Drake Daddy Kane?

"Why should I give off a gangster contrast
When I can rap about gettin some ass..." - Big Daddy Kane

Since my rotator surgery the only exercise I can get is walking. During one of those recent walks I was listening to a of off Drake's So Far Gone mixtape. It is a really good song set to one of the beats from Kanye's 808 songs and Drake does his thing lyrically. This is when Drake displayed more lyrical balance as an MC. While listening to it my mind went through my it's normal gyrations ...... (why doesn't Drake rap like this more often, why do good rappers get signed to a major label and lose their authenticity, bla, bla, bla... )when suddenly, I thought, Big Daddy Kane.

All of the Golden Agers that give Drake a hard time for being sweet, need to dig in their respective crates. I am not comparing Drakes skills to Kanes. Big Daddy Kane has a number of classic records and is in most people's top 7 rappers of all time. B.D.K was more transcendent, one of the main users of the multisylabic rhyme schemes during his time. The reality is that there are some grounds for comparison. They both have flow and lyrics.  Drake is no lyrical pushover and also brought something new and refreshing to the game for his era. Kane came into the game with a hardcore persona while Drake did not, both are good looking guys who have charm and charisma that goes across gender lines. Both recognized said female appeal and began to release songs aimed and that particular demographic.

Interestingly enough both never really needed to go as far as they did to capture the female audience as their original stuff already had that balance.

Additionally, they both got defensive after fans grew weary of their, ahem, "making songs just for the bitches". Drake has countless references to this in his post So Far Gone releases, and I stumbled up a Kane interlude from the 1993 release, Looks Like a Job For...

Dope rhyme, but you can hear his defensiveness throughout.

Vomitspit - Drake

"Kobe bout lose a hundred fifty M's

Kobe my nigga I hate it has to be him

....Bitch you wasn't with me shooting in the gym!" - Drake

Aubrey's feelings on the court system that in a divorce allow women to be awarded half of the mans earnings and assets. While the courts originally began to skew this way to protect women who have given up careers to raise family's and run the home, Drake feels its unjust. To support his argument he sites the fact that overwhelming majority of labor that went into amassing the wealth- in this case of Mr Kobe Bean Bryant- was done by him, and him alone.


To hear the line in context hit the jump

"Are love songs gay?"

If Drake were smart he'd point to this track whenever anyone started clowning him about being terry cloth soft.
 





Its is no secret that I am a card carrying member of the sensitive male club. My first music experiences included some of the most sappy, powerful love joints of the 70's. Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, Blue Magic, and the Stylistics raised me. So while I understand the overall Drake criticisms, I do think it can be a bit much at times, especially considering his genealogy.

I mean c'mon, Drake is a Graham! His uncle is Larry Graham, his uncle was part of Graham Central Station! He grew up in this stuff!

Instead of rapping/singing about girls, or his feelings, I suppose they'd rather him rap about real shit...like his homies.




Here are a few other love-ish songs I like below, after the jump. But everyday is the 14th for me. I don't need a random holiday for me to post love raps, shit matta fact, I got three already in the chamber ready to go!

"People ask how music is goin’ I heard it pays...

I just came off makin’ 2 million in 30 days" - Drake

So, um, I like Drake. I really do. So far gone got major play from me. I also did not buy his album. In fact, I have tried to avoid reviews of his album. Sort of like I blogged about Wale, I get scared to hear these "studio" releases because most studio people are stupid. They are ruining hip hop. The look to sell a product and not help to create art. And unless you are Kanye, you don't have the pull to be able to shape the album in the way that you want.

Anyway, I like this joint from Drizzy, but I have a sneaky suspicion his album sounds nothing like this.

Yeah.... uh........ yeah
These are my one St Thomas flows
Me and my n-ggas and some madonna hoes
That look just like virgins but trust they down to go
Discussin’ life and all our common goals
Smart kids that smoke weed, honor roll
Look how the champagne diamonds flow
Find dining, pour another another glass when the wine is low
Im in the crib stackin’ money from here to the ceilin’
Whatever it is I got is clearly appealin’
These other rappers gettin’ that inferior feelin
I hope you feel it in your soul, spiritual healin’
Take a look at yourself the mirror’s revealin’
If you ain’t got it you ain’t got it the theory is brilliant
People ask how music is goin’ I heard it pays
I just came off makin’ 2 million in 30 days
Damn I guess it does what the message was
Sometimes I feel I be spendin’ my money just because
But weezy im just out here reppin’ us
Till I get to shake the hand of the man that’s blessin’ us
Yeah, I know these n-ggas miss the mean lyrics
Kush got the room smellin’ like teen spirit
I asked kindly if no-one out here would bring there feet up
Until I lose for now I’m the game’s single leader
I fly private so no-one tells me to bring my seat up
And book a suite when me and your favorite singer meet up
Who you like, tell me who it is
Imma make sure that that women is the next one on my list
I should call it a night but f-ck it I can’t resist
This one is for all the n-ggas from my city tryin to diss
Without a responce from me you really fail to exist
And I love to see you fail that feelin’ there is the sh-t
I swear, aghh, p-ssy n-gga get your bread up
Enjoy the seat that the steward just forced your ass to let up
Why your scary ass lookin’ down pick your head up
No-one told you your disguise is the most ridiculous gettup
With nose plugs in now I can smell a set up
So your just wastin your time your just only makin me better
Yeah I try to tell them don’t judge me because you heard stuff
Chasin’ cash that’s my brother from the surf club
Damn that n-gga always kept it so hood
Back when we would smoke good at the oakwoods
And have girls fall through like coins in a couch
Now we just f-ckin all the b-tches they warned us about
Scared for the first time everything has clicked
What if I dont really do the numbers they predict
Considerin the fact that im the one that they just picked
To write a chapter in history this sh-t has got me sick
But if I really do it dont expect to get a split
Cause this truly is some sh-t I don’t expect you all to get
Im nervous but im about to kill it cause they about to let the realist team in
Throwin up in a huddle n-gga Willie Beamin
Were still throwin touchdown passes
And tortoise frame glasses
Hopin that someone catch it
People say that oh drake we started to miss it
But they need to be a little more specific man is this what yall want?
And my best chris tucker impression
Ducking your questions
F-ck your suggestions
Money gets all of my love and affection
Cars all black like the cover of essence
I’m allergic to comin in second
But I never sneeze
N-gga YMOE n-gga yeeah
Uh, yeah, this want yall want
Octobers Very Own
Young Money
ATF
Thank me later in this b-tch wasssup
Free Weezy in this b-tch wasup
June 15th in this b-tch wasup

"The more nikkas said they aint write down lyrics...the more it started to sound like they didn't" - Joe Budden

Everybody's "next to blow" Drake was caught up in a little bit of drama recently. Seems the Internets were a bit in a tizzy about a radio appearance where waynes ghost writer Drake "free" styled instead of freestyling.

“It shouldn’t be your tag line: ‘I don’t even write.’ Well, if it’s not quality product, who cares? We can tell,” Drake said. “Maybe if you took the time to write, your sh– would be a little better…"

MTV Shows

Dude caught a lot of flak in comments sections and I must admit I understand where the anger is coming from. We have failed to differentiate between "free" styling and freestyling, so now every young cat with a note pad and ad libs claims they can do it.

But this is no fault of Drake's. Besides, young homey makes a great point here. Mutherfuckas need to start taking more pride they craft! I mean, I get the whole "im-so-good-i-don't-need-to-work-at-it" attitude....but really.....I mean really?! If I am not mistaken the genesis of this whole non-writing was Biggie's legendary studio sessions. But that was Big, and when he did it, it sounded much better than the semi-organized-stream-of conscious stuff that rap cats are passing off for songs these days. (no shots)