Method Man Highlights Importance Of Competition In Rap Beef Culture: ‘It Keeps People On Their Toes’
Clifford Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Method Man, opened up about the significance of competition in rap beef culture. In an interview with Vanity Fair, he provided insights about it.
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Trigger Warning: This article includes references to sexual assault
Clifford Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Method Man, opened up about the significance of competition in rap beef culture. In a recent interview, the rapper said healthy competition in this particular genre is quite good.
"It keeps people on their toes, and the younger cats are watching," Method Man told Vanity Fair. "They’re learning that the things these guys are saying are actually their credo. And we’re watching who they really are play out in real time."
He further explained that in a competitive environment, like a jungle, there are always alphas with everyone else falling in line. He noted that many will attempt to claim the throne simply because it exists. However, he added that there's space for everyone, and nobody has threatened anyone in the space.
Method Man on the famous Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Drake beef
The rapper opened up about the recent beef between the three rappers that made headlines last month in June and said, "I honestly believe these three guys respect each other, or they wouldn’t have mentioned each other."
Furthermore, Method Man spoke to Variety about Cole's part in the beef and admitted that he disliked the drama as a middle child. Furthermore, Method Man described J. Cole as someone who is very calculated and quite smart, hinting that he often approached situations with a chess-like strategy rather than a checkers mentality.
Method Man has been in the rap scene since the early 2000s and has appeared in films such as 187 (1997), Belly (1998), How High (2001), Garden State (2004),
How did the Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Drake beef begin?
The latest beef originally began between three of hip-hop's biggest stars—Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and J. Cole—all focused on tracks that seemingly talk about their career trajectory. As tensions arose, Cole fell out of the fight. However, Drake and Kendrick continue to battle with more assertiveness via back-to-back diss tracks.
According to PEOPLE, The beef intensified last month when Lamar released the Jack Antonoff-produced 6:16 in LA, which challenged Drake's inner circle and hinted at being in cahoots with members of Drake's crew. Following that, Drake accused Lamar of domestic violence and claimed that one of Lamar's children was not biologically his.
Following Drake's track, Lamar immediately released a diss Meet the Grahams, accusing Drake of having an alleged secret daughter., which Drake quickly denied. What followed was another track from Lamar called Not Like Us, which accused the One Dance hitmaker of pedophilia and called him a colonizer.
Disclaimer: If you need support or know someone who is struggling with domestic violence, assault, or abuse, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist, NGO or speak to someone about it. There are several helplines available for the same.
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