(AllHipHop News) The perceived verbal back-and-forth between two of the leading young voices in Hip Hop has been a topic on conversation for the last several months. After Kendrick Lamar mentioned Drake among the emcees on his “Control” verse, many waited to hear what the Young Money rapper would say in response.
While some listeners felt Drake’s “The Language” and a few lines on the “Sh!t (Remix)” were aimed at Kendrick, the “Started From The Bottom” rhymer tells Vibe that he’s not into beefing on wax or responding to “Control” in particular.
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In the magazine’s cover story, Drake says:
I don’t ever want to get into responses. It’s a commitment to go there. “The Language” is just energy. What it was inspired by, I’m sure that, and other things. It’s just me talking my s###. I never once felt the need to respond to that record. The sentiment he was putting forth is what he should have. Of course you wanna be the best. Where it became an issue is that I was rolling out an album while that verse was still bubbling, so my album rollout became about this thing. What am I supposed to say? Nah, we’ll be buddy-buddy? Mind you, I never once said he’s a bad guy [or] I don’t like him. I think he’s a f###### genius in his own right, but I also stood my ground as I should. And with that came another step, which then I have to realize I’m being baited and I’m not gonna fall. Jordan doesn’t have to play pickup to prove that he could play ball, no offense. But I’m not gonna give you the chance to shake me necessarily, ’cause I feel great. There’s no real issue. It’s tough because the people wanna see us tear each other down; I don’t wanna give them that. There’s no point. I have no ill feelings toward that guy. It’s just like, it’s there for me if I wanna fall for it. I’m just too smart for that. Hopefully it’s the last time I gotta talk about this, ’cause every time I open my mouth up about it, they take this piece and take this piece. And he’s hungry, so he’s going to do what he has to do like the BET [cypher]. But again, it’s not enough for me to go. We haven’t seen each other [since the BET cypher,] but I’m sure we’ll see each other and it’ll be cool. And if it’s not, then I guess that’s how our story unfolds.
Drake also addresses comparisons made between he and another singing rapper Ja Rule. According to Drizzy, he sees himself as more closely related to 50 Cent than his former rival.
I see myself more as 50 than Ja, not from a street perspective, but from a hitmaking perspective. I have the “21 Questions” and “Started From the Bottom.” I’ve tapped into both markets, whereas when Ja would go the street route it would be seen as a reach because 50 kept attacking him. So he’d have to stay in that girl lane. I can really rap, so I would never let that happen.
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