New images surfaced showing a truce between megastar artists Drake and Kanye West, but does it spell the end to years of subliminal punches and boardroom-level attacks?
Drake and Kanye West rekindle after years of beef
It’s no secret that, at one point, no love was lost between two of the biggest artists of this generation.
The Certified Lover Boy could easily make a valid argument about West being the chief reason behind his scuppered deal with Adidas. The circumstantial evidence is hard to ignore, despite repeated denials by Ye.
West, himself, may have fallen victim to subliminal shots launched by Drake on several chart-toppers, none more obvious than his appearance on Travis Scott’s Sicko Mode.
Also, Drake has, in the past, been linked to a number of record label clashes between Ye and Def Jam/Universal.
Therefore, fans were left bemused when images and videos showed the two foes rubbing shoulders, hugging and dancing at an event held in celebration of their reunion, on Tuesday evening.
J Prince credited for Drizzy-Ye reunion
The man credited with bringing together Hip-Hop’s two greatest forces is J Prince, an enigmatic character that’s paved his way to the top as the genre’s most respected impresario.
On red carpets and music industry platforms, James L Smith is respected as a musical genius and producer who, through his record label Rap=A-Lot, launched the careers of Hip-Hop icons like Scarface, Z-Ro, Devin the Dude, Do or Die, Geto Boys, and others.
In the streets, the 57-year-old is lauded as reserved leader with immense influence and — let’s just say — a bite to meet his bark.
Prince is also an early investor in Drake’s music career. The Southside mogul is credited as the man responsible for the Canadian rapper’s career-defining record deal with Lil Wayne’s Young Money.
Prince was the first to publicly call for an end to the brewing feud between Drake and Pusha T, West’s right-hand man and executive of his G.O.O.D Music.
It seems, at least to the naked eye, that the union between Hip-Hop’s biggest stars is a genuine coming-together of ‘bros’. However, when one considers Prince’s reputation as a well-calculated leader, the rekindling can’t be random.