Drake has been on a break from music since announcing he was taking time out to deal with some health issues in October 2023.
The artist, 37, who announced his hiatus after dropping his latest album, For All The Dogs, may need some more rest and recovery when he hears what Mos Def, 50, had to say about his music.
In an interview on The Cutting Room Floor podcast, the DJ, also known by his legal name Yasiin Bey, damned the artist’s work with faint praise.
‘Drake is pop to me,’ the Mathematics rapper said, explaining, ‘In the sense like, if I was at Target in Houston, and I heard a Drake song, it feels like a lot of his music is compatible with shopping.’
He granted some grace saying it was like, ‘shopping with an edge, in certain instances.’
Drake, 37, has been on a break since announcing he was taking time out to deal with some health issues in October 2023 after dropping his latest album, For All The Dogs. He may need some more rest and recovery when he hears what Mos Def, 50, had to say about his music
When host Recho Omondi said she liked Drake’s music, but understood ‘exactly what you’re saying… it’s commercial, entertaining, fun, good formulaic music.’
Mos Def admitted it was ‘likeable,’ and then compared Drake’s music to going to the mall.
‘They have everything, … this is great,’ he said.
The Obie Award winner then asked a question that might indicate where he thought the music industry was heading.
‘What happens when this thing collapses? What happens when the columns start buckling? Are we not in the early stages of that at this present hour? Are we seeing the collapse of empire?’
‘What’s in it for your audience,’ he continued, ‘apart from like banging the pom poms?’ he said of the Canadian artist who has had 13 number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100, tying Michael Jackson.
For the most part, podcast listeners seemed to agree with the hitmaker’s analogy.
‘This is really a great definition of Drake’s current music,’ one listener said.
In an appearance on The Cutting Room Floor podcast, when host Recho Omondi, asked Mos Def ‘is Drake hip hop? ‘ the Mathematics rapper answered, ‘Drake is pop to me’
The DJ explained, ‘In the sense like, if I was at Target in Houston, and I heard a Drake song, it feels like a lot of his music is compatible with shopping’
Drake has had 13 number ones on the Billboard Hot 100, tying with Michael Jackson (Pictured in Atlanta in November 2022)
‘It’s easy listening to me, just turn it on and you get it and I’m ok with that.’
‘Doesn’t take anything away from Drake, though lol but he told no lies,’ commented another.
Mos Def will be will be performing in Paris January 18 and 20 with MC*5 at the Elysee Montmartre.
‘Yasiin Bey will do perform a unique show for the first time of only MF DOOM tracks,’ according to the post announcing the shows on social media.
