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Christian J. Ward, a.k.a. Hitmaka, believes the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar feud was not good for the hip-hop industry. Over the weekend, the rapper-turned-record producer took to his Instagram stories to state:
"Drake & Kendrick sh*t really f*cked the game up cause now there’s no BAR/STANDARD. Don’t nobody got nothing to aim at or copy off of."
In a separate story, Ward continued:
"Now the hottest rappers in the game are women besides Future & ain’t no n*gga running home to make a beat or song in competition with a woman."
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Instagram user @theneighborhoodtalk shared the screenshots of Hitmaka's stories on Monday, September 30, 2024.
As Ward's statement spread, internet users were quick to react. Many disagreed, stating that the rap beef was "the best thing to happen to hip hop in a minute."
Several users remarked that Hitmaka's comments didn't make sense. There were a few who supported the former rapper, adding that there are no hardcore rappers like 2pac, Jay-Z, and Nas anymore.
Some noted that Hip-Hop becoming corporate is what "messed" it up. Others called out the inherent sexism in Ward's remarks.
Metro Boomin states that "stan culture" made the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar feud "weird"
Kendrick Lamar and Drake have been feuding since the early 2010s. Things escalated earlier this year with both rappers dropping diss tracks after another targeting the other's career and personal life. This included Drizzy's The Heart Part 6 and K. Dot's Not Like Us. Critics and fans believe the latter song won Lamar the beef.
While the feud lost steam by May 2024, it sparked a discourse on the broader themes within the rap industry. Additionally, fans, musicians, and internet personalities spoke in support of their favorite rappers.
Metro Boomin played a major role in the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar feud. The tension started with his track Like That, featuring Future and a guest appearance by Lamar. Drake later escalated things by name-dropping Metro Boomin in his song Family Matters.
While speaking during the Forbes Under 30 Summit, the Grammy-nominated producer noted that the "stan culture" is what made the feud worse. He explained that the competition is what fuels the rap game. Boomin added that "there's also a lot of ego involved," with everyone feeling like they are the best.
He continued:
"When two of the top dogs in the game and you both feel like you’re the best, it’s like, ‘OK, now we gotta have a showdown.’ We saw it with JAY-Z and Nas before. I feel like more today, it’s more stan culture makes it kind of weird."
He added that "internet (made) it a little too wild." However, Boomin asserted that he saw the beef as "entertainment," adding that the genre would progress through its competitive nature.
"As far as me being diplomatic, it’s just entertainment. I have love and respect for all my collaborators. I just want to see everyone do the best and help push this forward. We’re all here to deposit in and uplift this genre."
Kendrick Lamar or Drake has not publicly reacted to Hitmaka's comments.
