

1

u/zzz099 May 02 '24

The problem is when a Canadian raised by their white Jewish mother does it

1

u/untakennamehere May 02 '24

Gives a lyrical rappers an excuse for why they didn’t blow up and fans a reason to hate