By Jamil Weeks

As hip hop culture rose to prominence in American society, rap music as a genre took center stage over the other elements of hip hop. With a primary focus on the MC in the wake of the legendary battle between Busy Bee and Kool Moe Dee at the iconic Harlem World back in 1981, the spotlight shifted from the DJ to the MC. Rap music gradually grew in popularity amongst the youth from the 80s to the 2000s, sprouting an endless sea of talented rappers across the United States and around the world. Soon rap music eventually replaced rock and pop as the number one genre of music. The success within the genre created a division amongst its participants based upon two opposing schools of thought; the purists vs. the capitalists. While the purists sought to preserve the culture against the culture vultures swooping in to cash in on the success of rap music, the capitalists aimed at bringing the genre to new heights by making it more accessible. The battle for the soul of hip hop music created an internal war waged between these two factions over the past few decades. The latest debate in this ongoing saga reared its ugly head once again with a recent interview by The Cutting Room Floor podcast on Yasiin Bey, a.k.a. Mos Def, when he spoke on popular Toronto rapper, Drake.

“Drake is pop to me. In the sense like, if I was at Target in Houston, and I heard a Drake song, it feels like a lot of his music is compatible with shopping.” – Yasiin Bey

Ouch! The unflattering comment spewed from Yasiin represents the contempt some “purists” have for mainstream rap artists who they deem as ruining the culture. The implication from Yasiin, that has since sparked debates across social media platforms, is that the type of music pushed by artists like Drake is not authentic hip hop. Which begs the question, what is real hip hop?

As someone who grew up in the 90s, “keeping it real” was a common phrase I heard uttered by rap artists and executives. Respect amongst rap peers hinged upon how truthful they depicted their lifestyles in their music. Real hip hop is a simple concept. If you are a rap artist and you represent who you are and where you come from, that would be categorized as real hip hop. Making music that comes from a genuine place within yourself and staying true to who you are as you find your own voice within the cluttered music industry is my definition of keeping it real. To many purists, Drake represents popularity over artistry. These traditionalists cringe at the painted nails, gold teeth, and watered down, formulaic music from Drake. Yasiin represents an artist with integrity who carries on the tradition of making music in the spirit of the truest essence of rap. A sincere lyricist that would not resort to using a team of ghost writers like Drake. The Brooklyn native is a highly respected lyricist in hip hop circles. The back and forth between the different viewpoints is an argument that dates back to a time when MC Hammer first came in the game. The purists attacked Hammer like a pack of rabid dogs back in the early 90s. Whenever a hip hop artist crosses over into mainstream pop territory, there is resistance from the hip hop community to protect the artform from outside influences. As Q-Tip eloquently stated on the iconic "Check the Rhime" in 1991, "rap is not pop, if you call it that then stop". Drake is the modern-day Hammer, as Yasiin reduced his music to elevator music.

Both artists, in their own way, have tried to elevate rap to a different level, but with two separate approaches. Yasiin was partially right. To “keep it real”, Drake does not make backpack music. Drake makes music for the clubs, stadiums, and the radio. It is pop music Drake is making. However, Drake's music ultimately falls under the ever-growing hip hop umbrella. Drake’s discography can best be described as hip hop music with pop tendencies. Drake is a respected spitter as well. Despite being known for using ghost writers, Drake himself has been a ghost writer for others. There was a time in hip hop where real hip hop meant making music for the streets, or “gangsta rap”. Drake benefited from having an artist like Kanye break that cycle where rappers could talk about things regular guys go through, such as relationships. In that respect, there is a certain level of authenticity to his music. Drake being able to make music that appeals to women has been a key ingredient in his success at climbing the charts. You can make an argument that Drake has helped keep hip hop relevant by consistently making music that gravitates to people who normally do not listen to hip hop. Drake’s approach to making music is the reason why he has become one of the biggest stars in music in the past decade, not just in rap.

The artist formally known as Mos Def has helped to elevate the genre as well, albeit on a smaller scale. Yasiin’s music can be described as more of an alternative form of conscious rap. As an artist, Yasiin has taken more artistic risks with his music than Drake. While this sort of artistic expression has not been rewarded on the charts to the degree of Drake’s music, there are some rap fans that regard some of his work as a solo artist and with Black Star as timeless music. Artists like Yasiin are the types of unsung heroes that push the envelope creatively, which helps to propel the music forward. Like Drake, Yasiin is a jack of all trades who can act and sing. Hailing from Brooklyn, Yasiin’s music has a more Boom Bap aesthetic in comparison to Drake’s more contemporary trap influences. While Drake may have a more straightforward approach to lyricism, Yasiin boasts a more complex rhyming style with poetic influences. His uncanny storytelling abilities and unique voice are why he is regarded as one of the greatest lyricists of the past couple of decades. Nobody would ever accuse Yasiin of selling out for record sales. Yasiin is seen as an innovative artist within the realm of conscious hip hop while Drake has recently been criticized for not evolving as an artist. Again, it comes down to the approach. Would you want the consistent sales or critical acclaim?

The age-old argument in hip hop of rapper vs. MC can be applied to this Drake/Yasiin comparison. To many in hip hop, a rapper is an opportunist who raps to make money while an MC is a true artist who raps for the love of the art form. Would you rather be the mainstream rap star with the money and the fame or the respected lyricist with the respect and admiration? Ultimately it comes down to style. I will not lie; I am MUCH more of a Yasiin fan than a Drake fan because I am someone who appreciates the marriage of lyricism and art. In my view, Yasiin embodies the true spirit of hip hop, which is why he probably views Drake’s brand of music as microwave rap. However, there are others that share the opposite viewpoint from me. Maybe they do not want to hear music that inspires you to think or is bar heavy. Maybe they just want to listen to a song that makes you let loose and dance. To be able to consistently drop albums that chart at #1 is not an easy feat. While I may not be much of a Drake fan, I respect Drake as an artist and for doing his part to keep hip hop alive. Hip hop is highly competitive and sometimes that competition can be detrimental to the genre. There is enough room for both Drake and Yasiin to co-exist in the culture. Both are incredible talents, and both have made quality music.

Rap is a multifaceted genre of music. No matter what style of rap you prefer, at the end of the day it is all hip hop music. There is no style that is more “realer” than the other. I can understand where Yasiin is coming from given the type of music he makes. Drake is a superstar in music, but Yasiin REALLY does this. Anyone who has ever seen Yasiin perform live can attest to his talent. Yasiin is a true MC with his ability to move a crowd without the theatrics of a Drake stage show. Some would challenge Drake’s approach to making music. What risks has he taken as an artist? How did he innovate the game? Has he had a true influence or is he just riding the wave created by Kanye West? As mentioned before, there is a certain level of respect I have for Drake’s talent. While I somewhat agree with Yasiin’s point of view , I do appreciate the fact that Drake is not a studio gangster rapping about a lifestyle he never lived. You can criticize Drake for being a little too comfortable in his lane and not showing enough growth in his music. You may also share my opinion on his music and not be a fan of Drake at all. However, you cannot say he is not hip hop. If Drake is not hip hop, then neither is Missy Elliott or MC Hammer. Drake may not make groundbreaking classic records, but he has helped a ton of artists and opened doors by making the music more approachable. You may not like his music, but Drake is important to the genre. In 2023 when rap music was fading from the charts, Drake was one of the few rap artists keeping hip hop relevant in the mainstream with his successful For All the Dogs album. I appreciate good music, no matter what subgenre of rap music. Hip hop needs to be less divisive. Think about the possibilities if artists like Drake and Yasiin collaborated more often. You never know, that could be a good look for the culture. Salute to both Yasiin and Drake for their contributions to hip hop.