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Common Has Some Opinions About His Rival, Drake

The respected Chicago rapper defended your favorite Canadian rapper after Yasiin Bey called him 'pop.'

Common coming to the defense of Drake is something I did not expect to see in 2024, especially since the two had a very public beef more than a decade ago in 2012.

But it seems that certain subjects can bring people together.

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During an interview on β€œThe Cutting Room Floor” earlier this month, Hip-Hop great Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def) was asked if he viewed Drake as β€œhip-hop.” Bey said that the β€œ6 God” is more β€œpop” and makes music he would expect to hear while shopping in Target.

Watch the full clip below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zweuggu9IUQ

To no surprise, this led to a widespread debate all across social media, as some agreed with the β€œBlack On Both Sides” emcee while others strongly disagreed with him.

Common is, by far, the most shocking person to come to the defense of the β€œFor All The Dogs” rapper.

During an appearance on Hot 97’s β€œEbro in the Morning,” Common said, β€œI wrote a song called β€˜I Used to Love H.E.R.,’ and that joint was really speaking to when it started becoming real corporate and losing the purity of it. I think now artists can be artists. Some people, if their intention is to just be a pop artist, then so be it.”

β€œTo me, I think Drake comes from Hip Hop. When I first heard him rhyming, I was like, β€˜Yo, this dude rhyming,’ and if he goes out and makes songs that are popular, then that’s what it is. He’s still an MC.”

https://twitter.com/itsavibe/status/1750356982899388704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Ultimately, that’s the correct answer. Say whatever you want about Drake’s music β€” whether you like it or not, he unequivocally makes Hip-Hop music. How can you listen to β€œFor All The Dogs Scary Hours Edition” and not agree?

Can it be formulaic? Yes. Can it be lazy at times? Yes. Is it always great music? No. That doesn’t make it any less Hip-Hop.

Common didn’t shade Bey, telling the Hot 97 crew, β€œYasiin is a genius man. I’ve been around that dude and watched him as an actor, as an artist, and listened to a lot of his raps and he is very high level when it comes to poetic rap β€” not even just poetic rap, but I’m saying he has poetry within his rap. He can style on anything. He can do a lot.”

It’s cool to see Common coming to the defense of Drake considering the two were entrenched in a lyrical beef in 2011 and 2012. There were multiple shots thrown by each MC. Remember β€œSweet,” the third single from his ninth album, β€œThe Dream/The Believer?” That was a diss toward Drizzy.

Remember Drake’s legendary verse on β€œStay Schemin?” Nearly half of those bars were aimed toward the Chicago emcee.

Even during a 2019 interview, Common admitted, β€œWhen we had that beef, that beef was for real for me. It was real for him.”

The fact that Common has grown past it enough to come to the defense of his rival is something you have to respect.

Straight From The Root

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