Talib Kweli and Lupe Fiasco Blast Writer for ‘Distasteful and Unnecessary’ Article Bashing Their Music
When you think of rap beefs, you think of a rapper feuding with another rapper on social media. However, Talib Kweli and Lupe Fiasco found themselves in an unusual rap feud with a journalist from Complex magazine.
In an op-ed piece for the website, writer Angel Diaz scolded detractors who dissed Drake and Future’s just released collaborative project, What a Time to Be Alive, because they deemed it as not “real” hip-hop. In an attempt to elaborate on his commentary, he threw Kweli and Fiasco under the bus. He wrote:
What exactly is that 'real' s--- then? Turn up music isn’t 'real' hip-hop? How so? Was the genre not invented at a goddamn party? Isn’t music about having a good time? I’m dead tired of you cats, man. You make my head hurt. Can’t be listening to Talib Kweli rap off beat and Lupe Fiasco deep cuts at BBQs. I, too, was once like you, but come on, don’t nobody wanna hear that sh*t all the f---ing time."
Fiasco saw the article and blasted Diaz in a series of profanity-laced tweets on Twitter on Monday night (Sept. 21). The Chicago rhymer tweeted that he didn't want Complex to mention his name in a "distasteful and unnecessary" article. "Speak your peace but don't involve us bitch," he wrote.
Kweli also addressed Diaz's commentary on his Twitter account. The Brooklyn rhymer felt that he was being attack in the article for being a socially conscious artist.
"For some reason, annually, hiphop blogs, looking at u @ComplexMag, feel the need to use me as a scapegoat to diss conscious hiphop," he tweeted. "They hire these lame trend following groupie ass writers to tell their readers how uncool it is to like Nas. Or Lupe. Or Kweli."
Diaz maintains that he didn’t mean to diss Fiasco or Kweli in his piece but has welcomed his newfound fame on social media.
You can read Lupe Fiasco, Angel Diaz, and Talib Kweli heated exchange on Twitter below.
What do you think? Was Angel Diaz wrong in his commentary? Are Talib Kweli and Lupe Fiasco overreacting? Tell us in the comments below.