Snoop Dogg on Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar beef, praises positive impact on rap genre
Snoop Dogg, while declining to take sides in the ongoing rap feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, expressed his appreciation for the positive impact their lyrical battle has had on the genre. In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, Snoop acknowledged the elevated level of lyricism and song-making that has emerged from the confrontation.
"The only thing I want to say about that whole scenario is that I want to give both of them a shoutout for raising the bar as far as lyrics, as far as song-making and writing because the writing has been upped since the confrontation," said Snoop, referring to the artists as his "nephews." He emphasised his neutrality, stating, "I’m not in the middle of it. I support both of them and that’s personal business, not my business."
Snoop specifically praised their contribution to the rap industry, stating, "They made you rap again. You can’t mumble your way and gimmick your way to a song no more, buddy. So, thank y’all."
Despite Snoop's neutrality, Drake included AI-generated verses from Snoop and Tupac Shakur in his diss track "Taylor Made Freestyle," which targeted Lamar. Snoop reacted to this with a lighthearted video on social media, expressing his confusion and amusement over the situation.
While Snoop sees the feud as a positive for the rap genre, others like Stevie Wonder and Questlove have expressed differing opinions. Wonder criticised the negativity and distraction it creates, while Questlove lamented the focus on personal attacks rather than musical skill.