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Very shortly after the last one, hip-hop observer Akademiks was in the limelight again, his new interview with A$AP Rocky getting all sorts of negative remarks and disapprovals on the internet. The two were pictured together, thus the chat being teased, and amid the two superstars, died and buried the rocky-master Drake, showing the controversial media figure right at the heart of a famous conflict.
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The mere sight of the picture caused a huge outcry with the majority of the comments being directed at the appearance and character of Akademiks rather than the interview. One person straightforwardly remarked, ‘Akademiks built like Nigerian puff puff,’ while another teased, ‘Why does the head of Akademik appear to be fatter than his body?’ The clothing was also mentioned with a question, ‘TF AK Wearing?!?!’ The way of presenting turned out to be a major issue immediately, drawing all the attention away from the announcement.
Not only the memes but also the majority of the comments in the social media channels expressed disappointment that A$AP Rocky had chosen to be interviewed by Akademiks. One of the netizens couldn’t help but express his disappointment saying, ‘Wow I’m really disappointed in Rocky for sitting with Akademiks smh.’ This viewpoint has been supported by some people who questioned the rapper’s decision, one of them venturing, ‘Idk y asap felt the need to sit down with AK… He must’ve been sent to collect info cause this makes no sense lol.’ The collaboration is considered by some as a dip in the standards, a user commenting, ‘ASAP doing charity work for the underprivileged like Akademiks.’
The background of the ongoing Drake diss track saga significantly influenced the views. A number of comments mentioned directly Akademiks’s long-standing connection with Drake, who has, on numerous occasions, called during the commentator’s streams. ‘He didn’t ask him why he’s so obsessed with Drake?’ one person wondered. Another predicted a decrease in the frequency of Drake’s replies, saying, ‘Yeah Drake is gonna stop answering his texts now.’ This association led to accusations of clout-chasing, with a user declaring, ‘Ironic he’s talking about what u listening to when he’s a clout chaser dissing Drake for clout.’ The interview is being considered not as journalism but as an extension of the drama.
Another aspect that was most often looked at was accusations against Akademiks’s professional role. One comment disregarded his influence, saying, ‘Akademiks is not a taste maker he is the shade room, he is a drama blogger who chooses to focus on rap.’ This is in line with the general disapproval of his content, as another reply remarked, ‘all he care about is drama.’ Nonetheless, one voice slightly different from the rest admitted, ‘Ak’s energy is always chaotic but weirdly captivating.’
The actual points which were raised remain uncertain from the initial post but that did not prevent opinions on Rocky’s latest musical output from coming up. ‘I mean, there’s not much to talk about with him. I mean the album sucks we know that what else we talking about,’ one user joked. Another just expressed, ‘ASAP Rocky was NEVER enlightening so yea idc and I ain’t listen to his music since his first debut.’ The interview, for some of the people, is an effort to rekindle interest in a career that they see as stagnant.
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A$AP Rocky’s choice of engaging with Akademiks, a person universally acknowledged as the one who spreads gossip and rumors in hip-hop, has evidently backfired in the public view. The public reaction is more of combination of feeling of secondary embarrassment, doubts about motives, and the criticism of the platform provided than about expectation for revelations. It gives a glimpse into the fragile nature of media relationships in the contemporary rap world, where connection with certain personalities can quickly determine the storyline. The dialogue might have occurred but the public opinion court has already rendered its verdict regarding the quality of the discussion. This reminds many of Chris Brown‘s earlier statements. In other music news, the emotional power of a performance was seen when an NBA YoungBoy concert attendee was moved to tears. Meanwhile, Babyfxce E earned praise for a lyrical tribute. The topic of lust also sparked a major online conversation following Justin Bieber‘s biblical take.