Drake has been in several rap feuds at this point despite Jay-Z’s early warning about engaging back and forth with other rappers:
Drake, here’s how they gon’ come at you
With silly rap feuds, tryin’ to distract you
In disguise, in the form of a favor
The Barzini meeting, watch for the traitors, uhh
I done seen it all, done it all
That’s why none of these dum-dums could done him off
He also warned Drake about his homies turning on him and how the fame will change him.
And since no good deed go unpunished
I’m not as cool with niggas as I once was
I once was cool as the Fonz was
But these bright lights turned me to a monster
Sorry, mama, I promised it wouldn’t change me
But I would have went insane had I remained the same me
Light Up
Despite Jay’s warnings, Drake threw caution to the wind and engaged in conflicts anyway. The entire Hip Hop community reaped the rewards with good music. However, anyone willing to step into the arena must be ready to strategize like a master and secure a conclusive victory. Drake demonstrated precisely this with his Grammy-nominated diss track, “Back 2 Back,” showcasing a flawless execution.
He then engaged with Push T and we all know how that ended. The problem is it didn’t have to result in a loss. When Drake dropped the “Duppy Freestyle” jab at Pusha, he once again ignited excitement within the Hip Hop Community.
However, when Pusha responded with the ‘Story of Adidon,’ it seemed as though the revelation had such a profound impact on his motivation that he decided to call the whole thing off.
Years later, his feud with Kendrick came to the forefront. In the ring with K. Dot, he held his own for the most part. However, when the time came to deliver the ultimate blow with a knock out record, he released the equivalent of an interlude track. While “The Heart Part 6” wasn’t disappointing, had it been an earlier release, it wouldn’t have received as much criticism. Kendrick’s “Not Like Us” proved to be the fatal blow we were expecting from Drake.
He should’ve replied with the same firepower. But like with “Story of Adidon”, Drake put the ball down and went home. I understand his desire to demonstrate his versatility as a rapper, especially in light of the ghostwriting rumors. However, in the midst of conflict, there comes a moment when sticking to one’s strengths is crucial. Following the release of “Not Like Us”, Drake’s strategic move should have been to play to his strengths and release a response hit song. This would have compelled DJs to play his track immediately after Kendrick’s. As a seasoned artist, Drake undoubtedly has a treasure trove of unreleased material that he could have utilized for this purpose. Hopefully, He gained valuable lessons from his past decisions and approach future situations with a better strategy.
G.O.A.T. VERSES 
Leave a comment