Aubrey Drake
Graham (Drake) is a Hip-Hop phenom now. It could be argued that he is selling
out, but this rapper took the hip hop world by storm when he was coming
out. Jermaine Cole (J.Cole) a
hard-nosed, mixtape rapper that is on the rise as one of the best rapper/MC of
his time and possibly ever.
With the way the hip-hop
world has transformed from the 80’s till now, makes it very difficult to be
liked in this genre. I consider
myself very knowledgeable when it comes to music, having such a deep passion
for it and being an artist myself (singer/songwriter). This makes me critical
when it comes to new artists making it mainstream, I wonder if they deserve the
fame a mainstream artist gets. The mainstream is the demographic of music that
is constantly played on the radio or heard by the mass population. Now I have
trouble appreciating this new wave of synthesizing (computerized music) and auto-tune (software that fixes
pitches) music that is making it mainstream because it seems to take away the
need for true natural talent. It seems as though the days of struggling as an
MC making mixtape after mixtape, which to me is a humbling experience for any
young rapper(a mixtape is like an album the difference is that the rapper
instead of using his own background music (beats) he must use other rappers
music). Making an album is very expensive and time consuming, which is why
mixtapes are like the portfolio of the rapper/MC. Going main-stream does has
it’s benefits—it separates the good from the great. The greater artists have songs that are mainstream perhaps
for the sake of paying the bills, but the heart, soul, and talent of artists
like Drake & J.Cole is what’s on their albums or mixtapes not the radio. Both Drake and J.Cole are great but
have not reached their potential (even though Drake has gone slightly main-stream,
his past speaks for itself).
Drake is
tenacious, blunt, compassionate, raw, and confident-- a true rapper in every
definition of the word. This is an
artist who says what he wants, when he wants it, and how he wants it, without
regard to how people view him or judge him. With all these attributes Drake has paved the way for young
lyricists and rappers especially being from Toronto, a city that is not well
known for putting out rappers. His
following is such a wide demographic of millions of people. Millions. Drake has
taken advantage of the mainstream but is still loved by the underground, and
with that combined he is seemingly unstoppable making his way to the top. Drake was signed by Cash Money Records
and founded by Lil’Wayne at the age of 22. Who knew that Wheelchair Jimmy from Degrassi would be the
apprentice to rapper guru Lil’Wayne?
Drake and Jimmy from Degrassi are one in the same. Drake was an underground and underrated
rapper in the sense that he wasn’t signed until three years after his first
Mixtape. It seemed like being
attached to Wayne overshadowed the talent Drake had. It was never just “Drake” it was “Drake and Wayne.” Until Drake came out with his own songs
like “Successful”, “Brand New”, “Best I Ever Had”. Those songs put Drake on the map because he needed to bring
some income. Unfortunately being
an underground rapper doesn’t pay the bills. So all in all Drake is a rap phenom and is very talented
lyrically. It’s important to note, however, that Drake needs to keep his songs
true to who he truly is, I understand that being phenomenal is to be loved by
all, but everything has its sacrifices.
Staying “true” is
key in hip-hop; it’s what makes a good rapper so raw. J.Cole possesses these qualities making him the
next great hip-hop artist. His
involvement of emotions and his personal life in his songs makes him such gripping
and influential rapper. Being a
college graduate, Magna Cum Laude from St. John’s University, he promotes the
journey of his rap career in his songs, by letting people know that he’s worked
hard to become his dream. From Fayetteville,
NC he brings southern twang, east coast dominated rap, with influence from
Outkast and Jay-Z. Its dirty south
meets the east coast bad boys. J.Cole’s first Mixtape: The Come-Up (released in
2007) is the foundation that would later help him get signed by an notorious
record label. Since J.Cole wasn’t signed in high school he worked hard to earn
an academic scholarship to St. John’s University to be in the center of the hip
hop world, NYC. DJ On Point would
help Cole record the “Come-Up”. He had hopes that he wouldn’t even have to
graduate college and be signed his freshman or sophomore year. It didn’t happen and J.Cole, being of
sound mind, knew everything happens for a reason. After releasing “The Warm-Up”, his second Mixtape, he was on
the map. Having just graduated
from college he was more articulate and had much more life experience to rap
about. He was signed by Jay-Z
RocNation label in 2009. J.Cole’s
career has just began; he is ready and willing to bring this auto-tune,
synthesized, pop culture influenced, hip hop a dormant style that hasn’t been
heard since Jay-Z’s “Hard Knock Life Album”, or OutKast’s “Stakonia” album.
J.Cole is emotional and truthful making his music really makes one feel his
life, his troubles, and the troubles everyone faces but at the same time he
shows that there is always hope.
J.Cole is not only going to be a good rapper, if he stays on the same
path he will be one of the greatest rappers. His dream is never ending. “Where do you go from making the
team, you gotta start, you gotta make it to college, you gotta make it to the
league. Trust me, I didn’t get no deal and relax, I feel like I ain’t made it
yet.” (J.Cole “The Warm-Up”: The Last Call)
Drake and J.Cole
offer the hip hop a world a new style of young talent rap gurus that will soon
surpass their predecessors. But
who is better? It is undeniable
that both of them are very talented, influential, and confident. But as it stands right now I have to
say Drake is an overall better rapper because he has it all, the label, the
money, the fame and the popularity on both sides of the spectrum, underground
and mainstream. J.Cole is more
popular than Drake in the underground but does not have the mainstream
recognition he needs for that big leap he needs to become great. All this could lead one to believe that
J.Cole will be greater and more influential then Drake; his name will be as
well known as Jay-Z. It’s good to know that both these talented rappers are
bringing the trueness of hip hop back.
