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Why Common Can’t Win His Beef With Drake

 

Let’s not kid ourselves here, Common can and will rap circles around Drake. In an even test of skills and a catalogue comparison, Common will always reign supreme over Drizzy and 99 percent of the rappers you listen to on a daily basis. From the minute Common sent out his opening jabs at his Canadian foe, the Internet began instantly calling for a first round KO. But even though Drake may receive a lyrical beat down at the hands of Southside Lonnie, he still can’t lose.

If Vegas were putting odds on the Common/Drake beef, Common would be a double digit favorite. He’s been dissing rappers for 20 years and even put Ice Cube to shame back when Are We There Yet? was just a twinkle in a crappy director’s eye. Com cut his teeth by battling rappers in Chicago and he definitely has a mean streak. Drake? He harmonizes songs about his feelings and menstrual cramps. With that said, Common has to totally obliterate Drake for it to be a victory.

 

 

Common’s victory would have to be of Jay-Z/Prodigy proportions for it to be a prohibitive win. If Drake is able to put up a good fight and throws some respectable jabs then it would make Drake look all the better. See, Common is supposed to win. He’s Hip-Hop. Drake is playing with house money. But people are forgetting one key element: Drake can still rap his a$$ off.

Yes, Aubrey has turned a lot of people off with his actions over the past year. Take Care sounded like an Aaliyah album from someone with a slightly deeper voice and it’s full of man law violations. Drunk dialing a chick to steal her from her man? Digging through his girl’s purse to see who she’s texting? It’s like he was channeling the most suspect qualities possible and putting them on wax. There was more singing and heartache than rap on Take Care, which solidified Drizzy’s soft moniker. However, people are forgetting that Drake has proven to be a superb rapper.

 

 

Drake’s verse on “Stay Schemin” was a reminder that the Canadian can construct some stellar bars as it was the first time he was UNLEASHED © Skip Bayless on a track in a very long time. It was a reminder that Drake was once revered as one of the most talented young MCs in the game. Just go back to Comeback Season or So Far Gone for a reminder. So, while the rest of the Internet may be expecting Drake to respond to Common with sad songs about how much the disses made him want to hug his momma, Drake is penning responses that—while they probably won’t be on the same level of Common’s forthcoming assaults—will turn heads. Drake’s diss will also have some zingers because, face it, he’s got plenty to work with.

For all of Common’s legendary releases and pedigree of greatness over the past 20 years, he’s still got a few moments in his career that give Drake plenty of ammo. For as soft as Common says Drake is, Com Sense was a Snuggie equivalent for a few years. Let’s not forget that Com shed his more rugged Southside Chicago persona for sweaters and Gap commercials. While Com’s never been a singer, his catalogue has as much Charmin-worthy melodies as Drizzy’s. And then there’s the abomination called Universal Mind Control, which is a veritable “Kick Me” sign. Finally, if things get out of hand for Drake, there’s always the Serena card where Drake goes the Jay-Z/Carmen route and talks about how Common is just mad Mr. Young Money was serenading that a$$ on center court.

 

 

Again, please don’t get it twisted. Common should and probably will beat Drake in a track-for-track war of the words. As good a Drake is on the mic, he doesn’t hold a candle to Common and he hasn’t had a high-profile feud to show he can handle a “beef.” But nobody expects him to win. The bar is set so low that if Drake can come out of the feud with his career intact and a few clever barbs, he’ll emerge no worse for wear. Common, the legendary vet, is the rapper with more to lose. And this battle may cost him more than he or his loyal fans care to admit.