Language

English (en)

Prize Year

2025

Document Type

Unrestricted

Abstract

In the spring of 2024, two of hip-hop's biggest names, Drake and Kendrick Lamar, ignited a rap battle that dominated headlines, playlists, and streaming platforms. What started as humorous lyrical jabs quickly escalated into character defamation and conspiracy theories within three swift weeks. Fans quickly picked sides as streams skyrocketed, and media platforms blew up. Yet beneath the hype, this was not just another clash of egos; it was a cultural spectacle between two influential giants. This paper argues that while Drake and Lamar have been cast as the central figures of this lyrical war, neither of them truly comes out more victorious than the other. The real loser of this beef is Black culture and identity, which gets reduced to content that is monetized, consumed, and recycled for clicks and streams. In addition, both artists lack authenticity, though in different ways, as they exploit hip-hop's cultural impact for their own personal gain: Drake by selectively leaning into his Blackness when it benefits his commercial image, and Lamar by presenting himself as the righteous underdog while still using the very system he critiques to advance his career. What was once a language of liberation has become a product to be sold to mainstream America. Instead of challenging systemic structures, both artists reinforce it, packaging Black struggle, creativity, and authenticity as entertainment for mass consumption.

Comments

Dean James E. McLeod Freshman Writing Prize, 2025

New version with different formatting uploaded 11/21/2025.

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