Drake was called out by Kendrick Lamar in his verse on Big Sean’s “Control” this past August, and since then, people have been making out everything Drake says on verses to be “shots” back. While some are quite clearly replies, others may be simply typical Drizzy bravado, and either way one thing is for sure – there is NO issue between the two. In his new cover story for VIBE Magazine, Drake spoke in detail about their “beef” of sorts, and thoroughly explained why it’s nothing serious and it should be put to rest by now. Check out what he said below.
Marisa Mendez
Not to compare you, but that’s reminiscent of Ja Rule being criticized for singing, when his rival 50 Cent was doing the same thing on his choruses.
Yeah, I see it in a lot of places. The difference between me and that parallel is that as much as I may make great records for women, nobody could ever box me into a corner. 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.” [9] 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. That is an interesting situation to bring up. I don’t want confrontation because it’s stressful, man. As much of a show as it is for people and sometimes what makes it exciting, for us it’s just unnecessary pressure and stress. That shit’s not fun. It’s not fun to be in a beef with somebody. If you do win the war of words, then what? Then where does it go? The person starts feeling self-conscious, and then we start getting into some whole other shit. I try and avoid shit like that for the sake of my career.Rap nerds have speculated whether “The Language” is a subliminal response to Kendrick Lamar’s verse on Big Sean’s “Control.” Is it appropriate to put those two records side by side?
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 shit. 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 fucking 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.
