“You act like you didn’t know that” - Michael Eric Dyson critiques Kendrick’s dismissal of Drake’s Black identity in their rap feud

Culture critic Michael Eric Dyson recently called out Kendrick Lamar for dismissing Drake's racial identity during their recent rap battle. On Sunday, May 19, 2024, during Dyson's interview with sports journalist Stephen A. Smith, on his talk show, the author spoke about his recent article about the rap feud. He told the host:

"I'm pissed that Drake gets dismissed, off the scene, when he’s been Drake for 15 years and you act like you didn’t know that. Now he's not really Black?"

On May 15, Dyson wrote an essay in The Philadelphia Citizen, calling the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar war of words a "proxy war for looming conflicts that are far more difficult to unravel, namely, racial authenticity, colorism, democracy, the ongoing conflict of Blacks and Jews, the war in Gaza, and DEI."

The author specifically criticized the erasure of the Hotline Bling rapper's "blackness."

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"Drake was tarred and feathered as inauthentically Black," - Michael Eric Dyson about Lamar's diss tracks

While the Drizzy vs. K.Dot rap feud started back in 2013, it recently escalated with both releasing diss tracks after another, aiming for each other's careers and private lives. This included Lamar's Meet the Grahams and Not Like Us, Drizzy's The Heart Part 6, and Taylor's Made Freestyle.

The Canadian rapper was born to an African-American father, Dennis Graham, and an Ashkenazi Jew mother, Sandi Graham. He is one of the most influential singers in the industry, and have many times credited with bringing R&B into hip-hop. K. Dot's lyrics in Not Like Us hinted at Drake being a colonizer. The rapper wrote:

"You run to Atlanta when you need a few dollars/ No, you not a colleague, you a f*ckin' colonizer."

Referring to Lamar's diatribes, Dyson wrote:

"The astonishing and deflating speed with which Drake was tarred and feathered as inauthentically Black says less about him and more about the reactionary nativism of cults of pure identity that police the boundaries of Blackness like a rogue and racist cop."

He added that Kendrick's lyrics transformed the One Dance singer from a "rap genius" to a "cultural carpetbagger," who must prove that he deserves to be called "Black," despite the "white supremacist culture" seeing him as one.

In his interview, Dyson questioned the need to question his racial identity despite his Jewish heritage, adding that doing so also undermines his cultural contributions. He adds that rather than focusing on whether the rapper is black, both rappers should evaluate and compare their "lyrical abilities." He remarked:

"Challenging his racial identity saying he's a culture vulture when he's a Black man-'he's from Canada he ain't real'-Idris Elba is from the UK, people still love him on The Wire. So why is it that being outside of our geography, outside of our nationality raises suspicions about (him)?"

Amidst the rap feud, several musicians have spoken against Drake. Recently, Lil Yachty, on the latest episode of A Safe Place Podcast, explained that the Canadian rapper has been dealing with similar questions since the beginning of his career. Citing people's perception of the rapper and "wanting to see him fall," he added:

"I really wish it was only Drake and Kendrick. It kinda seemed like when Kendrick came out and was like 'I hate this n*gga' everyone was like finally like, 'I hate him too.'"

Both Kendrick Lamar and Drizzy have not released any statements about Michael Eric Dyson's article.