Drake was chosen as the artist to cover The FADER‘s 100th issue. The magazine was launched in 1999 and also featured the Toronto rapper on its cover in 2009.
In the new cover story, Drake addresses his beef with Meek Mill.
The feud started in July when the Philadelphia rapper called out Drake on Twitter, saying he doesn’t write his own raps. The Toronto rapper responded with his “Charged Up” diss track. After waiting a few days for Meek Mill’s response, Drake recorded and released his second track, “Back to Back.”
“I was like, ‘I’m gonna probably just finish this,’” he says of writing the second song. “And I know how I have to finish it. This has to literally become the song that people want to hear every single night, and it’s gonna be tough to exist during this summer when everybody wants to hear [this] song that isn’t necessarily in your favor.”
“Back To Back” plays on radio stations across the country and peaked at #27 on Billboard’s Hot 100 list. Drake expresses his disappointment in Meek Mill not being prepared in the feud.
“This is a discussion about music, and no one’s putting forth any music?” Drake says. “You guys are gonna leave this for me to do? This is how you want to play it? You guys didn’t think this through at all—nobody? You guys have high-ranking members watching over you. Nobody told you that this was a bad idea, to engage in this and not have something? You’re gonna engage in a conversation about writing music, and delivering music, with me? And not have anything to put forth on the table?”
Meek Mill did release “Wanna Know,” which was eventually taken down from his Soundcloud page. He supposedly ended the back-and-forth with a social media post saying, “I’m not entertaining no rap/real beef over drake s/o a rapper!”
Drake also addresses the reference tracks that surfaced. Quentin Miller, his alleged ghostwriter, appears on the cuts rapping Drake’s songs. Drake explains that he enjoys working as a team when making music, but knows that he is the face of his brand.
“Music at times can be a collaborative process, you know?” he says. “Who came up with this, who came up with that—for me, it’s like, I know that it takes me to execute every single thing that I’ve done up until this point. And I’m not ashamed.”
To read the entire interview, visit The FADER.
For additional Drake coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
drake is on his way to becoming the goat and we’re all witnesses……
Lol this nigga is a POP ARTIST with a Ghostwriter… Calm that shit down
Know what a fucking pop artist is before you make up lies again. Drake’s music is a blend between hiphop and R&B. killer rapping mixed in with stevie wonder’s voice from r&b. Chris Brown is pop (drake wannabe that beats girls), kendrick is pop, meek is true hiphop but not on drake’s lane.
Uh, no. You’re wrong, Ben (who’s really Dan). Drake is pop. He’s not hip-hop and R&B and his voice is nothing like Stevie Wonder. Chris Brown is R&B, not pop (he’s not a Drake wannabe since they have different styles). Kendrick is not pop, either, he’s true hip-hop (listen to Blacker The Berry, King Kunta, Alright, For Free, etc. and find anything that sounds pop), not Meek Mill, who is pop rap.
you simple-minded people thought i meant hip-hop/rap? nahhhh bruhhh…. he’s about to be the goat of all music! bet!
Yeah, he looks like a literal goat. BAAAAH
No doubt. Drake’s the greatest rapper ever.
Said no sane person ever.
He finally admits to having help with his songs. That wasn’t so hard, was it? Will Smith, Milli Vanilli and even Kanye West had/have help with writing. Drake is just the face of the “team” and there is nothing wrong with that, as long as you don’t claim to be the “king” of Hip-Hop. This whole scandal allowed for me to appreciate the real writers and lyricists in Hip-Hop. Long live the true artists out there.
I hate to break it to you, but those people probably got help too.
He just mentioned that in his comment.
Great! I give Drake props for being honest but we all know now that Drake uses ghostwriters. No more talk about him being the king. Real Kings don’t need help.
List of rappers on record for having collaborators: Jay-z, Kanye, Ghostface, Nas, Ol Dirty Bastard, Run-DMC, Dr.Dre, Beastie Boys, Biz Markie etc.
What does this change? Nothing. If Drake cant be considered GOAT niether can Jay-z or Nas or Ghostface. Word up. Get real. Collaboration is always part of music or art. Ideas come from everywhere. Get real people
WRONG!!! You can like all that fake shit if you want to but don’t make shit up to make yourself feel better that your guy is a fake. Jay-Z doesn’t use Ghostwriters bro. Your reaching with that B.S. I even question the Nas allegations but that I could be wrong. Regardless, none of those artiest you named would need or use a reference track. Drake is a fake.
@ Wrong – Danjo
Jay-Z has stole more biggie bars than god knows and were talking verse-for-verse for 8 bars (Nas called him on it on Ether). Plus there is video from “Fade to Black” where Kanye rhymes over and introduces Jay-Z to the Lucifer beat and clearly offers the hook. 99 Problems was actually an uncredited cover an Ice-T song yet Ice-T got no credit for hook and some lines. Nas has admitted the editing of rhymes by large profressor on Illmatic plus of course, there is the dead prez help which is well-known. As far Ghostface, ODB etc. – these are lines straight taken, well documented. There is no debate about those. Drake reference tracks have some bars here and there. They are far from exactly what you hear on Drake songs.
ovoxo.6ix.side.ting.
Drake = A Group.. Not 1 person lol
Well, that’s the best damn group ever, then. #DrakeIsLoveDrakeIsLife
I can name at least 20 who are better.