As one of Hip Hop’s more ground breaking acts to date, Young Money Prince Drake can often be found at the center of heated Rap centric debate.
Loved by some while loathed by others, his arrival and subsequent success on and in the scene has made him the undisputed figurehead of Contemporary Rap/Hop Hip Hop.
Of course, with such attention comes just as much criticism.
With Lil Kim stating that ‘he just wasn’t built for this hood sh*t’ and Common revealing his upcoming release ‘Sweet‘ was written all about him, the suggestion that Drake’s singing has made him ‘less of an MC ‘ is one estimation that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere soon.
So, ever eager to bring attention to the topics you are most passionate about, That Grape Juice asks the question:
Is Mr ‘Marvin’s Room‘ ‘too soft’ for Contemporary Hip Hop?
Perhaps the real issue some members of the Rap community have with Drake is that unlike many of his contemporaries, he does not have a ‘hood‘ context.
Yes, while the like of T.I and Lil Wayne have come to find their run ins with law are just as renowned as their material, Drake’s non-existent criminal record and privileged childhood have often forced his credibility as a Rapper into disrepute.
Indeed, though this has in many ways served to present him as a multi-platinum coin in a box full of silvers, it is also the reason he has become such an easy target for self-proclaimed musical connoisseurs who would suggest Mr. Graham’s art isn’t ‘hard’ enough to fall under the category of ‘real’ Hip Hop.
In reality, their issue with him is not the reflective nature of his sound, but rather the crabs in a bucket mentality black music is often guilty of endorsing.
Much like Whitney Houston at the 1989 Soul Train Awards, the Degrassi alum has found himself labelled ‘too soft‘, ‘too sweet‘ and ‘too inauthentic‘ by critics unable to deal with his unashamed ability to pull in mainstream and underground audiences alike.
For, now that 50 Cent‘s brand of Gangster Rap no longer has impressionable valley boys reaching for their wallets, and Nelly and co. struggling to achieve the notoriety they enjoyed ten years ago, Drake – much to the contempt of his detractors- has become the best alternative to any in need of Hip Hop music sans grills, gangs and gun shots.
Only time will tell if Graham will be able to prove himself to those who question his credibility, or if the coming years will see his unique style breed a new troupe of note hitting lyricists formed in his likeness.
Until then, here’s to the continued success of ‘Thank Me Later‘ and ‘Take Care’ alike.
He’s not too soft, hip hop is an art and art is experience. It’s the artists experience and how the audience experiences the art, that being said he isn’t too soft. But he does have a habit of putting his foot in his mouth with crazy comments. Comments like Nicki and Rihanna are the most influential women in music right now is pretty far fetched. :/ Better than the rapid outbreak of arrogance though. Off topic, he’s not too soft, that’s silly. If he is, so is Diggy.
so what?
He’s above being dissed because he grew up with a silver spoon is his mouth, dude is a b**** and everyone knows it. Hes only popular because his music is radio friendly and he has powerful connections. What’s REAL about his music. Common is a Hip Hop vet, 50 is a hip hop vet. I cant f*** with this sweet valley high s***.
NOTICE THE PEOPLE COMPLAINING ARE THE PEOPLE SELLING LESS AND MAKING LESS MONEY LOL, WHO CARES WHAT PEOPLE THINK? THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE LIKE HIM SO THATS ALL THAT MATTERS. IF U CANT RELATE TO HIS MUSIC, THERE;S A SIMPLE SOLUTION- DONT LISTEN TO IT… I’M SURE HIS CAREER WON’T BE AFFECTED…. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK DRAKE, WHILE THE BITTER B****** HATE…
how can this dude be a real mc when his music is for little white boys who think he’s street.
this guy screwed his way to the top, and will keep on screwing until hes the biggest
his music isnt that great.
he got being jewish and rich on his side.
Drake is a f*cking Corn Ball and he isn’t a good singer so he should stop
lmao white boy who thinks he’s street!!!
*time of death*
but seriously, he looks like a damn moroccan.
i guess moroccans are the result of jews and blacks mixing. its eerie
No not at all. Only because Drake is doing his own thing and not following the crowd he is ‘too soft’ and a p**** all of a sudden? People make me giggle, I swear! What’s wrong with showing emotion? This is been real not bragging about s*** like other rapper do. Drakes fans like him for who he is. Drake keep doing you. F*** the haters, just jealousy atleast your on their little minds;)
Well, take the con away from contemporary, and there you have it. TEMPORARY.
Why does rap have to be HARD! who cares if he’s soft, at least his music is better on the ears than IMA F****** KILL N*****… drake is hot, drake is cool, his music is different to whats current in hip-hop (pop and dance – FLO RIDA!)
It’s NOT that he’s “too soft”
To me,Drake seems Inconsistent.Drake doesn’t know if he wants to be “hardcore” (I.E.Throwing shots at Common,Kim,etc) or “softcore” (I.E. kissing Nicki Minaj’s ass).
Don’t get me wrong,the kid does have some talent but people who recognize him as wheelchair Jimmy would see the softer side more as opposed to the harder side.
Just my observation.
“For, now that 50 Cent‘s brand of Gangster Rap no longer has impressionable valley boys reaching for their wallets”
YOU…BETTER…PREACH!
awww what are you talking about sam??? drake is the KING OF HIP HOP.
again sam WE WANT JUSTIN BIEBER POST. before i start calling you samantha
DAMN!!!!!!!
THIS IS WHEN YOU THE TIME IS NEAR WHEN A “RAPPER” OR “ARTIST” PER SAY IS BEING CRITICIZED FOR “NOT” PORTRAYING THE ATYPICAL IMAGE OF A THUG!!!
WHAT THE F***!!!
DRAKE IS ONE OF THE MOST TALENTED ARTISTS/RAPPERS OUT RIGHT NOW AND I HOPE THAT HE CONTINUES TO THRIVE ON HIS GOOD/WHOLESOME IMAGE!!!
JUST BECAUSE HE HASN’T GOT TATOO’S INSIDE HIS MOUTH AND ASS, HE IS TOO SOFT TO BE A RAPPER!!!
WAS BIGGIE TO FAT “TOO” BE A RAPPER?
WAS NAS “TOO” EDUCATED TO BE A RAPPER?
WAS VANILLA ICE AND EMINEM “TOO” WHITE TO BE RAPPERS?
NO!!! THEY ALL HAD/HAVE SOMETHING ABOUT THEM THAT WASN’T “TOO” HOOD, THEREFORE THEY WERE ABLT TO MAKE IT IN THE MAINSTREAM!!!
AND DRAKE ISN’T TOO SOFT EITHER – HE IS JUST SMART, CALCULATED AND TALENTED – BY ALL MEANS, HE ISN’T THE BEST SINGER BUT THE BOY IS DOING HIS THING!!!
WELL CONSIDERING LIL WAYNE’S JEGGINGS AND KANYE’S MAN-TOURAGE FROM PARIS FASHION WEEK NOT TOO LONG AGO..I’LL SAY DRAKE FITS IN JUST FINE AMONGST HIS PEERS
I mean, really? Drake is very talented, and so what if his subject matter isn’t all about guns, drugs, and h***? If he were making songs like that, you can guarantee that everyone would be jumping down his throat to call his fake.
He makes good music, based on HIS experiences, that reach his audience, which obviously consists predominantly of people who haven’t been cracked out, locked up, or abandoned.
He’s not the best singer, but I like his hip-hop/r&b fusion thing.
“If they hatin’, let ’em hate, and watch the money pile up.”
SN: HIs little comments about the icon-ness of Rihanna and Nicki Minaj were misguided, at best.
I wouldn’t day that Drake is soft. I don’t think soft is the right word. He is somewhat predictable in terms of subject matter (i.e.: Nicki, the girl he got preggers, spending money, the girl he didn’t get pregnant, I’m so lonely – and repeat). Also, the singing is a bit annoying. There are people who are born to sing, he should leave the hooks to them. I don’t think that he being Black, Jewish, or silver spooned should have anything to do with people’s judgements on his music. Just because he may have had more money growing up doesn’t mean he was exempt from issues such as racism, drugs, politics, unprotected s**, death, bullying, violence, etc. Those are some powerful issues that can also be reflected in hip-hop music. I love rappers such as Common and Jay but I can’t always relate to their stories (no matter how brilliantly written) because that was never my experience. I didn’t grow up in Marcy Projects ya know? Like someone else said, I think that people may be tired of Drake putting his foot in his mouth when he is in the media. That Nicki/Rihanna comment was a bit absurd and the fact that he thinks Wayne is the voice of this generation?! No. I am pretty much the same age as Lil’ Way and trust me, he doesn’t speak for me. I think that over all Drake is holding his own very well, he simply needs to be more mindful of how he presents himself to the public and the repeatitive nature of his music.
Not gonna Hate on Drake because hes a good rapper and artist…But I wish he didn’t use the N-word so much. His songs are too good for that overuse..
I Personally Believe He Is Creating His Own Lane, Everyone Has Their Different Styles Of Rap And That Is What Diversifies The Genre. Now I Don’t Like When We Tries To Act Hood When We All Know Damn Well This B******* Is NOT For Him, But On The Other Hand I’d Rather Him To Lil Gremlin (Wayne) Or Obese Rick Ross Who Can’t Rap For S***.
Also Unknown To Most Fans The Two People That Inspired Him To Sing Is His Father And The Late Queen Of Urban Pop Aaliyah The Way Aaliyah Sang (Using Her Lower Register & Sweet Falsettos) Set Her Apart From The Pack Consisted Mostly Of Belters At Her Time And Her Almost Unisex Lyrics Which Didnt Make Males Or Females Feel Awkward Singing Her Songs
Now To This Gimmick Minaj Business Sometimes Kissing Her And Rihanna’s Asses Are Just Too Much (Even Though Rih Deserves It More Because They Dated & Is Obviously More Talented Than Nicki)
Hell no, have you heard his new album??
@TGJ Staff re: “Drake”..
Drake is neither “soft” NOR “hard”. Drake is (the second biggest) “GREAT” pretender! What he is, is an actor ‘PLAYING the role’ of a rapper!
He’s no better than (Officer) Ricky Ross: a Corrections Officer (who initially denied as much, only to then admit so ONLY after he was outed by ’50 Cents’ and ‘Trick Daddy’). William Roberts, AKA “Ricky Ross”, took the name of a “TRUE, circa late 1980s ‘crack game’ Boss”: “Ricky Freeway Ross”.
Recently, when academy award winning actor, Joaquin Phoenix, grew a beard, and then began publicly behaving in a bizarre, antisocial manner, he was trying to THEN shed his “Hollywood Image” in the hopes of becoming a rapper. Essentially, he, not unlike Drake, was an actor researching, then playing a role: A Rapper. The very same can be said of Degrassy’s very own: “Wheelchair Jimmy”!
Drake is as “real” as any ‘method actor’ you see onstage, or onscreen. When you begin to see him, in THIS way, any ‘points of contention’ regarding all possible ‘monikers’ affixed to him then begin to shed themselves. You see, it’s NOT unlike any snake shedding its skin, to then form a totally new and different one.
If you’d like to “define” Drake, look at him, and then ask yourself, what would ‘Biggie Smalls/2Pac’ think about Drake? Exactly..!! He’s little more than an actor playing the role of a rapper.
X,Y,”and Z” — OUT..!!
HIP HOP Died a long time Ago. The guy is signed on the same Label as Nicki Minaj and Weezy …
He just has nothing to TALK About that’s my thing,.,,, he has not had a hard life, he has not struggled, he has no real interesting stories to tell all he raps about it
1.Love,,
2. will get high I I want to,
3.Nicki ohh nicki ,,,
4..rihanna ohh rihanna
LIKE STFU! I just feel like Hip Hop in a whole has lost it’s purpose. People are trying waaay to hard to get the “White” Folks to buy their s***..
http://i55.tinypic.com/14eb6dt.jpg
I am here for Take Care though ..
Notice the only defense people keep bringing up is the fact that he’s making money ? Pop . Since when did money become such a large factor ? Keep in mind how it’s made also. Off teens, much like the ones defending him *smirks*
He’s good at both so whats the problem? the only reason they’re mad is, he does not act ignorant and speak English
The guy grew up in Toronto. He was not a gang banger or drug dealer. he does not see getting an education as a white thing so what he suppose t o rap about . he rap about his experience. look how ppl act when they found out rick ross was a correctional officer and pretending to be street hustler.?
I really find this post & alot of these comments IRONIC. #1, Drake defeats the stereotype that has been portrayed about men of color in this particular genre. THE TOUGH GUY, he’s not rapping about gun play or the gritty streets of wherever because he grew up in Canada. What do you expect a biracial male child who grew up in Canada, was priveledged enough to become an actor & then a rapper/singer to portray in his music.
Secondly, I would think ppl would be glad that Drake isnt rapping about things he knows nothing about, but about real life & things that are relatable to ppl who have a sensable & reasonable thought in their head. We all didn’t have hard lives growing, so why does Drake have to be that type of rapper for some of you to be in his music?
Drake is a breath of fresh air in a genre that’s all about bravado & proving one’s masculinity. Drake isn’t trying to do that, all he does he make good music. I don’t think he’s too anything, I just think ppl will look for a reason to dislike him just as they do with Nicki & Wayne.
@xedos
I totally agree. What’s funny is that ppl like to blame rappers for the images they portray in their music & videos & now they’re coming down on Drake for not doing the same?
@KIMMYBLANCO
Have ya seen Notorious? NO, scratch that have ya been following Lil Kim’s career since the 90s… I don’t think so, otherwise you wouldn’t utter those words about someone sleeping their way to the top when its been “rumored” that Lil Kim has done the same… #NEXT
@Yellow Gorillah
What’s wrong with a man talking about love? Would it be better if he talked about s** too much instead? smh
@igiveafuck
50 Cent’s career was @ an all time high 7 years ago. Since then he hasn’t released a commercially or critically successful album . He’s not a rap vet, not even close. He’s not highly respected by peers or majority of the public. Now his music is the type that you all should be rallying against. It does nothing but further the racial ignorance against black ppl in this country. Never heard anybody say Drake was a bad influence on the kids. Plus, at the risk of sounding like a hater, he’s not even relevant anymore.
Secondly, at least Common’s music is still relevant till this day & he’s been out since the 90s. smh.
@MW
Your comments laughable because most teens would rather listen to someone talking about gun play & selling drugs, rather than listen to Drake.
OMG! Really Sam?! This post is so pointless. I swear sometimes you just make up the dumbest s*** to start a debate.
Anywho, I am NOT the biggest fan of Drake and I shade the s*** out of him sometimes but the fact of the matter is he is one of the top selling rappers out right now! His sales for his current album should prove that is definitely not too ‘soft’ for contemporary hip hop. If people thought he was too ‘soft’ then they definitely wouldn’t have went out in full force to support him. As annoying as he can be sometimes he has produced some quality material and has stayed consistent over the last couple years. Clearly he has a strong fanbase and I don’t see him going anyther anytime soon.
I’m just waiting for him to leave Young Money….
No he isn’t, hip-hop has changed.
I honestly think Drake is one of the most honest and authentic artists out today. He has been a breath of fresh air for hip-hop. He never tries to be anything other than what he is. Lyrically and melodically, he is so talented. If you read any of his interviews, you can tell that he is a smart, realistic, and thoughtful about his answers and how he presents himself. Clearly I’m a fan lol…
In reality, their issue with him is not the reflective nature of his sound, but rather the crabs in a bucket mentality black music is often guilty of endorsing.
Oh yes!
This so true. Black people would rather their acts be ignorant and stupid or else they’ll be regarded as fake.
Drake is smart educated and talented and it pisses a lot of Rappers ALL THE WAY off. Especially Common who I thought was smart enough to be above the whole ‘sweet’ mentality.
If being a law abiding educated man means im ‘sweet’, call me Candy coated.
yea imo he is soft but not because he sings but because its always the same s*** everytime he does sing…he is always heart broken and sounding like some ferry…i dont think ppl would clown him half as hard if he got on some diff subjects with his singing like actually doing it to a girl intead of how she broke his heart so bad i mean trey and chris have alot more diversity they dont sing about the same ish every song!!..and with that being said the raps is pretty repetitive as well on his part the same subjects…its simply my opinion not hating obviously he selling records..but ppl give ymcmb too much credit they hot right now because pretty much all the other new major label rappers suck ..in nicki and drake case plat is good but def not super iconic he comming at vets like ludacris that has 3-4 times plat albums and hella high charting singles..his head too big already
I don’t know about too soft, but he’s definitely overrated! He’s not doing anything that hasn’t been done before, Ja- rule sings on his albums and T-Pain, Trey Songz, and Chris Brown all rap and sing! I don’t know about anybody else but I’m tired of hearing Mr. Look at me, look at me, I can carry a tune and rap! He sings through his nose and all of his music sounds the same….SpreadDaWord. com
I agree with @getreal. I mean I think it’s the closeminded individuals that is the reason why hiphop can never expand to different horizons. Hiphop doesn’t have to be one type of way and neither does any other type of music.
Hip hop died a long time ago along with Rn’B and Soul with all these so called radio friendly beats ( i.e commercialised) as in WHITE washed.
Since when did hip hop artists start mixing with country music? LOL
Notice how the face is getting lighter and whiter? Where are the divas that sang with soul? where are the tough guys that are hood?
I mean even stupid pop artists are using the word swagger in their music LOL
90’S to early 00’s were the best ERA for REAL HIP-HOP. R.I.P!
This is such a silly question….
Drake IS contemporary hip hop!..GTFOH
I guess not enough commented the first post so it had to be reposted. Drake is great at what HE does. He just has a different perspective on things and approaches rap differently. That doesn’t make him soft, but an intellectual. Others are just threatened because his way of doing things gets him album sales. I personally love Drake. I feel that he is one half of my soulmate. Adele is the other of course. He and Eminem are the only two male rappers I have ever spent any money on. Just give props where they’re due. Drake has changed the face of rap for the younger generation and they appreciate it.
OOOH PLEASE!! Hip-Hop doesn’t mean THUG! Like R&B means BLACK!! That’s lame as hell. He’s an artist and expresses himself. Common doing this is weak as life, he’s definitely no thug, what he just doesn’t sing, he does damn near spoken word! Judge someone else’s art form means your too busy not doing your own thing!
Oprah, Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Janet Jackson, Jay-z, Beyonce, Lady Gaga are someone who ride at the top of their own successful wave and HAVE NEVER dogged anybody’s craft without merit, just coming for them for no apparent reason other than them just being successful!
Common has every rıght to dıss drake, he ıs copyıng hıs style and the only dıferrence ıs that common has somethıng to say. Drake ıs a good enough raper but he ıs no 2pac, the truth ıs he ıs only gonna be ın the game for a short whıle as soon as he gets the rıght connectıons ın hollywood. hes out.
Drake is soft and touchy like a singing poodle.
Honestly, I throw jabs at MC Emo anytime I get the chance but let’s give credit where it’s due, Drake brought something new to hip-hop. Definitely.
But I also believe there’s a lot of hype surrounding his artistry, I don’t think he’s ALL that. He’s setting a trend like JaRule, DMX, 50Cent and Nelly did before him. But the trend “soft hip hop” will fall out eventually like the others.
I can’t picture him passing the test of time like Jay-Z, Snoop, Dr Dre or Eminem. But he’ll have a good run.
To a point he kinda is I mean rappers but hell a lot of rappers are like, and he knows this cuz how did he know Common was talking to him. Quite a few people rap&sing ie. Nikik, Weezy, Breezy, Trigga, Bow Wow, and Kanye. He’s just most known because he’s using this as a media ploy just like the crying about Rihanna all the time, so truly I don’t think he care or the way he addressed the fake Cb fight. in all honest I don’t think he cares
Also people make seems as he or rappers in general have to be complete thugs. Not true even most rappers do have that persona a real hardcore rapper is someone who is telling a truth about lives and is making a difference with there fame and talent, but lets it be known that to get there it hurts.
DRAKES GAY, THERE’S NO DOUBT ESPECIALLY THE WAY HE BE LOOKING AT DUDES WE ALREADY KNOW HE JOINED THAT KISSING GROUP THAT BIRDMAN AND WAYNE HAVE WHERE THEY KISS ALL THE MALE MEMBERS ON YOUNG MONEY ON THE LIPS AND IF THEY DON’T KISS THEY ALBUM WILL FLOP O.O THAT MEAN DRAKE DID A LOT OF KISSING FOR BIRDMAN TO BUY HIS PREVIOUS ALBUM ESPECIALLY WAYNE…. HAHAHA WEIRDOOOOOS O.o (SMH) U SEE THE WAY DUDE BE DANCING AND S*** KID LOOK EXTREMELY GAY BESIDES I KNOW A GAY WHEN I SEE ONE, HELL IM BI SO I WOULD KNOW…… WATCH BUSTA RHYMES NEXT ALBUM FLOP HE AIN’T GONNA BE WIT ALL THAT S*** THEN THEY GONNA DROP HIM O.o #DEUCES
I don’t know who wrote this article but you need to show me the article/ interview where Common said that song was specifically about Drake. He said that was about rappers who he felt weren’t representing Hip Hop. Drake subliminally shot back at a concert and said if you have something to say say it to my face.
As for Drake being sweet/soft look Drake ain’t hood so when he says lyrics ” You gonna make me catch a body like that” what body is he talking about? because Drake isn’t a thug. He’s trying flip flop between two personalities one minute he’s serenading you next he’s hardcore. So I couldn’t call Drake a rapper
I don’t like when he sings, but I like the smooth approach not necessarily gangsta look that these new rappers present. Wale, J. Cole, Big Sean, and Drake do not necessarily make gangster music. Society needs to move away from that anyways for the young men growing up
Drake is R&B though haha.
to the person who said take con from the word contemporary and you have temporary straight genius lol
BTW drake is not the first rapper to rap about L.O.V.E.
LL COOL J was the first to rap above love and to hit the chart! It all been done before!!! just saying….
I love Drake and his new album is one of the best released in 2011. Listen to track 14. I’d rather heat drake reflecting about his struggles and childhood rather than hear about rappers being in first class getting drunk with their h***. Honestly I wish drake would sing more than he raps. Anyhow IMHO
Take Care>>>>>>> 90 percent rap and r&b albums released this year.
I do wish drake would leave ymcmb. He is so much more talented than the rest of that crew.
I like his music, that’s all that matters to me
Listen,
People try to act flawless, in his music he exposes his mind to the world. He makes really relatable and true AUTHENTIC music, whether you like it or not. No matter where you come from we’ve all had experiences that make us question ourselves, and you have to keep telling yourself you’re good enough, but you are human and your rational side makes you take another look at and question yourself. and He’s right, you really do stare at (analyze and critique) yourself and you do see things (learn things about yourself). That’s what his music is! Him figuring out who he is and it’s beautiful that he’s talented enough to poetically and enjoyabley share that to the world through his music. He’s not confused with whether he’s soft or hard, he has a consciense and sees the deeper meaning of things and talks about them out loud, maybe thats soft or maybe that’s just being real with yourself, but still has the ability to kill and murder songs and be added to songs that aren’t his and blow every other rapper’s chance of glory for that track offt the map – and when he talks about that with confidence ppl think he’s tryna be “hard”, he’s not tryna be. once again he’s just spitting how he’s seeing things. He didnt come from the hood, so why should his raps reflect that? that’d be fake – he should rap about what’s real to him and makes him great and unique among all other rappers. It’s clear that he’s seen a divorce and it affected him, and now due to that he seeks love and tries to find it, but everything he’s ever seen has shown him that it’s unreal.That’s why he’s always analyzing women and his connections with them. The point : When you experience things, it leaves its traces with you and those things that make you who u are deep in your soul is what should be spilling from you when you create art. that’s artistic expression and that’s what drakes doing perfectly. he’s bridging the gap between rapping and rhyming, and melodies and singing, making a brand new innovative style of music. I’ll admit that technically he’s not the best singer, obviously, but the melody and the sound of his voice resonate and hit so deep with some people. people who say they’re “hard” and lack sensitivity are just hiding something, we all have our doubts, our struggles, and those times where we second guess, and then we have to be honest and admit where and when we messed up, we gotta be real with ourselves. That’s what I pick up from drake’s music