By now, everyone has had a chance to weigh in on one of the more interesting aspects of Frank Ocean’s hyped-‘n-tardy Blonde project: The Andre 3000 Verse.
The Andre 3000 Verse rivals a solar eclipse with its rarity, sometimes only teasing its full potential on a Kanye West album, but also reserving its right to appear on a nationally released single such as Jeezy’s 2011 hit “I Do” or even an unexpected cameo alongside Erykah Badu, even though the two are in the running for the most civilized celebrity ex-couples ever.
Franky O. managed to grab one of those Andre 3000 Verses for his own album because, well, that’s what Grammy Award-winning hermits do. And he got more than he bargained for with the “Solo (Reprise),” because at the very least, it created a level of mystique and controversy.
At the tail end of his poetic rapid-fire blitz of an interlude, Dre dropped off this juicy outlier: “After 20 years in/I’m so naive I was under the impression that everyone wrote they own verses/It’s comin’ back different and yeah, that shit hurts me.”
Drake.
That’s exactly how the world reacted.
My good friend Maurice Garland recently made a convincing argument that would easily get a client off the hook, as it proved there was a reasonable doubt that Drizzy was the intended subject of Andre’s verse.
On Facebook he wrote: “Why everybody assuming 3000 talking about Drake? Surely, dude can’t be the only rapper using a little help in the studio, it could be a blanket statement, no? On top of that, I don’t know anything about Dre’s creative process, but, I don’t think buddy would use one of the rare times that he raps on record to spend time and words talking about somebody. even if it was directed at buddy…it’s crazy how that one speck of a verse is what people are putting fork and knife to.”
And he’s right. The term has taken on many monikers since the dawn of rapping but its practice has always been frowned on with the thickest of unibrows. Run-DMC coined the term on Hip Hop’s first classic album and from there, the topic became automatic go-to fare whenever topics ran scarce. Black Thought has built a monumental legacy by hanging phony writers out to dry, but copying in any sense is also a no-no in Hip Hop. Raekwon and Ghostface spent a glorious interlude on the indestructible Purple Tape shaming Biggie and the Bad Boy family for emulating Nas’ Illmatic cover with their own fearless baby on Ready to Die. Even Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott and Timbaland dedicated the first song of her sophomore album, 1999’s Da Real World, to sauce-stealing producers via the song “Beat Biters” (much love to that “kack kack kack kack, ficky boom to boom that kack kack kack kack).
But let’s not kid ourselves. Three Stacks was definitely aiming his puzzlement regarding rappers not writing their own stuff at October’s Very Own.
Somewhere between the release of So Far Gone and fans actually giving up on Detox’s existence, the art of swagger jacking became more criminal than biting (or pretending to write) one’s rhymes and the conversation literally stopped happening. That is, until Meek Mill decided to attempt career suicide that fateful July 2015 evening by not finishing all the beef he heaped onto his plate. Leading up to that Twitter fingers spectacle, no one ever questioned if Fetty Wap actually put together the lyrical arrangement to his breakout hit, “Trap Queen.” Did Nicki Minaj actually pen those blistering bars on “Chi-Raq?” — said no one ever. It was Drake having a ghostwriter that made having a ghostwriter a thing again. OMG. Legend.
From that point, every rhyme Toronto’s biggest star has laid onto digital wax has been analyzed and in nearly all cases, scrutinized by those who came up underneath the culture’s core principles.
To them, he’ll never be able to rightfully claim the crown. He’ll never be mentioned amongst the all-time Hip Hop greats. He’ll always be an actor who slithered his way to the top of the rap game when it was at its weakest.
“I need, sometimes, individuals to spark an idea so that I can take off running. I don’t mind that. And those recordings — they are what they are. And you can use your own judgment on what they mean to you… It’s just, music at times can be a collaborative process, you know? 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.” — Drake on Meek Mill’s ghostwriting allegations against him.
All the aforementioned sentiments are opinions. Now let’s talk facts. As tepid as VIEWS was as a full body of work, it spawned several solo stars, including the Hot 100 chart-dominating “One Dance” and the album’s achievement of passing a billion streams as a whole.
What exactly is the best MC title worth in 2016? Kendrick Lamar’s reclusiveness won’t allow us to have a definitive answer to the question. There are no classroom or street corner arguments to properly christen bars anymore. Now it’s whether or not the track “slap” or not. As long as that remains the beacon of greatness, Drake can have Meredith Mcfuckin’ McIver’s name all up in the credits as long as it warrants repeat spins among the masses.
Save your energy, Three Stacks. Just drop an album and finish your “30 Hours” verse. The Life of Pablo is due for another update.
He’ll always be an actor who slithered his way to the top of the rap game when it was at its weakest.
– nigga with all drakes cd’s
Keep tellin yourself that, it might actually start sounding logical.
Quentin Miller sounds logical
Stop putting everything on Drake.
Kanye West is notorious for the exact same practices, yet 3 Stacks has no problem recording on his albums. HipHopDX give new artist a chance:
Soundcloud.com/Dre-rich/LikeMe
Wow!!!!!! Y’all are on Drakes dick and payroll so much that y’all would disrespect 3 Stacks? I may never come to this motherfucking site again. Have y’all heard of AllHipHip? Of course y’all have. Well, guess what? Outside of Chuck going on TV interviews, I don’t hear anyone else talking about his site anymore. Do you want to guess why? Because of BS “journalism” like this piece of shit article. Y’all even had the gall to put up an unfavorable pic of 3 Stacks. Y’all know he looks like a crackhead in that pic. That nigga was probably coming out of the movie theater–on one of his solo recluse visits to the cinema–when they took the shot. AND YALL TRIED TO THROW DIRT ON KENDRICK? And y’all know he’s officially the reigning king of hip hop. Bottom line: Y’all can eat a sewer soaked, uncircumcised dick with cherries on top.
Meh… Maybe he was bummed out HOV got caught using a ghostwriter.
HOV didn’t get caught using a ghostwriter, nerd. HOV ghostwriters for others. I.E. “The Watchman” on The Chronic 2001 by Dr. Dre, Still D.R.E.. Back to the point. That idiot Consequence says he worked on the hook for Encore with Kanye West. Before Jay Z laid his verses (bars), Kane already had the hook that Vonsequence loser allegedly helped write. Kanye is credited. The song was originally a Kanye song BTW. You couldn’t be more ignorant, Drake fan…
Jay z got exposed by Camron for using BIG’s rhymes over and over, even Nas called him out on it on Ether..but yet Jay Z gets a pass and still considered the best to ever do it
These drake fans worst than lil b fans, they don’t listen or do the research. That dude Cons said he helped write a with Kanye West for the song encore. He did not get credited. He never said he wrote Jay-Z bars. Like Q Miller does for drake. Jay-Z had a classic album before he started using some of big line. Look up the song the city is mine.
Y’all are a bunch of retards. Did Consequence write the hook for Encore? Yes. Are hooks lyrics for a song? Yes. Was Consequence credited on the track? Nope. Did Jay Z perform those lyrics that Consequence wrote and was unaccredited for? Yes. Well, that’s the definition of ghostwriting. Also, both HOV and Kanye, who were credited on Encore do not deny using ghostwriters. Sorry, if you can’t deal with the facts and someone outed Jay Z.
I mean the whole Encore thing, even though its the hook, the hook is the best part of that song and what people remember. Consequence didn’t get a credit and Jay Z used his words. That’s pretty much the definition of using a ghostwriter.
U mean the hook tht onsequence n kanye came with.. how biut the sixteens on all rhe albums he dropped.. lmao @ ur comment.. drizzy is not the versitile to b droopin thexe reage songs.. they ghost written and hes a actor
Kanye creates music, can produce his own album from start to finish. Drizzy goes until someone says cut…..Stacks is legendary, no one cares about the actor who’s scared to reply to Buddens yet bows down to his Boss. Raptor….
Well here is the thing; Unbiased hiphop fans know Drake writes more than enough but fully understand that ish like this need to be written for some people to eat & some to vent n feel better.
Ya’ll lame for this wack ass shit. Whoever wrote this article need their ass beat. You call yourself a hiphop site and disrespect a legend like Andre. People like 3 stacks and Kendrick love the culture and the art form of hip hop. They make classics for the people and actually spend their time crafting beautiful bodies of work. Wack ass niggas like Drake might sell records but at the end of the day that shit dont have any substance. Aint nobody bumpin his old shit, he got a shelf life like the rest of these pop ass niggas he just more consistent with his superficial shit.
Relax kids… It’s not that serious!
Yes it is. And Im a grown ass. I dont give a fuck fuck. But, do disrespect 3 Stacks is sacrilege.
What the deal playboy, just rest your soul
I be holding it down yo still love the dough
Got these ladies on the cock now you know how we go
Got the whole world on lock down you know how we flow
Don’t worry about Brooklyn I continue to flame
Therefore a world with amnesia won’t forget your name
You held it down long enough, let me take those reigns
And just like your spirit the commision remains
Did Consequence write that?
Looks like something Consequence would write, weird never heard him say these lyrics though.
SMH. DAMN BRO! How new to hiphop are you guys? You guys really just asked if Consequence wrote Jay Z’s verse? Jay Z has never used a ghostwriter.
Yeah, cus someone who know Consequence is going to be a “new” Hip Hop head. Can you stop using my name, you literally know nothing about Hip Hop
Well, Jay Z can use a ghostwriter to write the best and most lyrical part(the hook) of Encore. Why would Andre 3000 just be mad at Drake?
Drake has entire verses written for him, big difference to me.
The hook on Encore is like 20% of the entire song. smh.
First don’t use my name for your Drake propaganda. Jay Z never used ghostwriters. Writing a hook is different then writing someones thoughts and feelings. You are clearly to young to understand but you will as you get older.
You clearly don’t understand RIAA, IP laws copyright laws and what songwriters have known since the beginning of time. A hook are still part of the lyrics. You are clearly to stupid to understand this fact and you will probably never understand it because you won’t take Jay Z cock out of your mouth. That why I am DaTruth, facts only and you’re a weak facsimile.
You clearly don’t understand RIAA, IP laws copyright laws and what songwriters have known since the beginning of time. A hook are still part of the lyrics. You are clearly to stupid to understand this fact and you will probably never understand it because you won’t take Jay Z cock out of your mouth. That why I am DaTruth, facts only and you’re a weak facsimile.
The most lyrical part lol!!!! I needed that laugh thank you bro
I know! the lyrics in that song are shit.
Kendrick’s reclusiveness? Dude is always fucking touring and drops at least an album worth of music or guest appearances every year. This article really sucks.
So happy I don’t have to defend Drake. Stay strong to the ones that defend him everyday. My favorite rapper actually writes his own material.
Who’s your favorite top 5 G?
Drake isn’t a rapper, he is a pop star!!
Hiphopdx is such a fucking clown show now. Y’all seriously need to take “hiphop” out of y’all’s name. Y’all are anything but.
Lol DX. Sure he was prob talking about Drake, but what Drake really proved is that ghostwriting is more prevalent than we know, and Andre is just stating the obvious. To write an editorial about it is silly, but so is the rap game, so have at it ya prick bastards
I don’t care if Dre doesn’t write or Puff or anybody for that matter, however you can’t make these claims that you are the best or you are coming for the GREATS if you don’t pen your whole 16 bars. (We not talking about hooks, that’s petty shit) Drake can’t be in that convo of Great MC’s and he probably doesn’t care so it’s not a big deal. Carry on keep pumping out those hits but you can’t cypher wit the real ones that’s all!!
A lot of beats come with Hooks it’s been like that for a long damn time. That’s accpetable in the rap world. All of this BS about someone not getting credit for Chorus is stupid. Consequense did not start Hov’s verse or contribute to his 16 did he?
“A lot of beats come with Hooks” and Guess what you big dummy? Those people get credited as writers on the song. Hov used words that he did not write and were not credited. End of story he used a ghostwriter.
Hov’s legacy catapulted after the Chorus for Encore…Fuck outta here!! everybody rapping along with Drake’s flow and delivery and come to find out he didn’t write the shit. Huge difference!! Dickheads
Considering you’ve demonstrated you don’t actually know what ghostwriting is, you shouldn’t be calling people dickheads.
is hhdx on drake payroll. geeez yall muthufukaz protecting this milly vanilli ass mofo like crazy. Yall drake stans can believe what u want even legends like 3stacks realize this fools act is up. Records sales dont mean shiiit even brittany spears and 90s boy bands sold crazy amounts of records but do we consider them the best ever gtfoh. About time some1 great calls him out. Btw that 3k verse bodied every album this year!!!
Did 3000 take a shot at Young Thug also cause of the line ” I don’t know what its like with a skirt on”?
So I’ve been following hip-hop since I was a kid and I have seen the media or industry insiders try and push the narrative in someones favor to protect the brand. Clearly today’s hip-hop media is no different but I would say way worst and has a bias in favor of facts and legends. How are you going to discredit Ludacris, Pusha T, Joe Budden, Common, Kendrick, Jay Z, and now Andre 3000 and still think it’s okay and normal. DX and other outlets are so biased towards Drake but the day will come when Drake is no longer a big pop act and when that day comes. Just noticed how fake these people are. How dare you talk down to three stacks.
disregard mistake
Yeah…Three Stacks didn’t get dissed anywhere in this article.
“Save your energy, Three Stacks. Just drop an album and finish your “30 Hours” verse.”” ???
Get the f* c.k. outta here ! Call yourselves HipHopDX and then say it’s alright to use ghostwriters in hiphop ’cause it’s Drake who got exposed !!!!! On every rap song there is more than 1 writer !!! So most artists get help with making songs…….but back in the day you had to spit, to get recognized. Now you have all these youtube artists, that mess up the game
I said it was alright to use ghostwriters? Someone must have ghostwrit that bit for me because I sure don’t see it in the article!
Such a poor choice of picture….You guys are journalist for a culture that gets hated on every hour of every day and you chose to display Andre 3000 in this manner? You might as well be getting money from Fox….Like forreal???? Someone actually sat down and signed off for this to be the picture that is used to talk about 3 stacks….I mean I can understand using a bad picture of stitches to write an article about because he’s mentally deranged and is not good for the culture….You guys fucked up by using this picture….Imagine if someone ignorant to hiphop and Andre, just happened come across this link? They would look at that man like he’s malnourished, So by posting this picture your allowing negative visual references of Andre 3000 to be a stable and use it as click bait….Y’all gotta get it together forreal. I’ve been on HHDX for 7 years multiple times a day because I love hip-hop and its MY culture. Our Culture. And this is the first time I’ve had to leave a comment…….
I’m genuinely lost here. Is this article about how Dre isn’t talking about drake? Or that he is talking about drake? Or that ghostwriting doesn’t matter anymore? Or that it does matter but not as much if you sell records? I have no idea what the takeaway is supposed to be.
Nevertheless, ghostwriting has never left the conversation. Weezy was heavily criticized for Gillie da kid writing his raps, or drake writing his raps. Nicki made a huge deal at the VMAs because she writes her raps and Iggys doesn’t. People criticize Kanye for using ghostwriters while saying he’s the greatest rapper. It’s never been nor is it now something that hasn’t been an issue. So that so far gone point is just plain wrong.
Dre could be talking specifically about drake or could be talking about an era. Both apply. This is the only era where the guys using ghostwriters walk around saying they’re the best rappers. Dr Dre didn’t say that. Puff daddy didn’t say that. Big bank Hank didn’t say that. Drake says he’s the best while openly using other people’s ideas and approach. He’s outsourcing the art of it, which apparently The author consigns. Three stacks verse got the reaction it did because he hasn’t lost sight of the fact that there’s more to greatness than sales or streams. This article got lost in its pursuit of pageviews.
You idiots didn’t read the article properly, hes not dick riding Drake, hes simply saying ghostwriting doesn’t get you the CROWN, but according to his billion streams it doesn’t matter, wow….
Nigga, is you retarded? Reading is fundamental.
one of hip hops most overated MC’S………………outside of outkast ……..this clown has no good musik………..if this guy is on ur list please slap urself !!! and if im wrong please list me a solo song of his besides hey ya ! lame MC just retire already nobody checkin for ur musik………….. ssd FYL pAc3r
hahahahahah….. “outside of Outkast” you dumb fuck, he never put out a solo record, he only put out Outkast albums so WTF are you talking about “outside of Outkast”?
He’s half of a group that put out at the very least 4 classic albums, and of those his verses were the best / most memorable on each album.
Fucking little kids these days….
Well, to be fair he did have a “solo” album The Love below but it was sold as an Outkast album as both artists had solo CD’s.
fucking kill your canadian self with that buddy talk. disgusting
Drake is not a rapper. I repeat, Drake is not a rapper in the tradition of a “I spit 16 bars and a hook” rapper. He is much more. He is an amalgamation of all the things we love about rap, pop music, r&b, melody, song structure and a splash of carribean flavour all in one. We need to stop holding him to these unofficial rules of rap. I would argue that what Drake has achieved is much more difficult to do than say spit bars and call it a day (it takes a team of talented people). Drake self proclaimes to be amongst the top 5 rappers of all time. Not even close. But maybe Drake is at the top of a list that started with Kanye and has spawned countless others. Its a new era, deal with it.
Clearly people that are highly respected have something to say about this issue. Drake is a pop act, nothing more nothing less. What he achieved isn’t as impressive as notable artist in hiphop or other art forms. He is a guy who had a team help him become a hiphop actor. if you want to drink the cool aid then go ahead but clearly this article proves that this topic isn’t going away for a reason.
I think we aggree on most points here. Yes Drake is a Pop artist who has a team behind him, so why are we judging him otherwise. I am puzzled by your comments about Drakes achievments not being as impressive as “notable artists”. You must be speaking anecdottaly or your one of those people who argue numbers dont matter. BTW…Kool aid is a tasty beverage.
correction. Drake is not a freestlyle/battle rapper
Bullshit man Drake got dem hits alli bumpis trap music can’twaitforGucciand drake collaboration
Jeezy “I do” ??? wtf
Ur message sucks n means nothing?
Eff the records u sold then, cause
If u go platinum (or a billie streams)
Its got nothing to do with luck, it just means millions of people are thupid as fu. Ck
I guess you missed the point of the verse then.
it’s fine to have ghostwriters as long as you own up to having ghostwriters. Nobody gives a fuck about Diddy having ghostwriters because it’s never been a secret.
Drake claiming he doesn’t when it’s been proven he does is a slap in the face to real emcees.
This was a ‘if the shoe fits’ diss. The shoe definitely fits Drake.
Another shit article
I like how the title of the article was changed to make you sound less like a fucking idiot. A few days ago wasn’t this something along the lines of ‘Andre3000 is wasting his time”