GQ’s Editor-In-Chief Jim Nelson has responded to TDE’s Chief-Executive-Officer Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith’s criticism of the publication’s article on Kendrick Lamar.
“Kendrick Lamar is one of the most talented new musicians to arrive on the scene in years,” Nelson says in a statement on gq.com. “That’s the reason we chose to celebrate him, wrote an incredibly positive article declaring him the next King of Rap, and gave him our highest honor: putting him on the cover of our Men of the Year issue. I’m not sure how you can spin that into a bad thing, and I encourage anyone interested to read the story and see for themselves.”
Tiffith critiqued GQ’s article on Kendrick Lamar in a statement published yesterday (November 15).
“This week, Kendrick Lamar was named one of GQ‘s 2013 Men Of The Year, an honor that should have been celebrated as a milestone in his career and for the company,” Tiffith said in a statement. “Instead, the story, written by Steve Marsh, put myself and my company in a negative light. Marsh’s story was more focused on what most people would see as drama or bs. To say he was ‘surprised at our discipline’ is completely disrespectful. Instead of putting emphasis on the good that TDE has done for West Coast music, and for Hip Hop as a whole, he spoke on what most people would consider what’s wrong with Hip Hop music. Furthermore, Kendrick deserved to be accurately documented. The racial overtones, immediately reminded everyone of a time in Hip Hop that was destroyed by violence, resulting in the loss of two of our biggest stars. We would expect more from a publication with the stature and reputation that GQ has. As a result of this misrepresentation, I pulled Kendrick from his performance at GQ‘s annual ‘Man Of The Year’ party Tuesday, November 12th.”
Nelson says that Top’s decision to remove Kendrick Lamar from the performance “mystified” and “disappointed” the publication.
In his statement, Nelson says he is “still a huge fan.”
Top Dawg Entertainment began in 2005. The label has a roster that includes Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul and ScHoolboy Q, members who also make up the Black Hippy collective. This year, the imprint signed two more artists to its roster, singer SZA and rapper Isaiah Rashad.
The next release from the label is slated to be Oxymoron, an album by ScHoolboy Q. Originally meant for 2013 and delayed by sample clearance issues, the collection is set to be released in the first quarter of 2014.
RELATED: TDE Calls Kendrick Lamar’s “GQ” “Men Of The Year Story” Disrespectful
shouldn’t of called it baby death row but all in all it was a positive article
Oh snap! GQ has responded that means we got a full fledged beef out here! I think I gotta ride with the boys from Compton over the homo’s and metro’s at GQ on this one.
fuck this bullshit. kendrick corny. drake corny. they all the same just one black one white. fuck em all
I agree, both Drake and Kendrick are wildly overrated, the only people I see putting them on such high pedestals are corporate-owned (white) media (MTV, BET, HIPHOPDX, XXL, GQ Magazine, Fuse ETC) and media obsessed fans, but if you ask any authentic contributor/participant to the culture, they would tell you, these artists are not what they seem. Both are very talented, but they are pushing an agenda in the hip hop community, it ain’t hard to tell they are in agreement with the powers that be, and are guilty of pushing the feminization of the BLACK/LATINO MAN.
Both artists are both corporate-controlled (YMCMB & TDE are both “indy fronts” for universal and Interscope records, two jewish (WHITE) owned recording/media companies) and are being used to push “lifestyles” not considered sacred to the culture of Hip Hop… basically, the HIP HOP POLICE have infiltraited the culture and are imposing their agenda upon it using ROTHCHILD MONEY…
Lord Jamar was not wrong for his comments, he may be considered ” blackballed” for his very valid opinion on the state of affairs in so-called “mainstream hip-hop”, but if you disagree with anything he has stated, you already have admitted you have no knowledge (or you don’t care to preserve it) of the culture and are just as much as a vulture as these corporate media companies who just got into it 5 – 10 years ago. THESE DEVILS TRYNA REWRITE OUR LAWS & CHANGE OUR HISTORY… WAKE UP!!
what do drake gotta do wit this u two obsessed lames with drake thats how u kno he on top lol haters
All of you are wrong.
You ain’t lying bruh.
I like a few Drake songs but the hype behind this white-hybrid Jewish Canadian is baffling, HipHop has never been so sissified and soft.
Yeah GQ said Kendrick is “Nerdy” because he is a Nerd, hes a non-threatening Black Hippy who is easy to digest for white consumers.
Black Hipster is what their group is really called.
Drake is not corny or overrated. Drake and 40 have done more for hip-hop than any other rapper and producer combo since Premo and Guru. Their music is timeless and original. They aren’t following EDM dance trends like Kanye and Jay-Z with Watch the Throne. They aren’t using stale pop beats like Lupe and Eminem have with Alex The Kid. Drake ain’t collaborating with Mike Will Made It.
Also Kendrick don’t belong in the same sentence as Drake. He’s behind Drake in terms of artistry and accolades. Drake was the one who tried to help Kendrick out by bringing him out on the Take Care tour and putting him on his Grammy Award winning album. Drake trumps Kendrick.
Drake was GQ man of the year in 2010.
Drake has won 5 ASCAP awards.
Drake won all those BET Awards before Kendrick. Best artist, rookie of the year etc., in some cases multiple times.
Drake is nominated as the top artist for the Billboard Awards every year.
His first two big label albums were nominated for album of the year at the Grammys. Of course Take Care, which is one the greatest albums ever made, won album of year.
Drake has won an NAACP Image Award
Drake is currently nominated for 5 World Music Awards. You need to be putting up big global sales in order to do that, too bad most people outside North America ain’t fucking with Kendrick the chipmunk looking nigga.
Drake has been nominated 5 times for the Young Artist Award, which is for outstanding young actors and he’s won once.
Drake has also won an award from The Song Writer’s Hall Of Fame, for being the most outstanding songwriter….to go with other lesser known song writer awards.
Whether, it’s performing, acting, song writing, style, music sales, innovation in music or contributions to the Black community Drake is always besting Kendrick. I could go on, but it should be pretty obvious to all that Drake is not only vastly superior to Kendrick Lamar in every way possible. But that at 27 years of age, Drake is one of the most talented musicians who has ever lived. He and his music should be celebrated, not hated.
^^^^ and this is what you call a groupie
i bet champagne papi life would drink a glass of drakes sweat if given the opportunity
Champagne Papi you seem to have your facts in order unlike most fans so I salute you on that and agree that Drake is a more talented artist than Kendrick Lamar but its an unfair comparison when Drake has been in the game longer so his list of accolades awards and accomplishments eclipse Kendricks.
Champagne Papi Life, you’re wrong about everything.
drake was the king of hype and cosigns when he came out, young money was always hyped up
I read the article. I dont see the supposed “racial overtones.” This may be blown out of proportion and further, they may have just stunted their own reach by stepping on their own accolades…
(G)AY—> (Q) !!!! VS (T)Ranny(D)ickinthebooty(E)NT
How long did it take you to think of that dumbass shit?
Don’t mind Top Dawg’s criticizing of your story, Mr Nelson. He, like a majority of his kind, are well-known for blowing things way out of proportion as well as accuse white people like myself of blanketed racism. It’s just how their people overreact.
Your “kind” are disrespectful and i hope GQ or DX condone they overt closeted racial comments that you so proudly present. I don’t even follow tde other than schoolboy q and originally wanted to post comments about how k.lamar so proudly promoted this piece and attempted to brag until someone in his camp looked closer at the way he might have been represented along with his affiliates. your contradiction is no better than his or theirs. You watch life or a situation from afar and think you can control it’s view or perception. K.lamar swore off the designer clothes and shoes and trappings of stardom then does a GQ man of the year spread? he knew what he was in for and then tries to act naive. Please. And thank you for your “comment” i needed a humorous and polarizing point of thought for the day. Blessings to you!
Pfft go back to bed, child.
You sir sound like an ignoramus.
Gentlemen, try not to make this an unnecessary race war. When I said “their kind”, I was merely making a reference to rappers and CEOs. Some of my best(and most trustworthy) friends are African Americans. I have nothing but love for the hood; in fact, every year during the holidays, I hand out turkeys to the all the disadvantaged brothers and sisters in my old neighborhood. In any case, I hope that shed a little light to the comment I previously made. GQ simply did their job and Mr Top Dog took the article out of context. Kudos to Jim Nelson for sticking to his guns as an editor and chief and maintaining the integrity of journalists and writers everywhere. Perhaps one day, Top Dog will realize how foolish he was for accusing Mr Nelson of so-called racial overtones. I look forward to that apology ever so much.
“Some of my best(and most trustworthy) friends are African Americans”
and it’s coming from the same commenter who used
“He, like a majority of his kind, are well-known for blowing things way out of proportion as well as accuse white people like myself of blanketed racism. It’s just how their people overreact.”
but then said
“Gentlemen, try not to make this an unnecessary race war”
when they’re the one who started it in the 1st place. So in parting, f**k off lame, and them “trustworthy” Blacks around you need to get the f**k away from you.
Your reading comprehension skills are rather poor, sir. Ar you another one of those “rappers” that interprets everything as racism? My God, I’m guessing you ate tons of paste when you were in kindergarten, hence your numbskull replies and seemingly low-IQ inducing ramblings. As I stated earlier, I am no racist. I actually do have black friends, and they treat me as if I’m their little brother. Now I don’t wish to have this conversation with you again. Good day to you, sir.
Agree with GQ. TDE are sensitive.
GQ clowned Kendrick and he didn’t do a thing about it lol
How? you sound like a Drake fan. I bet you sang that to yourself.
Why did Kendrick go on GQ’s cover, we all know GQ is a magazine for faggots.
You’d only know that if…
How is GQ racist if TDE (Griffin and black hippy) were already acting like buffoons from death row. Wayne actually gives hiphop a better name than those clowns.
Good joke.
King Kendrick will shut GQ down
Made Men > Black Hippy, not even close.
Hahahahaha, good joke.
@ Champagne Papi …. Your exactly right Drake is a celebrated musician that was once a successful actor who has won awards for his actin…. Any True nigga would be able to tell that Drake is just acting hood, I.E. Worst Behavior. It is painfully obvious how hard he tries to be hood THIS NIGGAS FRM CANADA. Ive been there n there aint nothin Ghetto about it. He just pulls it off cause hes such a good actor…. Look where this nigga Grew up… yea real hood
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YO4l6iC61O4
There are hoods in Toronto. There are hoods in every country man! K’naan who spent his adolescence in Toronto after moving from Somalia lived in Rexdale in Toronto, which for the the most part is a big hood.
I’m not saying Drake is hood, but to say that a country as large as Canada doesn’t have hoods is stupid. 50% of Torontonians are visible minorities, they definitely ain’t all rich…lol.
Your right about Canada having hoods, Tht was ignorant. but Drake is Definately and never will be Truly hood
before I saw the draft for $8252, I did not believe …that…my brother could realie bringing in money in there spare time on-line.. there best friend had bean doing this for under nineteen months and recently paid for the depts on there villa and bought themselves a Car. go to my site… http://www.Fb39.com
With any amount of success comes things like this. If Kendrick was his own man he would have still done the show, and told Kiffith to chill.
this shit is disgusting. i’m pretty sure k dot is mad at not being at the show.
WTF! I read the article and I saw nothing insulting, Rap has become so soft that these cats pout about everything, always looking for an insult so they can fight somebody. Kdot going to mess around an let his company F*ck his rep up.
Rich –
And you sound like a cupcake just like your Compton hero.
The only real cupcake here is you.
After reading the article, it’s not even offensive or controversial in any way. Kendrick is a nerd. He looks like one. Talks like one. Raps like an MMA fighter kicked him below the belt. GQ actually praised him more than they should of considering his numbers aren’t that impressive.
You’re wrong about everything again.
gotta read the shit….
come check out my new music vid..search “RIV – The Good Die Young 2K13” on youtube and watch in 720/1080p HD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ur5SqFedFMc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAxj886wOds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epP7i7unWdU
Still Tippin ’13 –> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJAWHu10AzI
These dudes (TDE) are thinking to highly of themselves already. I read the article and it was actually very good. Strange thing is by pulling Kendrick from the show, now you really acting like Suge Knight. They’ve had one good album from their label an now you on your high horse! Seems like they gonna milk Kendrick til He is washed up. Cause no one else has put out anything of note from them.
Aw. Look at little anonymous sticking up for Rich.
Relax my children. GQ was right. I am a nerd. Yo Top Dawg. Where’s my pocket protector?
A fake made by Quote bitch.
uptil I looked at the draft four $7435, I didnt believe that…my… brothers friend was like they say actualy erning money part-time on their laptop.. there uncle haz done this for only about seventeen months and recently cleared the mortgage on their house and bought a great audi. check out here… http://www.Fb39.Com
i’m hot and give me my props/ And stopping is not an option/ I feel like i’m God’s Son/ I know i’m not Pac, Nas, or Eminem/ But you still get my sentiments/ I’ve been sent here to rap/ And kick facts for these cats/ Got dog barking other side of the tracks/ And that’s that
My album sales are good, but not great. Guess I need to start pretending I’m a gangsta and use language that would make my grandma blush.
Ladies and gents, Quote bitch making up shit while using other people’s names again.
I wish I had Drake’s net worth.