Captain Obvious statement coming in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 . Dating back to the days of Will Smith and Jazzy Jeff or when Public Enemy posed the question on Terminator X to the Edge of Panic, Who gives a fukk about a g*ddam Grammy? Hip-Hop and musics biggest night have never had the most kosher of relationships.
This year, the genres most anticipated awards were handed out before the telecast. And, putting it lightly, theres the overwhelming sentiment regarding the lack of connection or desire to tap into the true pulse of the music despite some of the most memorable performances in recent years centering around raps most influential names. Such constitutes as the reason why talents like Killer Mike, Sean Price, Big K.R.I.T. or Freddie Gibbs may never be nominated for a Grammy, which by no means, is a moratorium on an artists career (despite Mike already winning one for for OutKasts The Whole World).*
Yet, and heres the paradoxical twist, for MCs who are nominated, the desire to walk home with a Grammy is borderline obsessive. Aside from obvious financial implications resulting from the distinction, the competitive edge in a psycho-competitive genre are bragging rights that speak for themselves. This ignites the conversation to the 2014 Best Rap album, specifically two of the categorys expected nominees.
Marinate on this. Since 2008, only three new Hip-Hop artists have gone platinum. And by new, the qualifications are under the age of 30 and dropping their first label-backed album. Thats Nicki Minaj, Drake and Kendrick. Thats it and thats all.
From the moment So Far Gone dubbed the Toronto transplant raps Andrew Wiggins in 2009, Drakes reign atop the newer generation of MCs has gone essentially unchallenged. Names like Wale, Big Sean, KiD CuDi, Wiz Khalifa and J. Cole carved their own niche amongst the masses with their respective sets of catalog-defnining projects. None, however, have come within arms reach of Cash Moneys smartest signing since keeping Lil Wayne away from Jay-Z seven years earlier. And with taunts in the vein of Most #1′s ever how long did it really take me the only true competition Drake encountered was his own boredom and long since-established legends.
Enter good kid, m.a.a.d city.
Where Thank Me Later and Take Care produced a plethora stadium-worthy mainstays and graphically introspective numbers, Kendricks debut manifested its own audio fingerprint. GKMC captured the forecast of a time period. It thrived in describing the hopes, dreams, pitfalls and peer pressures of matriculating in a generation hellbent on appeasing an image of manhood and success based largely around perception. And the LP spawned Kendrick from simply a talented lyricist, to a believable champion. Conceptually and reaction-wise, Hip-Hop has failed to produce a better EP, mixtape or album since GKMC was born on October 22, 2012.
A platinum album is impressive enough given todays difficulties in pushing units. Showing face at key stages is, in ways, even more so. Keep in mind Kendrick has walked away with MVP honors at each of the summers biggest rap-related events in Summer Jam and the BET Awards. Perception being reality is no more truer than in Hip-Hop, and one has to believe Drake recognizes the validity of the statement. The deadline for Grammy nominations is September 30. And at the moment, the likely candidates for the category could resemble this lineup or something of the sort:
Kanye West Yeezus
Jay-Z Magna Carta Holy Grail
Kendrick Lamar good kid, m.a.a.d city
Mackelmore & Ryan Lewis The Heist
J. Cole/A$AP Rocky/Killer Mike & El-P Born Sinner/Long.Live.A$AP/Run The Jewels (Realistically, the Grammys probably wont recognize Mike, but its hilarious just picturing him sitting beside someone like Taylor Swift or Selena Gomez anyway.)
A host of various intangibles will decide the final list like Eminem dropping his mythical project, Kanye failing to receive a nomination as seen before, Rick Ross throwing his name into the hat or if the Grammys feel T.I. or Wayne are worthy of a recognition for Trouble Man or I Am Not A Human Being II. With this knowledge, Nothing Was The Same being pushed back to September 17 makes all the sense in the world. Its the second to last Tuesday before the cutoff date and all but ensures Aubrey is the last (and most recent) marquee name the selection committee will take into consideration. A chess move, indeed.
Calling Drake and Kendrick Lamar raps quietest cold war would fall far short on accuracy. Kendrick was apart of Drakes Club Paradise tour and the two have produced a duo of hit records in Poetic Justice and A$AP Rockys fukkin Problems. Strategical sportsmanship is a more applicable term.
Remember how in the fourth quarter of every NBA All Star Game players begin to discard of the happy-go-lucky nature the first three quarters embodied? And their true competitive nature surfaces in hopes of not only winning the game, but MVP honors as well? Its the no different in rap. By this stage in the calendar, with a Grammy in reach and regardless whether both openly address the topic, the desire is very much so real with incentives to do so present in TDE and OVO.
For Comptons new favorite son, perhaps a victory represents as a full-circle moment and the official coronation of Hip-Hops newest child of destiny; a moment an entire coast and its tenants across generations can find pride in given the fact the future of West Coast rap appeared all but toe-tagged not even a decade earlier.
For Drake, a two part accomplishment looms in the balance. Fending off his closest mainstream competition in Kendrick is one obstacle. Meanwhile, potentially upending Nas, Jay-Z and Kanye West in a matter of 12 months for back-to-back Grammys would bring his On my King James shyt, Im trying to win here again prophecy to fruition. With everything at stake, the seeds for Nothing Was The Same being Drakes most complete project to date have already been planted.
Looking ahead, a shade over six months separate this warm July afternoon from the 2014 Grammys at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. By then, the Super Bowl will be sports dominant discussion and the Lakers on the tail end of their annual Grammy road trip with Kobe Bryant riding a repaired Achilles and Dwight Howard perhaps in tow. Or vice versa.
Narratives are still left to be written, songs and videos to be released and campaign trails to be blazed. Equally important, K-Dot could still fall victim** to Erykah Badu only to reappear in two years to promote his next album Najiramba with a jeans/sweatpants ensemble and fitted dashiki covering the hairdo Martin had when he became Brother Shaquille Sunflower.
Pending that doesnt transpire, the next 208 days should be fun. Pressure busts pipes. And also creates legends in the process.
Is Kendrick Lamar Drake's First Real Competitor?
drake took this nikka on tour and introduced him to a new crowd, dude better pay homage in the acceptance speech if he wins it
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