@DRAKKARDNOIR @Rihanna @NICKIMINAJ #Aaliyah
You’ll never mistake me for a cat who likes Drake lets get that straight.  Honestly I don’t see the hype.  I think Hip Hop has become accustomed to music that is underacheiving so the bar over time has been lowered.  He’s got enough people around him telling him he’s hot so I guess the fans believe it too.

None the less, what I find most interesting about the entertainer is his passion.  Not necessarily for his music, but he’s a bit of a groupie, no?  In memorial of the 9th anniversary of Aaliyah (Haughton’s) passing this week Drake wrote a posthumous letter to the fallen singer.

Dear Dana,

I’ve never lost a parent, a friend, or a lover but I will never forget this day for the rest of my life. I remember getting the news that you had passed and it connected with my heart like a clean shot from Muhammad Ali. I was crushed. Not only was I one of your biggest fans but I was truly in love with you. I loved the way you carried yourself, the way you dressed, the confidence with which you addressed passion and relationships in your music. I said to myself that even if we never met, I wanted a woman in my life just like you. I am pained that we will never get to connect now that music ended up being my career path. But you should know, we all listen to you everyday and we remain inspired and moved by all that you’ve given the world. I hope I make the right life choices so I can end up in heaven where I know you rest your head. I’ll continue to make music in your honor until the day we finally meet. Dinner’s on me!

Love you always and forever,

Drake

(Did he just call her by her middle name?) I can feel him on that.  I too had a crush on Aaliyah growing up like I’m sure most of the Nation did.  But this isn’t his first rodeo. He’s also shown this borderline obsessive behavior female artists, Rihanna and Nicki Minaj as well.

Just before his album released in June, I commented about the then leaked track “Fireworks” which discusses his brief relationship with Rihanna.  More than anything it revealed a creepy obsession that was more TMI than art coming across as a scorned lover, unable to move on.  In an apparent bitch moment, he even went as far as to tell the New York Times about being played by RiRi.

You know what she was doing to me?” he told the Times. “She was doing exactly what I’ve done to so many women throughout my life, which is show them quality time, then disappear. I was like, ‘Wow, this feels terrible.’

Ok, he really liked the chick.  They had a fling whatever, whatever.  I, personally know how captivating those Bajan women can be.  But then what about his lyrics about Nicki Minaj on his rap ballad “Miss Me” where he says he wants to put a ring on it as proof of his true feelings for her?

“I love Nicki Minaj/ I told her I’d admit it/ I hope one day we get married just to say we f—ing did it/ And girl, I’m f—ing serious/ I’m with it if you with it/ ‘Cause your verses turn me on and your pants are mighty fitted,”

She’s his label mate and just speaking figuratively right?  Well… He would later tell DJ Envy in an interview for MTV that perhaps he was obsessed over her too.

“When I was on tour … I saw Nicki for the first time and, like, literally fell in love. She had this snap-back hat on that said ‘Minaj.’ She used to wear that every single day. She was like a theater student and she was so cold at rapping.”

Here’s the thing.  If there’s been one message I’ve tried to impart during my time here at Highbrid Nation its been that I’ve been disappointed with the passion and authenticity with which Hip Hop has expressed.  I’ve applauded Eminem for staying true to himself and putting himself out there.  He puts his emotions and life on wax in a way that we can all relate to and understand the life he’s leading.  So I’ve gotta call myself out for dissing Drake for doing the same.

Granted I still can’t listen to his music, all he’s doing is sharing his reality however groupie obsession it may come across.  That’s what’s been missing in Hip Hop.  Hopefully its that “real” that Hip Hop 2.0 respects about Drake and will bring about a change to where artist can feel comfortable again in not posing as a gangster if you’re not but do as my man Prodigy once said and put their “lifetime in between the paper’s lines.”  I can’t believe I’m gonna say this but Drake……….salute!