This week’s issue of Sound Bite is going to be a little different than normal. I’m solely focusing on the Kendrick and Drake situation, and I will be giving my opinions on the matter.

Since our last issue, Kendrick dropped three tracks and Drake has dropped two. It seems, at least at this current moment, that they are done dropping and the battle is over. The releases went as follows. Kendrick dropped “6:16 in LA” which while on the outside looked to be a response, was actually a baited hook which Drake jumped on. Just a few days after its initial release, Drake responded, dropping a highly personal and accusatory attack on Kendrick, with “FAMILY MATTERS.”

“FAMILY MATTERS” does many things in attack of Kendrick and all of Drake’s adversaries, but most notably it accuses Kendrick of domestic violence against his current fiancée Whitney. This is only the first of the many accusations we will cover in this issue, but I want to make a statement on the allegations. At the point of this paper’s release, these are all still allegations. If any of these allegations are proven true, the rap battle is legitimately over. It should no longer be about music but about making sure that those accused are prosecuted and that those in danger are safe.

Kendrick dropped his response “meet the grahams” that same night, proving that he had it in the bank the entire time. He then doubled down and dropped the track “Not Like Us” the next day. Where Drake accused Kendrick of possible criminal acts, what Kendrick has accused Drake of is fairly disturbing. Kendrick, in a letter to every member of Drake’s family including an alleged secret daughter, accuses Drake of trafficking, pedophilia and predatorial behavior. If even a single one of these allegations are true, it cannot be about the music. It has to be about justice, and it has to be objective. 

Both men have accused each other of criminal acts, but in total Kendricks accusations tend to carry a little more weight. That’s not to say that Kendrick himself is out of the woods here, as if what Drake said is true in “THE HEART PART 6” there needs to be some form of investigation. But if what Kendrick said is true, then Drake would be up there with the likes of Harvey Wienstien and Jeffery Epstein.

The beef has gotten to a point where I have moral scruples even thinking about how to report on it. I would go as far as to say that this is no longer a beef, it is a trial. The first person to release actual hard evidence against the other instantly “wins.” But right now it’s important to remember that all of these statements are just rumors and accusations and nothing more. That doesn’t mean they don’t carry a lot of weight, but it does mean that both artists should be given a fair chance to defend themselves and provide evidence of their innocence.

So then at this current moment who’s the winner? It seems Kendrick has won public favor, and although his claims are still just rumors the vast majority of the public seems to be on his side. Drake’s claims of planting evidence didn’t seem to be enough to overpower Kendricks lyricism and triple release schedule. Kendrick currently holds the top two spots on apple music, while Drake’s response “THE HEART PART 6” has more dislikes than likes on youtube. This isn’t the first time Drake has lost public opinion, and it is possible he can bounce back, but for now it seems Kendrick is and will remain one of the greatest of all time.

Snack Sized Samples

Isaac Dobmeier

Columnist

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