Akademiks has addressed the backlash he’s received from the likes of LL COOL J and Hot 97’s Ebro Darden over him calling Hip Hop pioneers “dusty.”
The controversial media personality responded via his Off The Record podcast on Friday (September 23) in an episode titled “Letter to LL Cool J.” During the 48-minute episode, Akademiks explained that his original comments were tongue-in-cheek and they have been blown way out of proportion.
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“I feel like the last generation — multiple generations of Hip Hop artists — has failed the new generation,” he said. “That’s why I think it’s the blind leading the blind. That’s why I don’t think older artists should be criticizing or really have any leg to stand on even if y’all call yourself pioneers to criticize how new artists are moving.”
Akademiks also addressed the controversy on Twitter, where he fired back at Ebro and fellow Hot 97 host Peter Rosenberg, who both criticized his remarks on-air earlier this week.
“That n-gga Ebro called me out on Hot 97.. dawg.. stop all that pretentious shit my n-gga,” he wrote. “U n-ggas fake. I emailed u when i was nobody u curved me cuz i fw Charlamagne… now yall doin think pieces n challenges bout me. kick rocks n-gga. keep blackballing artists at Apple Music.
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“Any industry n-gga hating on me.. is cuz i aint kiss the ring or bow down before i got into this shit. they all mad they gotta deal wit me. now. Just remember akademiks aint the last. Everyone influential in hip hop media coming via the internet… Theres a lot more 2 come.”
Ak then labeled Ebro a “fake ass n-gga” while claiming he tried to blackball him.
“Ebro will never address me without admitting he was a fake ass n-gga… who tried to politic me out the game.. cuz i fw a n-gga u wont fw wit,” he wrote. “u wasn’t dealin wit me at first.. but now u got all the energy. Nah n-ga.. admit that then we can talk . I dont talk bout u. opposite.”
Akademiks’ original comments came during a recent Twitch live stream, in which he mocked older rappers for looking like they’ve fallen on hard times, especially compared to newer generation of artists.
“Them old rappers, man. Have you seen any of these old rappers who be like, yo, they’re the foundation of Hip Hop really living good?” he said. “Them n-ggas be looking really dusty, I kid you not. And none of y’all try to come for me ’cause I don’t fuck with y’all n-ggas either, so I’m just telling y’all the truth.”
Hip Hop Pioneers Respond To Akademiks Calling Them ‘Dusty’ After LL COOL J Lashing
He added: “Every time there be like an old, old n-gga talking about Hip Hop, you be like, ‘Yo, bro. You sure you invented this? ‘Cause everybody else is looking better than you.’ Facts!”
His remarks came to the attention of LL COOL J, who lectured the podcast host in an almost seven-minute Instagram Live video on Wednesday (September 21).
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“Let me explain something to you: don’t think just because somebody knows how to get money — or fails to get money — that they didn’t make a contribution to the culture,” he said in part. “This idea that you have to have money or else you don’t have any value is a bad idea and it’s a misinformed way of looking at the world and the culture.”
