Re: The Offical Rap Thread Part 3

[izzy]

Pretty sure he uses those writers for those rare songs where you go "woah that was actually a good verse from drake"

But there are too many soft lines in Drakes work for me to believe he doesn't write his stuff, I'm not gonna disrespect Drake like that.

He helped Alicia Keys write her song "Un-thinkable" and has helped Beyonce in the past.

I just can't believe that Drake isn't writing his own stuff.

[dmize]

So those rumors way back were actually true

Lupe's reaction is probably the best I've read. It's long but worth a read, esp part 2:

A Letter Part 1 of 2 To rappers from a rapper…simply write your own rhymes as much as you can if you are able. Ghostwriting, or borrowing lines, or taking suggestions from the room has always been in rap and will always be in rap. It is nothing to go crazy over or be offended about unless you are someone who postures him or herself on the importance of authenticity and tries to portray that quality to your fans or the public at large. Then we might have a problem. Some of the most pivotal moments in rap have been ghostwritten verses. This leads to a bigger point. Rapping is not an easy thing to do. It's takes years of work and trial and error to master some of its finer points. Respect from other MC's comes in many formats. Sales, live performances, realness etc but the one thing that is the most important is the raps themselves at least in the eyes of other serious rappers. The phrase "I'm not a rapper" gets thrown around as if it's a badge of honor. And that's fine. If rap is a side hustle for you or just a come up then by all means may the force be with you. But I know a lot of MC's where rap is the first love and the first thing they think about when they wake up and the last thing they think about when they go to sleep. Rappers who pursue the art form with this level of intention may not become rich and famous off selling their raps to a wide audience but that has never been an accepted metric to begin with in terms of quality or level of skill. The vast majority of rappers will never sell 100 records in their lifetimes let alone millions. But that's not the point, the point is that what pursuing the craft gives us in terms of the intangibles is something that record sales or fame could never represent. We achieve a mastery of language and poetics that competes on the highest levels of discourse across the entirety of human history. We express ourselves creatively and attain a sense of liberation and self-esteem via this sacred mode of creation and communication.

Part 2 Of 2 Modern Radio and the commercial realm of music has injured rap. It set up ambiguous rules and systems for success that don't take into consideration the quality and skill of the rappers craft. It redefined rap as just being a beat driven hook with some words in between and an entire generation has surrendered to chasing the format instead of chasing the art form. While mastering any format should be the pursuit of any self-respecting rapper including the commercial format it must be kept clear that it is just one of many formats and that you should strive to master all of them. The art form is kept alive and progressive in the activities of the tens of thousands of rappers around the world who are everyday trying to think of that next witty bar. Trying to put that crazy verse together while at work. Trying to find that word that rhymes with catapult so they can finish off that vivid story rap about their childhood. Meek Mill struck a nerve accusing Drake of having a ghostwriter and the entire rap world reacted on all sides of the fence because rap is alive. It's active and it feels. Its rules and traditions are vibrant and responsive. I enjoy both these brothers music and find inspiration and appreciation from both of them. I remember being in Toronto at Goodfoot years ago and it was a stack of CD's on the counter and the guy behind the counter was like "Lupe you gotta take this CD. It's my mans mixtape." I didn't really pay it any mind I took it to the car and looked it over and just kind of set it aside focused on other things. I vividly remember saying "what kind of rap name is Drake?" The rest is history. Once while in Philly I went to do an interview in a shabby and very hood basement studio complex. I peeked into one of the rooms and it was this tall kid with his shirt off bouncing up and down in the booth with an energy that was electric. I gave him my regards. He gave them back. I think I mentioned something about him cutting his dreads. As I left I remember him rapping something about being a boss. The rest is history. At the end of the day, for better or worse, rap is alive even if some of its greatest moments are written by ghosts.

[Arsenalfaithfull]

Man, cant believe the hate Drake gets. Comeback Season and So Far Gone are legit mixtapes.

It was certainly good enough to propel a Canadian rapper into the mainstream hiphop scene. There was no hype when he dropped his earlier work was there?

Sure, he get famous and suddenly everyone wants to take shot. lol I sense Meek Mills about to get ethered.

[Arsenalfaithfull]

Don't mind AB, but Ghost will obliterate that dude. He was out of line for saying that about Ghost on SportsNation.

Again, I cant see anything wrong with what Action Bronson said. What exactly are any of the members from the Wu upto thesedays? Released anything ground breaking or relevant today?

Ghost face just comes off as a sour old rapper trying to start shit. Reminds me of the time Rae had Budden jumped because he didnt put Method Man in his all time great list

Not saying AB is a better rapper btw ( i dont even think he said he was either). However Bronson  has a decent buzz at the moment and I am pretty sure a huge portion of his fanbase dont even know about Wu Tang/ GFK to make  the connection between the two. So he is basically saying he has moved on from the whole "sounds like ghost face killa" phase.

[Arsenalfaithfull]

Speaking of Wu, here is my favorite album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txd0RFMJN1A
The most underrated imo

[dmize]

Again, I cant see anything wrong with what Action Bronson said. What exactly are any of the members from the Wu upto thesedays? Released anything ground breaking or relevant today?

First off, I don't think there should be beef. GFK should move on, AB apologized, that should be the end of it.

But really, we're gonna question the quality of GFK, even recently? You haven't heard of the concept album with Adrian Younge, 12 Reasons To Die? It got a lot of AOTY mentions http://www.metacritic.com/music/twelve-reasons-to-die/ghostface-killah/user-reviews

36 Seasons was 7 months ago: http://www.metacritic.com/music/36-seasons/ghostface-killah/user-reviews

Not sure why that matters though... I prefer Well Done over AB's new album and that came out 5 years ago. Neither album was "ground breaking". However, Supreme Clientele and Fishscale are classics, and you can make the case Ironman is as well. Then there's OB4CL which is a Raekwon album but really was a duo album. Throw in the Wu stuff, countless rappers influenced by him(Ye comes to mind, google Kanye I got my whole style from Ghost. His quote not mine). My point is Ghost is a legend.

AB definitely wasn't outwardly looking for problems, but for someone who's been told and knows he sounds a lot like GFK, and self-admittedly was influenced by him, to say he's "not rapping like this anymore".. well, I can see why Ghost got mad. But I hope Ghost moves on, it would be cool to hear them on a track together.

Also, that's not really how the Budden/Raekwon thing happened. Budden claimed he deserved to be on a greatest rappers list over Method Man, whatever. They were on the same tour at the time(rock the bells) and Raekwon was actually acting as a mediator and MM and Budden squashed it. But then Budden escalates the situation with a diss on twitter, then how the beef is squashed but if they even mention his name, it's on blah blah. Rae punched him in the face, which was dumb, but no one got jumped. And this is the same M.O. Wu-Tang has had since the 90's in regards to beef, so no, really not a case of a "sour old rapper".

[dmize]

He took it back 10 years I hope someone puts this on a beat.

[Great Leader Sprucenuce]

Ghost got pissed because AB apologised on twitter and then deleted the tweets like he didn't mean it in the first place.

If he apologised and left it then it would have ended right there and then.

[Kaladin]

King Kendrick knew it already with his line from King Kunta. "But a rapper with a ghost writer? What the *bleep* happened?"

"I was gonna kill a couple rappers but they did it to themselves, everybody's suicidal, they ain't even need my help"

[El Gunner]

Tesco with dat baaaaaad bantz

Anyway, I call BS.
I will forever shake my head at people who says Drake is a pop artist and not a rapper and questions his credibilty. Probably didn't even listen to Comeback Season.
Haters gonna hate though

[RealGunner]

[RealGunner]

That's probably one of Eminem's better tracks recently.

[RealGunner]

Drake's response to Meek Mill

https://soundcloud.com/infraredsix/drake-charged-up

[LeVersacci]

His ghostwriter need to step his game up. Straight to the bin homie

[izzy]

Well done Drake.

A nice warning shot fired.

[Freeza]

Is This all about Nicky or what? This is the second huge fight over a 4 this summer, after United fought for Ramos .

[dmize]

Dope song, but underwhelming as a diss record.

Is Drake capable of getting mad? Did he even mention Meek's name?

[EarlyPrototype]

[EarlyPrototype]

Dope song, but underwhelming as a diss record.

Is Drake capable of getting mad? Did he even mention Meek's name?

Drake don't diss people people, he puts them in their place. To diss would mean he feels threatened so he has to through punches, you know, fight back. But no, he’s cool, he’s just disappointed, like a teacher who expected better from a student.

[El Gunner]

Great respone

[LeVersacci]

Dope song, but underwhelming as a diss record.

Is Drake capable of getting mad? Did he even mention Meek's name?

Drake don't diss people people, he puts them in their place. To diss would mean he feels threatened so he has to through punches, you know, fight back. But no, he’s cool, he’s just disappointed, like a teacher who expected better from a student.

*bleep* is this bullshit lmao. Drake is shit like the "diss" he made towards Meek.

[El Gunner]

Dope song, but underwhelming as a diss record.

Is Drake capable of getting mad? Did he even mention Meek's name?

Drake don't diss people people, he puts them in their place. To diss would mean he feels threatened so he has to through punches, you know, fight back. But no, he’s cool, he’s just disappointed, like a teacher who expected better from a student.

*bleep* is this bullshit lmao. Drake is shit like the "diss" he made towards Meek.

What
He pretty much just put the boy where he needs to be put. He realises the situation, and he doesn't need to go all out. It's a good response all round. You guys just want Ethers or Hit 'em Ups to be satisfied.

[izzy]

What
He pretty much just put the boy where he needs to be put. He realises the situation, and he doesn't need to go all out. It's a good response all round. You guys just want Ethers or Hit 'em Ups to be satisfied.

Let's be fair now, I don't think anyone expected Drake to lose his shit and release a track ripping Meek, he's just not that guy.

This was a nice little warning shot fired by Drake. I'm not a Drake fan at all, but I was glad he did this.

Let's see how Meek responds (through tracks, not twitter or any of that other social media crap).

[EarlyPrototype]

What
He pretty much just put the boy where he needs to be put. He realises the situation, and he doesn't need to go all out. It's a good response all round. You guys just want Ethers or Hit 'em Ups to be satisfied.

Let's be fair now, I don't think anyone expected Drake to lose his shit and release a track ripping Meek, he's just not that guy.

This was a nice little warning shot fired by Drake. I'm not a Drake fan at all, but I was glad he did this.

Let's see how Meek responds (through tracks, not twitter or any of that other social media crap).

Meek gonna respond by saying he's got a rollie on his wrist.

@LeVersacci Drake aint the type to come out all guns blazing at another rapper. He ain't that guy. Meek is a nobody compared to him.

Drake dissed Meek, Nicki, funk Flex, and Jay Z

Funk Flex Diss
"Might have DJ clue drop a bomb on this."
Clue is on power 105.1. He's pretty much saying Flex is replaceable.

Jay Z diss
"Trying to take the higher road and still respect my idols, I have a deal with Apple but I still feel entitled. Rumor has it there's something that only I know."
I still feel En(TIDAL). Media Take out said a few days ago that Jay Z was behind the entire thing. He had meek do that to drake for pulling out of the apple deal. Drake is confirming Jay had something to do with it.

Nicki Minaj Diss
"Rumor has it I either *bleep* her or I never could". He's addressing Meek Mills insecurities as to weather Nicki *bleep* him or not.

Meek Mill Disses
"I'm honored that you think this is staged, I'm honored man in fact I'm amazed"
Addressing meek saying he doesn't write his rhymes.

"I'm done doing favors for people, cause it's not like I need the money I make off a feature"..
Basically Drake is saying Meek Mill needs him on his albums for them to sell. Also that Meek still needs money by doing features.

"I see you niggas having trouble going gold. turning into some so and so's that no one knows."
Meek album is performing poorly compared to Drake and know one knew him outside of hip hop before his Twitter rant.



"No woman ever had me star struck, or was able to tell me to get my bars up".
He's clowning Meek for how obsessed he is with Nicki. He's also saying Nicki could never tell him to get his bars up because he's a better rapper then her.

I reckon it's a jab at Meek saying stay in you're place, or else I'll really chew you up. Drake has everything set the way he wants.

[EarlyPrototype]

The beat to the track says a lot about how Drake feels. If Drake comes out to crush Meek I'd expect a 5am in Toronto type approach rather than this laid back approach.

[Freeza]

So what's the cutoff for using the n-word? Drake is a half white middle class Jew, what's the limit?

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