Toronto-based rapper Sean Leon says he’s frustrated the Kendrick-Drake beef has challenged his city’s place in hip-hop culture.Chris Young/The Canadian Press
Amid the ongoing feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, Toronto rapper Sean Leon finds himself conflicted over a recurring question on social media: Why haven’t more local artists stood up for the 6 God?
While hip-hop stars rise and fall on their allies, Drake has largely stood alone since the high-profile rap battle exploded in May with a flurry of diss tracks. Lamar landed the ultimate death blow with “Not Like Us,” which soared up the charts.
Lamar’s lyrical tirade quickly morphed from a summer banger into a catch-all caustic attack anthem.
From May: In the beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, no one’s a winner
In the meantime, it put Drake’s hometown in the crosshairs, with many in Toronto’s hip-hop community suggesting the rivalry has unfairly ensnared them in harsh scrutiny of the city’s musical sound.
Leon, an independent Toronto rapper and producer, says he’s frustrated the clash has challenged his city’s place in hip-hop culture. At the same time, he feels no strong urge to defend Drake when he says the superstar could do more for the city.
“What I would have loved to see during this situation is a lot of artists here stepping up and showing some support. But it’s a complicated thing to do,” says Leon, whose qualms extend to Drake’s team and label at OVO Sound.
“It’s very challenging because the support hasn’t always been there from them towards us.”
Several Toronto rappers questioned Drake’s commitment to the local scene, including Leon who says that for years, Drake and his OVO camp “didn’t give looks” to local artists with star potential.
Still, with popular opinion being that Drake lost this year’s rap battle, he sees an opportunity.
“It’s the perfect setup for an amazing comeback. For the city, too,” says Leon.
In “Not Like Us,” Lamar accuses Drake of exploiting his connections with Atlanta rappers to benefit from a rap culture he doesn’t fully understand. Lamar concludes by calling Drake a “colonizer,” accusing him — and by extension, the Toronto rap scene — of appropriating African-American culture.
U.S. commentators have argued that Lamar triumphed partly because he embraced Compton’s unique regional sound, something they believe is missing from Drake’s city.
“For Americans, when someone says ‘Toronto music,’ whether it be Toronto rap or Toronto R&B, I don’t think something immediately comes to mind,” says New York-based hip-hop journalist Sowmya Krishnamurthy.
“Drake and the Weeknd have always had this very pan-regional appeal, which is great because they’re global artists but the negative side is they lack any of that distinct regional signature.”
Representatives for OVO and Drake did not respond to requests for comment.
Toronto rapper Killy says Drake has done “more than enough” for the community and that local artists should rally behind him.
“Every artist from here, especially in hip-hop, should use their voice to support Drake,” asserts the rapper, born Khalil Tatem.
“Drake hasn’t done anything for me specifically, but what he’s done on a major scale has opened so many doors for Canadian artists in general. Me having a career right now, he played a big part in that.”
Drake’s OVO Sound label includes eight signees, mostly from the Greater Toronto Area, including R&B singer PartyNextDoor and rappers Smiley and Roy Woods.