Drake Faces Criticism Over Lyrics Targeting Jazz Musician Esperanza Spalding
By Extra-Ordinary Women
On October 6th, Drake unveiled his latest album, “For All the Dogs,” and the response from fans on social media has been nothing short of heated. The primary bone of contention revolves around the perceived toxicity of Drake’s lyrics.
In particular, one track, “Away From Home,” has sparked outrage among listeners as it contains a direct jab at the accomplished jazz musician, Esperanza Spalding. Drake’s lyrics on this track go as follows: “Four Grammys to my name, a hundred nominations/Esperanza Spalding was gettin’ all the praises/I’m tryna keep it humble, I’m tryna keep it gracious/Who give a f**k Michelle Obama put you on her playlist?/Then we never hear from you again like you was taken.”
The focus of this lyrical attack stems from Esperanza Spalding’s Best New Artist win at the 2011 Grammy Awards. Notably, Drake was also nominated in the same category and was the favored candidate to clinch the honor. However, it’s crucial to acknowledge that Spalding, despite being an accomplished recording artist in her genre, remained relatively unknown to the general public at the time of her Grammy victory.
Critics argue that Drake’s dig at Esperanza Spalding is unwarranted since she had no control over the Recording Academy’s selection process.
Twitter became a battleground for fans voicing their displeasure with Drake’s disparaging remarks about the Grammy Award-winning jazz musician:
One Twitter user remarked, “Drake dissing Esperanza Spalding explains everything you need to know about why his music is in such a mid state. Like it just speaks so many volumes and makes sense lol.”
Another tweet read, “I’m taking the Esperanza Spalding diss personally because only one of these artists has pushed the boundaries of their genre and is important to music. Only one of them pays respect to the shoulders they stand on like Esperanza is everything Drake says he is.”
A third individual weighed in, saying, “Haven’t checked out Drake’s new release, but I’m seeing talk about an ESPERANZA SPALDING diss?? (Yes, I read the lyrics). N***a, are you dumb?? Are you that sad? Stick to the other MALE rappers that are in your lane and leave Women and REAL music alone, boy.”
It’s evident that Drake’s lyrical choices targeting Esperanza Spalding have ignited a firestorm of criticism and debate among fans and music enthusiasts alike.
