Punk Hazard
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Yeah you can call Drake an artist in the generic definition of anyone that makes music, but Drake is far from someone who makes art. Like I said earlier, Drake raps for a career, he raps because he wants to make money and be popular. He isn't like Eminem, or Kendrick, or J. Cole who craft their identities through rap, who rap because it's their heart and soul, and unlike Tyler, the Creator and Logic, as well as the men before, Drake doesn't rap to accomplish something greater than simply rap.
Tyler, the Creator rapped to send a message, as well as use his music to tell a narrative that spanned across three albums.
Logic, similar to Eminem, raps because he's good at it, and wanted to show that anyone, as long as they have their heart in it, can make a craft.
Eminem raps because he was born to do it. Most likely, Eminem comes closer to the phrase "born to rap" than anyone else. The man had nothing else, and feels like if he wasn't good at rap, if didn't have his talent, he'd be nothing, he'd have nothing. There's no one who can have rap in their heart more than him. Eminem rapped because life gave him lemons, and he wanted to make sure he threw lemonade into the public eye.
Drake raps to get a paycheck and to have his face on billboards. Drake raps because he wants to be a poster boy, he doesn't rap because he wants to make a craft or because he loves, and that's clear to see in the fact that he doesn't try to accomplish anything bigger than getting money. Drake fits into Young Money because they're all fools who want to use rap as a tool, not be rap.
Yeah, you can say Drake is making the most money right now, or he's albums that's hot for a while, but in the end, that matters only for Drake. When he dies, what's his legacy? "Oh that guy that made a bunch more money than others?" Who cares? If Drake were to die right now, he'd become obscure, just another rapper who managed to make it big, the only special thing about him being his reputation of being emotional and the memes about, is that a legacy worth anything? Drake hasn't changed the rap game for shit, he hasn't many any difference, how many up and coming rappers you think will say Drake influenced them the same way Biggie, Pac, NWA, Eminem, Wu-Tang, or Trech has? Many fade into obscurity, few can make it big, but even fewer make a difference with their music, even fewer leave a lasting mark. When it comes to an art-form like hip-hop and rap, it's not the man who managed to make millions and then fade once he dies that is successful, but the one who made true art and is appreciated afterwards. Drake is successful now, but his success will die with him, and that is less than the success that people like Eminem, J. Cole, Logic, or Tyler, the Creator has managed to create for themselves.
