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 βThe Cutting Room Floorβ earlier this month, Hip-Hop great Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def) was asked if he viewed Drake as βhip-hop.β Bey said that the β6 Godβ is more βpopβ and makes music he would expect to hear while shopping in Target.
Watch the full clip below:
To no surprise, this led to a widespread debate all across social media, as some agreed with the βBlack On Both Sidesβ emcee while others strongly disagreed with him.
Common is, by far, the most shocking person to come to the defense of the βFor All The Dogsβ rapper.
During an appearance on Hot 97βs βEbro in the Morning,β Common said, βI wrote a song called βI Used to Love H.E.R.,β 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
βTo me, I think Drake comes from Hip Hop. When I first heard him rhyming, I was like, βYo, this dude rhyming,β and if he goes out and makes songs that are popular, then thatβs what it is. Heβs still an MC.β
Ultimately, thatβs the correct answer. Say whatever you want about Drakeβs music β whether you like it or not, he unequivocally makes Hip-Hop music. How can you listen to βFor All The Dogs Scary Hours Editionβ and not agree?
Can it be formulaic? Yes. Can it be lazy at times? Yes. Is it always great music? No. That doesnβt make it any less Hip-Hop.
Common didnβt shade Bey, telling the Hot 97 crew, βYasiin is a genius man. Iβve 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 Iβm saying he has poetry within his rap. He can style on anything. He can do a lot.β
Itβs 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 βSweet,β the third single from his ninth album, βThe Dream/The Believer?β That was a diss toward Drizzy.
Remember Drakeβs legendary verse on βStay Schemin?β Nearly half of those bars were aimed toward the Chicago emcee.
Even during a 2019 interview, Common admitted, βWhen we had that beef, that beef was for real for me. It was real for him.β
The fact that Common has grown past it enough to come to the defense of his rival is something you have to respect.
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