Editor’s observe: The next article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the creator’s personal. Learn extra opinions on theGrio.
Like everybody else, I’ve maintained excellent attendance all through the Kendrick and Drake beef.
I’ve been on-line for each drop, and I’ve participated in quite a lot of the discussions about it taking place throughout social media. If you wish to know my opinion, Kendrick received.
Kendrick received, however ladies and victims of grooming, pedophilia and home violence, in addition to youngsters, misplaced. They misplaced, as they all the time do as a result of hip-hop doesn’t actually care about victims within the grand scheme of issues.
I’m not going to hassle doing a play-by-play of who mentioned what to who as a result of there may be sufficient of that evaluation on the market, and also you don’t want my assist figuring it out.
Kendrick has accused Drake a number of occasions of being a deadbeat father and an expert groomer who actively seeks out relationships with younger women and age-inappropriate ladies.
Drake has accused Kendrick of beating his spouse and enjoying father to a baby who could not really be his.
All of these items had been mentioned as a method of one-upping one another. None of it was mentioned to lift consciousness or get justice for victims. None of it was mentioned as a method of mitigating additional hurt to anybody.
We shouldn’t be shocked. In any case, hip-hop is legendary for its rampant misogyny and flagrant disregard for ladies.
Dr Dre infamously beat Dee Barnes 30 years in the past in a Hollywood nightclub. The beating turned a operating joke and a punchline for a number of rappers together with Eminem and T.I. As Dee herself mentioned on Twitter this weekend, she has been “decreased to a punchline in a track that made tens of millions … in the meantime, I can’t pay my lease.”
Sure, I laughed together with everybody else as Kendrick dragged Drake by the taint hairs, however sooner or later over the weekend, I sobered up and realized none of this was humorous.
Kendrick writing open letters to Drake’s dad and mom and little one(ren) was humorous within the second, however in the end, what occurs when that little one (or youngsters?) are sufficiently old to eat this artwork for themselves and take a deep dive into the meanings behind it?
Kendrick was working to stab Drake as many occasions as he may, however did he cease to consider the hurt that this does to that little one (or these youngsters?) as nicely?
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Drake brings up home violence accusations towards Kendrick, however is he doing so as a result of he cares in regards to the security and wellbeing of Kendrick’s spouse, or is he doing it as a result of it helps him in his quest to attempt to make Kendrick look worse than him?
And actually, an alleged pedophile and an alleged spouse beater are each abusers, so is there really a manner for one to look higher than the opposite? Allegedly?
Drake making claims that one in all Kendrick’s youngsters just isn’t his and was really fathered by his greatest pal and former Prime Dawg Leisure President Dave Free is disgusting on many layers.
First, there’s the layer of him subtly slut-shaming Kendrick’s spouse whereas making the allegation. Even when he didn’t say that half out loud, the implication is that not solely did your spouse cheat on you, however she had the opposite man’s child and acquired you elevating it such as you a idiot.
I need to ask why elevating one other man’s child as your individual is such a foul factor, however then I keep in mind I exist in the identical timeline the place grown-ass males brazenly criticize Russell Wilson for doing that very factor.
Nonetheless, Drake is “mad” at Kendrick. Why did Kendrick’s spouse must catch a stray?
Girls have all the time been the punchline and the collateral injury in hip-hop and hip-hop beefs. Take into consideration Religion Evans.
When Tupac wished to piss Biggie off, he acquired on a report and claimed to have slept with Religion, who was married to Biggie on the time. What did Religion do to deserve that?
Each diss Kendrick has put out has accused Drake of being a pedophile and a groomer, and whereas that “A-minor” bar hit like hell (I’ve randomly discovered myself blurting out “A-minorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr unprovoked in the course of the day), is Kendrick attempting to assist victims or is he merely shaming Drake?
The present Diddy kerfluffle is displaying us in actual time that males in hip-hop have lengthy been conscious of the abuse ladies undergo within the tradition – sexual and in any other case – and they’re prepared to show a blind eye to it till it fits them to talk up.
On this case, Kendrick and Drake are “talking up,” however they aren’t “talking out.”
Everyone seems to be laughing besides the ladies and kids getting used as bait.
Everyone seems to be having a very good time besides the victims.
Issues appear to have died down since Kendrick launched “Not Like Us,” and actually, I hope it stays useless as a result of we will’t maintain doing this.
I problem Kendrick, Drake and another man in hip-hop to make a diss observe that calls out abusers as a method of stopping additional hurt to victims.
I encourage Kendrick, Drake and another man in hip-hop to carry their friends accountable, and by accountable I imply in a manner that forestalls them from having the ability to hurt others – not in a manner that merely will get streams on a diss observe.
I encourage everybody who’s a part of the tradition to look at the way in which we take part and have interaction in these items.
Finally, the gladiators are combating as a result of the gang needs blood.
The query is, is it the blood of the combatants or the blood of their alleged victims that’s in the end being spilled?
Monique Decide is a storyteller, content material creator and author residing in Los Angeles. She is a phrase nerd who’s a fan of the Oxford comma, spends manner an excessive amount of time on Twitter, and has extra graphic t-shirts than you. Comply with her on Twitter @thejournalista or examine her out at moniquejudge.com.
