Have a big test tomorrow? Partying tonight anyway?
YOLO.
Used to drive an 85 Buick? Now rolling in a BMW of the year?
Started from the bottom.
Got to college and still hanging out with those buddies from high school?
No new friends. No new friends. No new friends, no, no new.
There’s no doubt rapper Aubrey Drake Graham, known as Drake, plays a prominent part in this generation’s pop culture references. He’s rapping alongside the biggest names in music, arguably being one of those big names himself and just released his third studio album, "Nothing Was the Same."
He’s also one of the most complained about musical artists of today. People really can’t shut up about it. I couldn’t stay away either.
The vilification toward Drake is intense, with people tweeting their wrath to no avail, even taking the time to hit up ancient online forums to express their criticism. After carefully analyzing these well-thought opinions, I compiled a list* of the reasons people appear to hate Drake:
- too popular (come on, you can’t be a rapper and have people know who you are)
- too “soft” (you Pillsbury Doughboy, you)
- too “light skinned” (quite racist)
- his hair (curse those mini curls)
- his voice (like, that pitch, you know?)
- talks too much about love (ugh, he has feelings, and is expressing them through music, what is that)
- he sings (how dare he)
- he keeps singing (why does he do this)
- his large female fan base (ladies, please)
- teen star (whatever, Jimmy Brooks)
- Canada (oh, Canada)
*similarities of this list in comparison to Justin Bieber are completely coincidental
All these reasons can be subjective and every human is entitled to their opinion--nothing wrong with that.
There is, however, one reason that is inexplicably ridiculous: “He raps too much about love.” And this brings us to the root of the problem.
Since when does the almighty manual to hip-hop music warn rappers to stay away from rapping about love? Listen to Common’s “The Light” while trying to remember that rap originates from poetry. The only thing that separates rapping and spoken word, in principle, is rap being performed in time to a beat.
The problem with people criticizing Drake tends to reveal a larger societal problem: expectations that hip hop must only allude to sex, money, drug use, partying and violence. But a so-called “rapper” produces music about being in love? Blasphemy! An abomination! Super wack! Bring in the dancing lobsters!
Putting aside his singing over melodic and soft beats, his hair, the fact that he was on "Degrassi: The Next Generation," or even the fact that he’s from Canada -- hard one to ignore, I understand—I hope the people that criticize him realize that hating him for talking about love is like hating him for talking about love. Sad.
Take care, everyone.
