Joe Budden, a prominent figure in the hip-hop community, recently voiced his concerns regarding DJ Akademiks’ coverage of Canadian rapper Drake. During the June 20 episode of The Joe Budden Podcast, Budden criticized Akademiks for his perceived bias towards Drake, particularly in the context of the ongoing feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. According to Budden, Akademiks’ partiality makes him an unreliable source of information for fans.
Budden’s remarks came amidst the backdrop of a heated rivalry between Drake and Lamar. DJ Akademiks, known for his close ties to Drake, has been actively sharing messages he received from the rapper throughout the feud. Notably, Drake incorporated a sample of Akademiks in his diss track “Push Ups.” Budden pointed out that Akademiks’ defense of Drake often appears orchestrated by the rapper himself, stating, “It comes off as a mission sent from Drake.”
Budden’s primary advice to both Drake and DJ Akademiks was to take a step back, particularly in light of the success of Kendrick Lamar’s “Pop Out” concert. He suggested that overexposure and constant defense could be detrimental. “It’s too much to fight,” Budden remarked. “You’re gonna look away.”
During the podcast, Joe Budden elaborated on his frustration with Akademiks’ role as Drake’s unofficial spokesperson. He emphasized that as a fan, he preferred Drake’s releases to be surprises rather than being pre-announced by Akademiks. “The Drake releases are much better as a surprise,” Budden said. “Anything with Ak reporting it, it just looked a way.”
Despite his critique, Joe Budden acknowledged Akademiks’ journalistic talents but argued that they are undermined by his apparent favoritism towards Drake. “Good journalistic sh*t you was doing, but you gotta know that any Drake news coming from you is viewed through a different type of eye,” Budden explained. He implied that Drake’s close association with Akademiks was the root of the problem, affecting the perception of Akademiks’ reporting.
DJ Akademiks has long been a vocal supporter of Drake, frequently defending the rapper on social media. However, this has sometimes backfired, as seen when Akademiks recently deleted a post claiming that Whitney Alford and Dave Free were absent from Kendrick Lamar’s concert, only for videos to surface proving otherwise.
Joe Budden’s critique highlights a broader issue within the hip-hop community regarding the objectivity of media figures closely tied to artists. While DJ Akademiks’ support for Drake is clear, his reporting is often viewed with skepticism due to this perceived bias. Budden’s call for Akademiks to “take a couple plays off” underscores the need for more balanced and unbiased journalism within the industry.
As the situation evolves, it remains to be seen how DJ Akademiks and Drake will respond to Budden’s advice. For now, Budden’s comments have sparked a conversation about the role of media personalities in shaping public perceptions of artists and their work.