Whether you care about the culture of Hip-Hop or not this blog is for you. This blog is for all of us because the so-called” rap beef between “Drizzy” and “Jump-Off Joe Beazy” speaks to a narrative that embodies society on a whole. We are programmed to view success in certain ways and programed to view validation as the holy grail of human existence. I am extremely active on the blog and surf the web the way men used to thumb through the newspaper on Sunday mornings. The way the casual fan of either Drake, or the “pop culture” versions of Hip-Hop music view this beef, is quite disturbing to me.
They called Joe Budden “Irrelevant” without giving any reasons as to why they felt such a way. (Of course I asked a few popular bloggers why and I pissed some off doing so)
However no one could provide an answer that matched my logic. They I figured out why. My logic tells me, that any artist who can make a living creating and doing exactly what they love to do, has already won. My logic tells me that Joe Budden remains as one of the most prolific lyricist of Hip-Hop/ Rap music that the game has ever seen. He has lived quite well, off of a catalogue that consists mostly of independent releases that makes him less of a slave than most high-profile artist. Irrelevant? How does one quantify irrelevance? Their logic tells them that platinum album sales are the only true testimony to a rappers success. Their logic tells them that radio spins and magazine covers are the only way to be sure if a rapper is “popping”. If you are not the biggest thing in Hip-Hop like Drake is you’re irrelevant? If you aren’t a pop star you’re irrelevant? A tabloid darling? A TMZ mainstay? A boyfriend for Rhianna or a popular meme? The details of this so-called beef to me isn’t as interesting as the details surrounding the perceptions of it. There is no soul greater than another soul. We are all here to do, what we’re all here to do. The President and the man shining shoes both serve a purpose. However in this metaphor the man shining shoes writes better speeches than the president, lives life more freely than the president and isn’t a slave to politics like the president is.
—————————Bottom Line———————————————-
Joe killed Drake lyrically but Drake fans could care less.
Joe’s fans are loyal and “cult” like so Joe would not have lost regardless.
The age of style over substance has festered to “cancerous” new levels.
Drake is the Michael Jackson of Rap.
Although respectful to one another, John Coltrane and Michael Jackson will never see entirely eye to eye artistically.