He feels like Ak is compromised.
Joe Budden is a polarizing figure in hip-hop media. He’s been called a hypocrite, especially with regards to his personal life. He’s also been called a hater, as seen in his infamous Lil Yachty interview. The former rapper does make some good points, however. He reflected on the Drake coverage that DJ Akademiks has been doing in recent weeks, and he sees a problem. In Budden’s estimation, Ak’s bias towards the 6 God has made him an unreliable source for fans.
Budden broke it down on an episode of the Joe Budden Podcast. He applauded DJ Akademiks for his journalism skills, but criticized the way Ak has shared it. He pointed to the recent bot allegations that were made against Kendrick Lamar during the NBA finals as a prime example. “Ak is the one on stream during the NBA finals,” Budden asserted. “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.” The former Slaughterhouse member pointed to Ak’s relationship with Drake as the problem.
Joe Budden Tried To Give His Former Co-Host Advice
Joe Budden on Akademiks reporting on Drake & trying to expose Kendrick for using bots (During the NBA Finals)
“Even as a Drake fan.. as a Drake fan, I want Ak to stop announcing things about Drake” pic.twitter.com/jFwfyVwv5a
— Dash (@WATTBA10) June 21, 2024
DJ Akademiks shared messages he got from Drake during the Kendrick Lamar battle. Drake even used a sample of Ak on the diss song “Push Ups.” Joe Budden correctly noted that whenever Ak tries to defend Drake, it will look like he’s being given orders by the rapper. “It comes off as a mission sent from Drake,” he explained. His advice to both DJ Akademiks and Drake is to take a couple plays off. Especially in the wake of Kendrick Lamar’s “Pop Out” concert, which was an overwhelming success. “It’s too much to fight,” he added. “You’re gonna look away.”
Joe Budden ultimately urged DJ Akademiks to stop proselytizing on Drake’s behalf. “Ak is the mouth piece,” he complained. “As a Drake fan, I want Ak to stop announcing things about Drake… The Drake releases are much better as a surprise. Anything with Ak reporting it, it just looked a way.” Joe Budden wrapped up his statement by assuring fans that he has respect for DJ Akademiks. He did throw him a bit of a dig, however, when he said that Ak doesn’t care about criticisms because Drake is a “brand builder.” He’s not wrong.
