On top of that, he performed the songs at OVO Fest while an endless barrage of memes making fun of Meek played behind him. During Drake’s beef with Meek Mill, for example, Drake’s approach was unrelenting-he released the diss track “Charged Up” on July 27, 2015, and then dropped the follow-up diss “Back to Back” only two days later, without giving Meek the chance to respond.
MCs have been abiding by Law 15 (“Crush your enemy totally") for decades, making diss tracks and participating in intense rap battles with the sole goal of humiliating their opposition. Perhaps no group of entertainers follows Law 17 (“Create compelling spectacles") more closely than hip-hop artists between rap beef, graffiti, radical fashion movements, and inflammatory songs and music videos, rappers are always at the center of a spectacle. It’s no surprise that rappers have taken to The 48 Laws of Power, since many of them directly apply to core aspects of hip-hop. JAY-Z mentioned it on 2011’s “Primetime”: Numerous legendary hip-hop artists have directly referenced the book in their songs. Busta Rhymes once used the book to handle a dispute with a movie producer, Dj Premier has a tattoo of the fifth law, “Reputation is the cornerstone of power,” and 50 Cent liked it so much he befriended Greene and co-wrote a book about strategy with him called The 50th Law.īut it doesn’t stop there. Though Rapsody might not approve of the book’s methodology, many of her fellow rappers swear by it. So you need to be subtle-congenial yet cunning! Democratic yet devious. Everyone wants more! However, it is dangerous to seem too power hungry or to be overt with your power moves. But the book’s preface makes it clear that Greene knew full well the calculated deceit he was promoting: After all, rules like “Get others to do the work for you, but always take the credit,” or “Use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victim” imply a cold approach to success that doesn’t necessarily appeal to the compassionate-like Rapsody. Whether or not Rapsody has actually read the book, the way she defines power throughout the song demonstrate how her techniques differ from what Greene lays out. The 48 Laws of Power, the book she’s referencing, is a 1998 cult classic written by Robert Greene that outlines the principles of becoming successful and powerful.
“Ooh-ooh, I never read The 48 Laws,” sings Rapsody on “Power,” a highlight track off her latest album Laila’s Wisdom.
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