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Rb Hip Hop

Too Short Has to Give the W to Kendrick Lamar in Drake Beef: ‘I Think He Held His Own Pretty Good’

The West Coast legend spoke to Billboard on the red carpet at Sunday's (June 30) 2024 BET Awards.

Too Short Has to Give the W to Kendrick Lamar in Drake Beef: ‘I Think He Held His Own Pretty Good’

Too Short has been in the game long enough to see pretty much every modern rap beef come and go. But when Billboard caught up with the West Coast legend on the red carpet at Sunday night’s (June 30) 2024 BET Awards, the “Blow the Whistle” MC went with the home team when declaring a winner in the recent heated Kendrick Lamar and Drake diss battle.

“I like the way a lot of people stood up and rode with the homie [Lamar] in this one because it seemed like he was supposed to be the underdog,” Short said of fellow West Coast native K-Dot. “I think he held his own pretty good. I think that in this situation… none of us would dispute that this battle was amongst two really good artists.”


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And now, with the dust settled and the barrage of songs living out there forever to chronicle the lyrical combat, Short said the culture was still left with “two great artists” vital to the genre. That said, Short is more than ready to retire “gangsta Drake,” but stressed that “R&B Drake” and “Drake for the ladies” should never, ever be put out to pasture.

Wearing a blue t-shirt that read “Cultural Icon,” Short then recalled the first time he heard Drake back in 2007-2008, when the “most beautiful woman in the world” told him that if he wanted to hang out with her he had to spin Drizzy. Though he’d never heard of Drake at the time, Short said he kept hearing the Canadian MC’s music, which made him ask, “who is that? That’s kind of dope!” Short said he then really became a fan once a string of women recommended he check out the Comeback Season mixtape rapper’s work.

“The ladies are good judges of what good music is, they dictate a lot of stuff in the industry, so I say kudos to Drake cuz I wouldn’t have never knew about your music if it wasn’t for the baddest of the baddies,” Short said.

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This article was originally published by Billboard U.S.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Diwang Valdez for Billboard.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

FYI

Music News Digest: NBA Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Is Now Part-Owner of Hamilton's TD Coliseum

Also this week: The Canadian Country Music Association announces a new board of directors, the beloved Steve's Music Store closes all of its stores except one.

Canadian basketball star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has now heavily invested in his hometown of Hamilton, purchasing an ownership stake in that city's downtown arena, the recently rejuvenated TD Coliseum. The facility's developer, U.S. company Oak View Group (OVG), announced the investment Monday (Feb. 9) but did not reveal any financial terms. The 18,000-seat TD Coliseum, originally Copps Coliseum and FirstOntario Centre, was renamed last year after a $300-million renovation and reopened as a music-first venue. Next month it will host the 2026 Juno Awards.

The NBA's reigning most valuable player and this week's Billboard Sports Issue cover star, the 27-year-old Gilgeous-Alexander plays for the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder. His investment is made through his charitable organization, the SGA Foundation, and the partnership includes naming the Ares Atrium inside the venue, as a tribute to his son.

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