Reason First: Why Does Trick Daddy Back Kodak Black?

In the world of beats, battles, and slave chains, hip-hop, some of the legends tend to look down on contemporary artists. They disparage everything from their flow, to their style of dress, to their lyricism. Backlash has arisen against rapper Bill “Kodak Black” Kapri stemming from his comments about Dwayne “Lil Wayne” Carter. His words resonated enough to impact legendary hip-hop artist Maurice “Trick Daddy” Young. By supporting the young rapper, he’s taking a stance to show that the more seasoned generation of hip-hop notables can vibe with the younger set. The fact that Kapri and Young both hail from Florida also is an indicator of the pat on the back that Young gave to Kapri.

The outlandish and flagrant statement issued by Kapri included the line that “[Carter] should’ve died when he was a baby.” This set off a flurry of tweets, Facebook messages, and YouTube clips aimed at the Florida hip-hop artist. It also prompted Carter in a diss track titled “Letter to Kodak,” among other recordings. The entire beef may be brought to a position where it is seared with both sides posting battle verses and keeping the entire misunderstanding digital. Tough talk and harsh rhetoric may arise from the two battling artists. But what makes it so interesting is how Young has backed Kapri in his endeavors to discredit and disparage him. Carter has been in the rap game for over two decades. Kapri is just getting started. This spat seems to be a ploy to boost streaming numbers by all three rappers involved. The one that stands to receive the most benefit is, of course, Young. His audience has nearly evaporated over his 30 years within the hip-hop sphere. Next, Carter would extend his reign as one of the most talented wordsmiths to ever come out of New Orleans, Louisiana.

But Floridians have something to say, too. The double team of Kapri and Young may prove to be all of the juice that is required to keep the engines of profit well-greased. Hip-hop revels in when opposing forces carry on in the studio, at the club, and in the street. It’s all gumdrops and lollipops until someone is gunned down in a hail of bullets. This beef doesn’t have to reach that point. For all of the speech that goes into these sorts of toxic exchanges, the artistic credibility of both parties elevates. Kapri is a relatively new rapper on the scene and has already garnered millions of views on sites like YouTube and generated numerous streams on platforms like Apple Music. This is where things get interesting. Humongous corporations that own these entities will stoke the coals of the fiery words. Carter’s track record with various artists—including Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, amongst many others—is that he can maneuver through a track with ease and not allow the beef to turn into the initiation of physical force.

As Young has mentioned that he backs the young rapper, he is co-signing not only a fellow Florida native, but also the young set of up and coming rappers. Generation Z artists are more focused on doing drugs rather than selling them, although some mix both activities into their raps.

Carter and Kapri stand as the two most polarizing acts in hip-hop. On one hand, there is the CEO of Young Money Entertainment, but he still possesses ties to the street and has experienced various arrests—one of which landed him behind bars. Kapri has exhibited similar behavior in being a rap star who cannot seem to keep right of the law either. If anything, the two rappers ought to devise a way for them both to stay away from the penitentiary and focus on the the capitalistic system of value for value in the United States. As for Young, it is wise for him to take a side, but it may be state tribalism behind it, as well. No stranger to the law himself, Young has the opportunity to school these youngsters on how to comport themselves within the framework of the rap world.