Common is defending Drake after Mos Def said the OVO Sound hitmaker isn’t Hip-Hop. On Thursday (January 25), footage from his recent appearance on Hot 97 Ebro In The Morning began making the rounds. Not only did Common vouch for Drizzy’s place within the space of Hip-Hop, but he also suggested that his mass appeal is part of what makes him a true MC.
“To me, I think Drake comes from Hip-Hop,” Common began. “When I first heard him rhyming, I was like, ‘Yo, this dude rhyming.’ And if he goes out and makes songs that are popular, then that’s what it is. He’s still an MC.”
Common also addressed Drake’s longstanding success and remarked on how his longevity merits a heightened level of consideration when evaluating his artistry at a glance.
“The dude is an incredible songwriter, he’s an incredible artist,” he said. “You can’t touch that many people, for as long a time as he’s been doing […] This man has touched different aspects of culture and been able to continue to do it. You gotta have some respect and know that this dude is a very talented artist.”
Common responds to Mos Def / Yasiin Bey saying that Drake is Pop
— SOUND (@itsavibe) January 25, 2024
"to me, Drake comes from Hip-Hop"
he also continues on and praises Kendrick Lamar putting him in his Top 10 rappers of all time
via @HOT97 pic.twitter.com/OgU77jseI6
Common went on to give Mos Def his flowers, praising his growth as a multi-hyphenate and MC.
“Yasiin is a genius, man,” he continued. “I’ve been around that dude and watched him as an actor, as an artist and listened to a lot of his raps and he is very high level when it comes to poetic rap — not even just poetic rap, but I’m saying he has poetry within his rap. He can style on anything. He can do a lot.”
In case you missed it, Yasiin Bey—better known as Mos Def—recently sat down for an interview with The Cutting Room Floor podcast, where he opened up about his feelings toward Drake’s music and described his discography as being “compatible with shopping at Target.”