Whoever said you must pick a side and stick to it wasn’t thinking about Metro Boomin. The superstar music producer, who was undoubtedly a key figure in the early stages of the Drake and Kendrick Lamar feud, recently downplayed its significance in an interview with Forbes, referring to the rivalry as “just entertainment.”
Wait? Huh? What are we missing…?
During the Forbes Under 30 Summit, Metro was asked about the rivalry from a producer’s perspective. He shared that, in 2024, “stan culture” has altered the nature of hip-hop beef, making it feel “kind of weird.”
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“I feel like the competition is great for the game,” Metro said. “Hip-hop has always been a competitive genre, even if it’s just about the music. It’s not as serious as everyone tries to make it. With hip-hop, there’s a lot of ego involved. You’re supposed to feel like you’re the best. From the top artist to the lowest, you’re supposed to at least believe you’re the best.”
Metro went on to say:
“Back in the day, Jay-Z and Nas went at it, but I was a fan of both,” he explained. “Most people were. And it’s okay. You don’t have to hate one side or the other. The internet just makes things a little too wild now. But I feel like it’s good for the game. At the end of the day, it’s just entertainment. I have love and respect for all my collaborators. I just want to see everyone do their best and continue pushing this genre forward. This is our era, and it’s our responsibility to advance it for the next generation.”
Well, that was interesting…
The ongoing chat around Kendrick and Drake has gained momentum in recent months, fueled by Kendrick’s surprise track drop just before the MTV Video Music Awards, which was almost certainly strategic, and the announcement of his earth-shattering and somewhat controversial headlining performance at the upcoming Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show.
At the end of the day maybe this is all good for hip-hop. We’re not sure.
