Earlier this year, an unexpected disagreement arose when Yasiin Bey, formerly known as Mos Def, was posed a somewhat controversial question about Drake during a podcast appearance. His response, which suggested that Drake's music leans more towards pop than rap, did not sit well with many people. While not explicitly derogatory towards Drake, the comments unsettled numerous fans and even some fellow rappers. NLE Choppa was among the first prominent rappers to defend Drake, prior to Drake's own response. Drake initially shared a clip from an older Method Man interview discussing rap's connection to culture. He further solidified his stance a few days later by labeling Bey a "crackhead" on his Instagram story. Bey faced additional criticism following a performance at a Paris Fashion Week show, where clips of him predominantly singing instead of rapping garnered widespread disapproval.
Now, Common has weighed in on the dispute, siding with Drake. When discussing Drake's music genre, Common harked back to the rapper's early days. “To me, I think Drake comes from Hip Hop. 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," he explains. Common concluded by praising Drake, stating, “The dude is an incredible songwriter, he’s an incredible artist. 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.” What are your thoughts on Common's defense of Drake? Listen to 103.5 The Beat for more!