DJ Akademiks Calls Out Drake, Kendrick Lamar, & J. Cole For Avoiding Hip Hop Outlets

BY Erika Marie 7.6K Views
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It looks like he took issue with Cole sitting down with Bob Myers and not with outlets that are "for the culture."

True to his form, DJ Akademiks is back with commentary about a few of Rap's heavy hitters. He's not one to mince words, and it seems that this time, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Drake are in his crosshairs. Cole's recent intimate interview with Bob Myers has been the talk of sports and Hip Hop, so it isn't surprising that Ak had a thing or two to say about the chat. The look wasn't something Akademiks was a fan of because he believes K-Dot, Cole World, and Drizzy actively avoid certain outlets.

"J. Cole and the rest of y’all big rappers," Ak began. "No wonder y’all get sh*tted on by Hip Hop outlets. Y’all get so big in the game—they use the culture, and they use all these blogs. Not saying you need to—I don’t care if they do an interview with me. But I know a lot of journalists in the game, and they won’t speak up. And a lot of them still really hope to get an interview. I say f*ck all these n*ggas.”

DJ Akademiks Details His Disapproval

"I just look at n*ggas, like J. Cole. When I see you doing some sh*t on ESPN but you won't do an interview with a n*gga in the culture, you won’t hop on Million Dollaz Worth of Game, you won’t hop on motherf*cking Drink Champs. You won’t be with Joe Budden or something like that. I look at it as some weird sh*t.” Akademiks further stated he was "speaking for all the little journalists in the game." He also suggested many rappers don't want to sit down with these outlets because they can't control the narrative.

This is something that Akademiks regularly faces due to his controversial connections in the industry. He's been called out for the way he reports on the culture; still, his blog continues to increase in popularity. "If Kendrick don’t wanna f*ck with you, tell that n*gga to kick rocks," he added. Ak insisted he would never beg anyone for an interview. "They’re gonna go to some whitewashed outlet and go sit with some random n*gga, or some random white dude and not talk to you.” There were many more noteworthy moments in DJ Akademiks's Livestream, so check that out above. Does he make a point, or are his criticisms too much?

About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.