"It showed the difference between real hip-hop and mainstream hip-hop" — Rakim weighs in on Drake and Kendrick Lamar's rap beef

American rapper Rakim is the latest addition to the list of people who have weighed in on Drake and Kendrick Lamar's rap beef. The rapper recently gave an interview to Billboard on July 26, 2024, wherein he talked about his new album and complimented Drake and Kendrick Lamar for not letting mainstream success decide who was the winner of the rap feud.

In his statement to Billboard, Rakim mentioned,

"It showed the difference between real hip-hop and mainstream hip-hop. Younger artists now know that there’s a difference."

The rapper also talked about how he believes Drake and Lamar indulged in different sides of the rap genre which had been less defined in the last few years. The rapper also said how the rap battle was "very needed for the genre" and that he tips his hat to Drake and Kendrick Lamar, hoping that the feud stays to music only.

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"It was dope that these brothers put the mainstream success down": Rakim comments on Drake-Lamar feud

In his interview with Billboard, Rakim praised Drake and Kendrick Lamar for thinking beyond commerciality and giving more importance to the art of rap. He mentioned that many people in the position of popularity that Drake and Lamar were in wouldn't have accepted the challenge because they would have too much to lose.

The rapper told the publication,

"So, it was dope that these brothers put the mainstream success down and said, Yeah, let’s do it."

Rakim advised younger artists to research the history of rap and hip-hop just like they would research their family's or nationality's history. He said that researching hip-hop is "one of the illest things" younger artists can do, as it will help them look at life differently.

The rapper mentioned,

"And when you look back at hip-hop and see where it came from and what this thing is about, it’ll give you a better understanding of what these brothers did. It’ll also make you feel a little better about what you represent."

Apart from the Drake and Kendrick Lamar rap feud, Rakim also talked about his latest album G.O.D.'S NETWORK - REB7RTH, which was released on July 26, 2024. It is the rapper's first album since 2009.

Talking about his new album, the rapper said that the stars finally aligned with him and he took advantage of that. He hinted at the delay in releasing an album after over a decade owing to "label situations" and how sometimes things don't happen the way they should.

He told the publication that his deal with labels won't be like a new artist's as he has been "in the game for a long time". Rakim said that artists who have been in the industry for a while must understand their worth or it'll reduce everyone else's.

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In other news, while Rakim didn't take sides in the recent instance of weighing in on Drake and Kendrick Lamar's rap battle, the rapper praised Kendrick during an interview in 2022.

In an interview with The Chron, the rapper mentioned that J Cole, Lil Baby, Hit-Boy, and Kendrick Lamar make good music and make songs that "catch people's attention."