This post was originally published on this site.
You would think the Kendrick Lamar and Drake saga would be behind us by now. After all, it has been a few years. But apparently, that is not the case.
In Canada, this thing still seems to be raging like it happened yesterday. I do not know exactly what is going on in the streets, but it sure feels like people are willing to crash out over the smallest things. And for the record, the Drake and Kendrick beef should be one of the smallest things by now.
I do not know the full context of what happened or even exactly where it took place. I’m assuming it was in Toronto, but I cannot confirm that. What I do know is that someone decided it would be a good idea to play Kendrick Lamar’s music in public. That decision sparked a violent reaction.
The man had a portable speaker, and another person walked over, grabbed it and threw it. In the first video, it looks like that is where everything ends. It did not.
A second video tells a much different story. The whole thing is wrapped up at the end of this article.
Someone retrieved the speaker and brought it back. Then things escalated in a hurry. A group confronted the person who threw the speaker, and punches, kicks and blows started flying. From what is visible in the footage, they did not hold back. The beating looked serious.
Now, some people are saying the attack went way too far. I understand that argument. Violence is rarely the answer.
But at the same time, if you grab somebody else’s property, throw it to the ground and potentially damage it, you cannot realistically expect to walk away without consequences. That does not justify a beatdown, but it certainly creates a situation that can spiral out of control. I wish the person had never thrown the speaker in the first place.
Of course, someone else might say the speaker should never have been playing Kendrick Lamar in the first place. I disagree. You should be able to play whatever music you want as long as you are not hurting anyone or breaking the law. Music should not be enough to send people into a rage.
The whole situation feels unnecessary. People are out here fighting over two incredibly successful artists who, for the most part, have moved on with their own lives and careers. Meanwhile, regular people are risking injury, arrest and worse over something that has absolutely nothing to do with them.
Hip-Hop has always inspired passion..but there is a difference between supporting your favorite artist and turning fandom into violence. Hopefully, cooler heads prevail before someone gets seriously hurt over something this trivial.
What do you think? Is this simply overzealous fans acting out? Is it another example of people losing perspective? Or is this a sign that some people have become far too emotionally invested in rap rivalries? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
