First of all I want to say Happy New Year to everyone that views our awesome site. 2011 was a great building block for some of the things we want to accomplish at Premier Event Marketing. 2012 we are set to take what we have learned in the past year and expand on it, as we strive to be not one of the best but THE best. We will continue to improve ourselves for the benefit of our audience and if you ever feel that’s not being done, do not be shy share with one of us and we will make a conscious effort to improve. All the best in 2012 world!

But now that I have taken care of that matter, let me get to what I do best, and that’s speaking my mind lol. Over the past 2 weeks I was having severe writer’s block and had some decent ideas that I potentially wanted to blog about, but simply wasn’t feeling it at the end of the day. For those that do write, I am sure you can relate to the fact that you are at your best when you are talking about a topic that has meaning in society or inspires you. Well I struggled with this for a minute, until my homie Warren English came along.

We hung out Saturday night and were discussing the infamous Drake vs. Common battle that has been taking over the internet the last 3 weeks. Everyone’s been talking about it, while Warren suggested I should write about it. I thought it was an awesome idea, not because it gave me a topic to discuss, but because there’s a huge life lesson learned from this story, one that you’ll find out as you follow along this post. (Warren is the dope Hip-Hop blogger of this site if you’re not up on game these days!!)

So I decided to dive into this media driven story. For the few who have been locked in a cave what I am referring to is the overhyped beef on wax between rappers Drake and Common. The beef started when Common came out with a track called “Sweet,” which many claimed took shots at Drake. After first denying allegations, Common admitted that since Drake felt the song was about him, then it must be about him. Drake then responded mildly on both radio and print interviews, but most notably on a song with Rick Ross and French Montana called “Stay Schemin.” Common immediately responded on a remix version of the same “Stay Schemin” song. These three songs in a matter of weeks since the hip hop nation up in arms.

I will admit I was into the drama for a bit, simply because a good ole hip hop beef had not been done successfully since about 2007 when 50 Cent and Kanye West took their stab at it. That feud propelled Kanye to new heights, while 50′s career took an extreme halt, pretty much because Ye wasn’t seen as a rapper to beef with other artists yet 50 picked on him. 50 was known for ending careers of other rappers with this same tactic, but that time it backfired on him. Karma huh? Regardless, history repeats itself, this time Common picking a “battle” with Drake.

In my head I’m wondering how hip hop music has gone from a Biggie/Tupac East Coast vs. West Coast beef, all the way down to Common vs. Drake? I am sure many of you are thinking the same thing. But you have to also think of the style of rappers that are at the fore front of the music game these days. It may all make sense once you look at the bigger picture. But before you get to that perspective you must have to remember why the two started taking verbal jabs at each other to begin with.

Many rumors say that Common and Drake are partially bickering due to their former relationships with tennis star Serena Williams. For those that don’t know Common and Williams were once a couple, while there were times where Drake and Serena were both seen together after Common and Serena’s breakup. That rumor is only speculation but I am sure a smart person can connect the dots. Common shrugged off those rumors but did state that he is referring to the current popular style of many rappers singing on songs and coming off as “soft.”

That’s like the pot calling the kettle black, right? Common doesn’t necessarily come across as the toughest rapper alive. So what gives? Drake said in a line, “Back when if a ***** reached it was for the weapon, Nowadays ***** reach, just to sell they record. Common recently dropped a new album. Drake also recently dropped a new album. In 2007 Kanye and 50 both dropped new albums as their rap “feud” escalated. So did Drake just ether himself with that line?Ill leave that up to you to decide.

Common definitely needed the push, while any publicity is good publicity for Drake, so I could see this being marketing driven. But of all rappers to take aim at, why would Common choose Drake when there are so many other singing rappers out there? Maybe deep down he does have ill feeling over the Serena Williams situation. Or may be he is trying at one final chance to do something great in hip hop, going at possibly the biggest hip hop star in 2012.

We are now in a different era of rap where some artists feel it’s cool to sing on songs. Big Sean, Kid Cudi, Wiz Khalifa, Lil Wayne, and even Kanye West make it a point to sing a time or two in their music, a phase that I hope goes away fairly soon. So for that I agree with Common, but to choose Drake could potentially be career suicide for the rapper if not handled properly. Besides, Common had his turn in the spotlight. With that being said, outmatching Drake in the verbal spats could rejuvenate Common’s once storied, yet underwhelming rap career. Marketing 101 at its best if the plan succeeds.

To this day, I am not even sure that Common’s most recent album has barely sold over 100,000 copies. A pretty decent showing for a guy who hasn’t had an album in over 3 years, but obviously no where near the numbers that Drake’s album has produced. That’s to be expected, so Common’s idea to increase record sales hasn’t paid off a ton thus far. Where he did gain credibility is from many hip-hop heads, surprisingly. This is sort of a win in his book because at least for the time being, fans will want to hear more, if the two acts play along.

Drake all the while I can imagine has no fear in this situation. I mean why would he? Either way it goes he’s going to keep his fans, possibly gain a few. Drake is who he is, sings a lot but will drop a good hip hop verse when needed with clever word play. Acts tough when he needs to appeal to the streets, but it’s never too believable and it doesn’t tarnish his sales. Drake pokes fun at Common in a couple of bars that could simply be turned around back on himself yet again such as, “It bothers me when the gods get to actin like the broads.” Even that won’t hurt his place in the war as Drake on countless situations is known for showing his emotional feelings on a track.

The verdict? This feud from the outside looking in has fraud written all over it, but at the same time it does spark an interest in hip hop to some who may be bored with the current product. Besides, hip hop music is made on being an MC, which often calls for retaliating at an artist that has something to say against him on a song. If you think for one second this is “real” beef, you all are crazy. I am about 90% sure that if Common and Drake met on the street they would dap each other up and toast to their successes, as opposed to making an issue over the recent tracks (I wonder if the two have seen each other in recent weeks. I wouldn’t doubt it).

This new found fraudulent feud is considered a success to this point because it has people talking and even has other artists talking and wanting to see who will fire the next shot. Ludacris attempted this route by responding to old comments made by Drake and Big Sean, but neither have played into it. So why would Drake respond to Common then? In my opinion I assume it’s to show he is a fighter, when many people expect him to lie down. For that I will give the Toronto rapper credit, even though we all know its not real hatred or dislike. Some of the legends of hip hop have all had their past beefs on wax that have taken their games and street cred to the next level. There has to be marketers in the ear of Drake reminding him of this fact (Jayz, 2Pac, Biggie, Nas have all played along). These rappers may be “artists” but they are also businessmen at the same time!

So whats that life lesson learned from this newest rap beef? Well for one, perception IS NOT always reality. What we see on the outside is not always represented on the inside, even if artists claim their lyrics are always “real” and from the heart.  Common is not really trying to end the era of rappers singing on songs, because he simply does not have that power. Even JayZ tried eliminating the auto tune, but he wasn’t the most successful as the style is still used to this day. Common in my book is simply taking one last stab at greatness, and is using the public as sheep to do so by targeting one of the biggest names in the game. The second lesson you must remember is the music industry is a business. Yes there may be the artists at the fore front but with these major labels there are many minds pushing different ideas and ways to get an artist some attention, the same way that Kanye and 50 Cent faked their rap beef in 2007.

Where does Hip Hop go from here? Well I assume they will ride out this wave until the public no longer cares, then possibly a new trend or fraudulent feud will catch on. But as long as these feuds stay on wax, and not in the streets then I am all for some good banter back in forth!!

Until next time, be easy Chicago!!

P.S. If you have not done so yet, I’m finally on the twitter game. Follow me at BHun1984!