This Generation’s Tupac vs. Biggie: Kendrick Lamar vs Drake [OPINION]

Kendrick Lamar, acclaimed for his technical prowess and considered the best emcee of our generation. Drake, the most popular rapper in hip-hop in a long time. Does popularity mean more than technical ability? I think not.
Kendrick Lamar and Drake are arguably two of the most popular artists in music right now. Both rappers gained massive popularity early on in the 2010s, Drake around 2010-2011, and Kendrick around 2011-2012. Thank Me Later (2010), introduced Drake to the mainstream while, good kid m.A.A.d city (2012), did the same for Lamar. Since then many debates have been had over who is the greatest rapper of our generation. Lyrical ability is constantly brought up in these debates, chart numbers, and who has more classic albums. There’s been no bigger debate over who is better since probably Tupac vs. The Notorious B.I.G.

While today we see little to no interaction between the two artists, early on in the 2010s both artists could be seen featured on each other’s tracks and even featured together on other rapper’s songs. Considered a classic album by many, Drake’s Take Care (2011), features a whole interlude where Lamar shows off his rapping skills. A year later on Kendrick’s debut studio album, good kid m.A.A.d city (2012), Drake is featured on the track, Poetic Justice. It’s not until the following year that the debate between the two really began to pick up.

The now infamous verse where Lamar went off on the whole rap industry, calling out his peers by name, including Drake, and claiming that he is the king of rap, sparked this rivalry. Lamar has stated since then that there was no ill intention with his verse, he simply wants there to be competition in the genre. Rappers took it as a friendly wake up call to step up their game, except for Drake who misunderstood the name drop. A few months later Lamar subtly dissed Drake again during a BET cypher. The rap war was on in the eyes of the fans.

Since all of this has gone down, Drake has dominated the charts, broken countless streaming records, and has sold countless albums. Without a doubt, raps hottest artist in a while. On the other side of the ring, Kendrick Lamar has garnered critical acclaim, boasting some of the best rap lyrics today, and having some of the most crucial albums of the decade, according to critics. In comes Complex News and their newly released article titled, “The Best Rappers of the 2010’s.” The top two spots belong to Kendrick Lamar at number two, and Drake at number one making him the best rapper of the decade. Apparently, popularity is the determining factor to choosing the best rapper of the decade. Interesting.

A big focal point for me, and many fans in the hip-hop community when debating what makes a rapper good is always technical ability versus popularity. Some of the best rappers ever are the best because of their technical abilities. Kendrick Lamar himself is popular just off his technical ability as a rapper. Lamar has picked up Grammys for his hit record, “i,” and for his magnum opus, To Pimp a Butterfly. Not to mention in 2016, he picked up 11 nominations at the Grammys, one nomination away from equaling Michael Jackson’s record of 12 nominations in one night. Kendrick Lamar comes in with 12 Grammy wins compared to Drake’s four.

Perhaps it’s Lamar’s social commentary in his music that drives people to prefer Drake. Many hip-hop fans argue that since Drake’s music is more accessible, in terms of lyrics and depth, that makes him the better rapper. That would explain why Drake has more number one hits than Lamar. However, Kendrick Lamar has proven his versatility with his latest album from 2017, DAMN. In DAMN, he proved he can also make “accessible” music. Critics called it one of his most digestible albums to date. Shouldn’t this make him better than Drake? I mean not only can he make music that’s socially conscious, but he can also put out hits like his rap counterpart.

Arguments for Drake could be made, as he is extremely versatile when making music, not only is he a rapper, but he has a solid singing voice. He crosses over into different genres of music as well, but where Lamar has the upper hand is that Lamar doesn’t compromise his overall message and technical ability to provide hard hitting lyrics. Whereas Drake does not seem to care all that much about lyrics when switching up his style.

Lamar has been the voice of the voiceless, sparking an anthem with his hit, Alright, which could be heard all over the country for Black Lives Matter marches. He’s connected with the audience in a unique way through his words relating to struggling as a person of color, and growing up in one of the most dangerous cities in America and trying to make it out alive. He makes the audience feel like they’re not in the struggle alone. The messages he shares in his music can be too much for the average listener to handle, and the fact that he made it this big in an era of rap where people care more about beats than lyrics is an accomplishment within itself.

Kendrick Lamar has proven himself as a rapper that can deliver intense messages to the mainstream audience, while also pleasing their ear with accessible, mainstream hits. He’s connected with the audience in a way no other rapper currently connects with the audience. He has acclaim from both the mainstream audience and from hip-hop fans. He’s compared to some of the greatest lyricists of all time. While many consider Drake to have one or two classic albums under his belt, every album Kendrick Lamar has released has garnered critical acclaim and is considered a classic. He’s the only rapper to ever win the Pulitzer Prize in music for his 2017 album, DAMN. While many online sources may not consider him the best rapper of the decade, myself and countless other dedicated hip-hop heads, know he is the best rapper of the decade, and possibly ever.