Drake’s Producer Noah “40” Shebib Once Said: You Have No Credibility If Someone Writes Your Raps

SEE WHAT THE OVO AFFILIATE SAID BACK IN 2012 ABOUT THE TOPIC OF SOMEONE ELSE WRITING A RAPPER’S LYRICS

(AllHipHop News) Meek Mill ignited a major discussion in Hip Hop when he accused Drake of using someone else to write his verse on “R.I.C.O.” The accusation led to DJ Funkmaster Flex releasing alleged reference tracks of Atlanta rapper Quentin Miller performing verses Drake used on “R.I.C.O.” and other records as well. One leak being a reference for the If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late song “10 Bands.”

[ALSO READ: Funkmaster Flex Releases More Alleged Quentin Miller Reference Tracks For Drake Songs (AUDIO)]

Since that time, many members of the Hip Hop community have voiced their opinions on the matter of rappers using other people to write their rhymes. Ice Cube and A$AP Rocky have both expressed that it does matter to Hip Hop fans if a rapper is not writing his own verses.

Drake’s longtime producer Noah “40” Shebib once suggested the same thing. In a 2012 profile for the British website Sound On Sound, 40 said, “In Hip Hop you must write your own raps. If someone else were to write them for you, you’d have no credibility whatsoever, and you’d be out of the window immediately.”

40 was one of the first Drake associates to defend him after the allegations his verse on Meek’s Dreams Worth More Than Money was penned by Miller. In a series of tweets, 40 attempted to explain why his frequent collaborator was more than just a typical rapper. However, he did not deny Miller has written verses for Drake.

The ’12 SOS article included 40 stating he and Drake were the only two people that wrote for his projects. Up until that point, the two Toronto natives worked together on the full length Drake collections So Far Gone, Thank Me Later, and Take Care.

“People don’t care who wrote it, or where it comes from or what the sample is, they just want the hottest beat. They just want that and then put it out in their own song,” added 40. “Having said that, Drake and I do take pride in writing songs together, just the two of us.”

The recent Quentin Miller reference tracks were for songs released over the past 6 months. Miller has issued a statement denying he is a “ghostwriter” but acknowledged he and Drake “came together and made something special.” The Tumblr post did not directly address the “10 Bands” reference track.

Complex reports Miller is not credited as writer on Meek Mill’s “R.I.C.O.” despite the fact there is a reference track connected to him for Drake’s verse on the song. The site suggests the absence of Miller’s name in linear notes for the Dreams Worth More Than Money CD is proof he is by definition a ghostwriter.

[ALSO READ: If Drake Wants To Be Considered A GOAT Rapper, He Has To Address These Writing Rumors]