“I don’t really listen to backpack music like that,” Ye told N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN.Of the hundreds of stars who have appeared on Drink Champs over the years, Kanye West is easily one of the most intriguing, which is why the rapper has teamed up with N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN for another episode of their hit Revolt TV show. The second installment dropped yesterday, November 12th, and since then, the internet has been ablaze with commentary about the nearly hour and a half long interview.
Ye fired shots at plenty of people from behind the Drink Champs microphone, including frequent collaborator Talib Kweli. “I apologize, once again, to Kweli, I’m sorry I never fucked with your raps,” the father of four said. Prior to that, he and the show’s hosts were discussing “backpack rap,” prompting West to reveal that he spent years “posing” as a part of the sub-genre.
“I'm sorry to all the backpack community, due to the fact that I was from the streets but I never killed anybody, it was just easier for me to pose like a backpacker but I actually really love street n*ggas.” The Chicago native then listed Cash Money, Jay-Z and Lil Baby as artists he does listen to, but for the most part, he “[doesn’t] really listen to backpack music like that.”
If you’re not familiar, Urban Dictionary defines a “backpack rapper” as “a person who raps about real life shit that matters and has experienced, rarely about pimping hoes/having millions/selling immense amounts of drugs/murdering random people for no apparent reason or motive. Person who is true to himself while rapping and uses his head and heart to write not only a pen and meaningless words.”
When N.O.R.E. heard this news he reacted in obvious shock, listing off a roster of famous acts from the sub-genre, then asking Ye if he truly “wasn’t from that.” “Not at all, I was using [the genre],” the 44-year-old explained.
Check out Ye’s second appearance on Drink Champs below.
About The Author
Hayley Hynes is the former Weekend Managing Editor of HotNewHipHop, she stepped down after two years in 2024 to pursue other creative opportunities but remains on staff part-time to cover music, gossip, and pop culture news. Currently, she contributes similar content on Blavity and 21Ninety, as well as on her personal blog where she also offers tarot/astrology services.
Hayley resides on the western side of Canada, previously spending a year in Vancouver to study Fashion Marketing at Blanche Macdonald Centre and Journalism at Mount Royal University in Calgary before that. She's passionate about helping others heal through storytelling, and shares much more about her life on Instagram @hayleyhynes.
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