The talk of the Twitter & Hip Hop world this week has been the first (interesting) piece of American rap beef of 2012, Chicago-born rapper Common vs. Toronto-born rapper Drake. Newly recruited 19 year old guest blogger Parris O’Loughlin gets her lyrical game on to discuss the hype… 

So, the reason for the beef (according to the gospel that is Twitter) appears to be due to Common trying to get his name back, trying to get a little bit of Drake’s fame and them both trying to cause a hype in order to promote their albums. The truth? (According to Worldstarhiphop) in an (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9YVI-sUPXE) interview with Common seems like Common was just “sick of ‘sweet n*ggas’ trying to get a foot in the door of the Hip Hop world claiming they’re the next best thing when really they’re just singing ballads”.

Word! Common is a Hip Hop Lord, and those who disagree clearly have no back knowledge of Common & his movements in the early 90’s till now. He isn’t in the limelight 24/7 but this doesn’t mean he’s not there; he doesn’t need a new buzz. Drake has come into the game on hype, his mixtapes and first album ‘Thank Me Later’, (which are good on a musical front) are not enough to stand up against a legendary lyricist like Common.

Drake, who after claiming he owns the “hashtag” flow and that veteran rapper Ludacris is “stealing” it, has been known to back down when faced with his own beef. After Luda retaliated with a big track Drake did nothing but answer a couple of questions in interviews where essentially he were trying to squash the beef. The lesson he should have learnt was not to take (lyrical) shots at people if you can’t back it after.  

 “I heard you say you ain’t a pu**y cause you sing? Bitch you a pu**y cause you cling like a bitch that’s 18”. Common disses not only Drakes style of delivering his music, but shuts his personal life right down in the process. Along with “you gon mess around and make me catch a body like that”… “The motto is; CHICAGO BIT*H, you Canada dry”… Winning.

Common’s ‘Sweet’ was big, a new more aggressive, on-my-game kind of flow that stripped Hip Hop back down to what it’s know for at it’s best – raw, lyrical somewhat aggressive music, and although Drake is a big contender right now in the public eye, he shouldn’t claim he’s the best if he’s never competed against anyone , especially when it’s common knowledge that he can’t actually freestyle that well (there are more than enough YouTube videos to back this up).

At first this seemed like a clever move, promotion for all parties, hype for the genre that is rap and a bit of online fun, but now, something should be done Drake's end to prove all that he is saying.  Commons a father for him and the bottom line is, Drake should respect his elders! 

Common talks about ‘sweet n*ggas’ such as Drake in ‘Sweet’ - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAo6s94X2sk

Common Interview, calling out Drake (where I first heard him actually talk about anything to do with Drake Beef) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9YVI-sUPXE

Both Drake and Common take shots, yet Common is man enough to name names in ‘Stay Schemin’ Remix’ - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6Ck6fRamnY

Drake’s newest tune ‘The Motto’ - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGEYTOyP-WQ&ob=av3n

Common’s newest tune ‘Celebrate’ - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8efjQGCfClc&ob=av2n

Drake or Common? You decide…

WORDS: Parris O’Loughlin

www.twitter.com/ParrisOH