Renowned cultural critic Michael Eric Dyson has weighed in on the heated feud between Kendrick Lamar and Drake, stepping up to defend the Toronto rapper amidst challenges to his Blackness. Dyson shared his thoughts during an appearance on “The Stephen A. Smith Show” on Sunday, May 19, and expanded on his views from his latest article in The Philadelphia Citizen.
Dyson, a New York Times best-selling author, emphasized that the focus should be on Drake’s lyrical prowess rather than his background. “I’m pissed that Drake gets dismissed, off the scene, when he’s been Drake for 15 years and you act like you didn’t know that, [and] now he’s not really Black?” Dyson questioned passionately.
He addressed the critiques of Drake’s racial identity, stating, “Challenging his racial identity saying he’s a culture vulture when he’s a Black man—’he’s from Canada he ain’t real’—Idris Elba is from the UK, people still love him on The Wire. So why is it that being outside of our geography, outside of our nationality, raises suspicions about Drake?”
Dyson praised Drake for his contributions to hip-hop, arguing that his impact is often underestimated. “So what he’s done to expand the horizon of hip-hop is underestimated, even artistically,” Dyson continued. “We have to stop this narrow, punishing, pernicious, limited viewpoint about Blackness.”
While Dyson holds Kendrick Lamar in high regard, he asserts that Drake is equally formidable in terms of lyricism. “Kendrick Lamar is a brilliant rapper and a formidable foe. But so is Drake. And what he’s done to expand the horizon of hip-hop is underestimated, even artistically […],” Dyson reiterated. “We have to stop this narrow, punishing, pernicious, limited viewpoint about Blackness.”
The feud between Kendrick and Drake has been marked by personal jabs, particularly around issues of racial identity and authenticity. In Kendrick’s track “Euphoria,” he raps, “I even hate when you say the word ‘ni**a,’ but that’s just me, I guess/Some shit just cringeworthy, it ain’t even gotta be deep, I guess.”
Drake responded in “Family Matters,” starting the song with his mother suggesting he avoid certain words. Drake interrupts, saying, “Ni**a, I said it, I know that you’re mad.” He also accuses Kendrick of “rapping like you tryna get the slaves free.”
Kendrick fired back in his hit “Not Like Us,” currently number one on the Billboard Hot 100, accusing Drake of doubling down on his slave rhetoric and portraying him as not a colleague but a colonizer.
Dyson’s defense of Drake calls for a broader understanding of Blackness and recognition of the diverse contributions artists make to hip-hop. His insights shed light on the complexities of identity and authenticity within the music industry, urging fans and critics alike to appreciate the multifaceted nature of Black culture.
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