Is Hip-Hop Having A Red-Pill Moment?

Drake is one of the worst things to happen to Hip-Hop.

Point. Blank. Period.

Since his 2010 debut, Thank Me Later, the R&B crooner/Hip-Hop grifter has taken my favorite genre of music down a desolate blue-pill path. After all, he said in his song "6 Man", "Like I'm Lou Will, I just got the new deal. I am in the Matrix and I just took the blue pill."

I do not want to come off as a flaming hypocrite. There is a lot to like about Drake. His 2013 album Nothing Was The Same was on the shortlist of best Hip-Hop albums that year. It was an exceptionally well-crafted piece of work.

Few artists in Hip-Hop history have possessed the ability to appeal to men and women at an impactful level: 2Pac, Biggie, Jay-Z, Lauryn Hill, T.I. Drake is on this list. His youthful charisma, enigmatic charm, and emotional vulnerability make him alluring to female audiences. While his bachelor lifestyle, mild ruggedness, passable street cred, and friendships with some of pop culture's elites get a nod of approval from men.

There is a price to be paid for this tightrope act. For all of the sappy "yasss Queen" [snap snap] songs he makes, Drake regularly gets called out by feminists, including this 2015 article titled, "Drake Is Not A Feminist; He's Just Less Sexist Than Other Rappers."

The price on a societal level is more grave.

Drake led a wave of so-called gangsters and street dudes singing self-deprecating ballads to women they are trying to sleep with. Thus, the woman's ego would be boosted at the expense of the man's. Drake's demasculinizing music has assisted in the man-woman role-reversal we are witnessing these days. Domineering, ego-driven women like Cardi B and Meg Thee Stallion dominate the Hip-Hop airwaves. As a result, the words "domineering" and "ego-driven" can describe many of today's female Hip-Hop audience.

In other words, we can thank Drake for "WAP".

Is Drake's blue-pill engineering on Hip-Hop starting to wear off?

If you examine Lil' Nas X-Rated's recent videos, maybe not. However, I would like to point out a couple items of evidence.

Exhibit A is the recent controversy DaBaby has found himself in.

During a recent performance at a Rolling Loud concert, the 29-year-old rapper made some controversial remarks about the LGBT community. "If you didn't show up today with HIV/AIDS, or any of them deadly sexually transmitted diseases that'll make you die in two to three weeks, then put your cell phone light in the air." He continued, "Ladies, if your pussy smells like water, put a cell phone light in the air. Fellas, if you ain't suck a nigga dick in the parking lot, put your cell phone lights in the air. Keep it fucking real."

Historically, black people have been lukewarm on homosexuality. A 2014 Pew Research poll found that 42% of blacks are open to gay marriage. The percentage has crept up slightly since then. Blacks have typically been the Judeo-Christian compass of America. Our Christian beliefs kept us from fully accepting homosexuality.

DaBaby comes from a religious upbringing. Before he rebranded himself DaBaby, his rap moniker was Baby Jesus. In 2019, during an interview with The Breakfast Club, he proclaimed, "I'm blessed. I'm covered by the blood of Christ."

Granted, his outburst was vulgar, and I am not condoning his words. However, they were rooted in his core religious belief system, for better or worse. Unfortunately, many people in the entertainment lane will dispose of their beliefs in exchange for fame and profit. That is blue-pill ideology.

DaBaby apologized for his remarks on Monday (August 2). "Social media moves so fast that people want to demolish you before you even have the opportunity to grow, educate, and learn from your mistakes. As a man who has had to make his own way from very difficult circumstances, having people I know publicly working against me — knowing that what I needed was education on these topics and guidance — has been challenging. I appreciate the many people who came to me with kindness, who reached out to me privately to offer wisdom, education, and resources. That's what I needed and it was received." He continued, "I want to apologize to the LGBTQ+ community for the hurtful and triggering comments I made. Again, I apologize for my misinformed comments about HIV/AIDS and I know education on this is important. Love to all. God bless."

His apology was laced with red-pill thinking. He took responsibility for his actions. He pointed the finger at himself. However, he took the opportunity to hold up a mirror to those criticizing him. It is the Twitter blue-pill energy that devours its babies before they can walk. Social media does not allow for mistakes or transgressions because the cancel mob hides in the shadows waiting to attack.

DaBaby is paying the price in the short term. He has been dropped from numerous concert appearances in the last several days. Time will tell if his career trajectory takes a hit from this setback.

Exhibit B are the recent offerings from Long Beach, CA native Vince Staples. He is one of the genre's hidden gems. His skillset can go toe-to-toe with many of today’s heavyweights. The symbolism and themes in his work often go counter to the popular discourse. His lack of mainstream acclaim works in his favor because he might receive more criticism if he had a brighter spotlight on him.

His most recent self-titled album features a song called "Law of Averages." The song opens with a blunt, straightforward analysis of the people around him:

"Fuck a bitch, I don't trust no bitch with my government (yeah)

Fuck a friend, I don't want no friends with no open hands (fuck 'em)

Count my bands, all alone at home, don't you call my phone (fuck 'em)

Everyone that I've ever known asked me for a loan (yeah)."

The chorus is just as blunt:

"Cherry Ave, Downey Ave, ho you average (hey)

Louis bag, Gucci bag, you got baggage (bitch)

I will never give my money to a bad bitch (never ever)

I will never give my money to a bad bitch (forever never, forever never)

Dairy Ave, Locust Ave, ho you average (bitch)

Birkin bag, Chloe bag, you got baggage (yeah)

You will never catch me slippin' out in traffic (I will never, never ever)

(Ever, ever)

You will never catch me slippin' out in traffic (ever, ever, ever, ever

(Never, ever, ay)."

These might seem like callous, misogynistic rap lyrics, but this is how a red-pill individual sees the world. He does not give in to the temptation of lust. He hits women with the same direct critique as he does men. An unsympathetic analysis of the people in your circle will keep you from making bad decisions. Coming from the environment Staples grew up in, it may even keep you alive.

Despite signs Hip-Hop might be turning more red-pilled, it is probably nothing but a fleeting moment. As society shifts further left, embracing progressivism in education, economics, politics, Hollywood, etc., music will continue to follow suit. Labels and artists are in the business of making money.

Society has swallowed bottles of blue pills from the medicine cabinet. The music industry will be there to monetize from it.