"CAN YOU BE CONSIDERED A G.O.A.T. IF YOU DID'NT WRITE YOUR LYRICS?"
Sway posed that question to rap legend LL Cool J during a recent interview. I did not know what type of response to expect from LL Cool J, considering the current state of Hip-Hop. It seems a lot of the legends have taken up the "go along to get along" attitude and have given up on protecting the most successful element of Hip Hop. LL Cool J kept it real with his response, "If you're going to go by the original rules of Hip-Hop, you absolutely can not."
THE DRAKE RULE
Ever since Drake was exposed for "working with someone else on a couple of Vs" there has been a tug of war within Hip-Hop. On one side, you have those who follow the "original rule" of you must write your own rhymes in order to be considered a GOAT. On the other side, you have those who have adopted the "Drake Rule" that basically states that if you make hits, then it does not matter who wrote it. They believe that the song would not be successful without that specific rapper reciting those rhymes.
I agree with Drake that music is a collaborative experience; however, when it comes to writing his RAP VERSES (not his pop songs or hooks), he needs to be the Lone Ranger. That is what makes rap unique. Drake and his STANs want to remove the uniqueness of rap music in order to protect his legacy. Drake wants to stand next to a Kendrick Lamar without being held to the same standard as Kendrick Lamar.
Remember when golfer Casey Martin requested to use a golf cart due to his birth defect. Critics were against him using a golf cart because they claimed walking is an integral part of the game. He would have an unfair advantage by not having to do deal with the fatigue factor that comes with walking 18 holes.
The fatigue that comes with playing golf is equivalent to a writer getting writer's block. Drake has the luxury of not having to fight through writers' block due to the help he receives on a "couple of Vs." What is Drake always getting praised for by the media? The fact he has been consistently on top for 10yrs. Can you imagine if Kendrick had a TDE sweatshop, Cole had a Dreamville sweatshop, and Nicki had a Barbie sweatshop how "consistent" they all could be.
Drake is beating his "middle child" peers when it comes to music output.
G.O.A.T. IN ANY ERA
Let's go back to LL Cool J's response to Sway. Uncle L explained that Michael Jordan cannot send Lebron out to play while he sits on the bench and gets the points on his board. This got me thinking about how they judge GOATS in the NBA or sports in general. They often ask would "Player X" be able to play in any era.
Rap is a sport for those not using it for a get rich quick scheme. So, we can apply the same thinking from the sports world to rap. Would Drake be great in any era of Hip-Hop? The answer is "No" because people went by the "original rules" in past eras. There is a reason why God MC Rakim threatened to knock MC Serch the f*ck out for insinuating he wrote for him DECADES ago. That is a jacket true MCs do not want to wear. In the words of Nicki Minaj, "whether wack or lit at least I can say I wrote every rap I spit."
If the "original rules" had applied in the Meek vs. Drake beef, Drake might be the one looking like Jay-Z's orphan Annie today. On a side note, we cannot forget how Drake responded....or did not respond to Pusha T. Drake would have been clowned for going around saying he wrote a diss song but did not release it because he said "terrible things" and "this is not something I want to be remembered for." Oh, and he said there are rules to rap battles, which we still do not know what those rules are. But, we do know there are rules about rappers WRITING THEIR OWN RHYMES!
GREATEST NON-GOAT EVER
DJ SEAR INTERVIEWING RAKIM
Lyrics matter in Hip-Hop. If you do not write your rhymes, we cannot give you the same accolades as the rappers who do. Drake may be one of the greatest artists ever. Drake may be one of the best pop stars. Drake is a bonafide hitmaker. Drake is a certified chart-topper. But, when it comes to being a GOAT in
Hip-Hop, it was not in GOD's plan.
Do you consider Drake a GOAT in Hip-Hop?
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