September 7, 2025 • 14 mins
Welcome to this week's Blonde Intelligence, I am your host Ms. Roni and I always seek to give you exquisite cranial repertoire. What happens when commercial interests collide with cultural authenticity? The recent Drake-Kendrick Lamar rap beef and Young Thug's leaked jail calls have sparked crucial conversations about hip-hop's soul as the genre marks its 50th anniversary.
Diving deep into this cultural moment, we explore how Kendrick's pointed lyrics in "The Heart Part 4" serve as a critical response to perceived inauthenticity in contemporary hip-hop. When Mos Def famously dismissed Drake's music as "Target shopping music," he highlighted the growing tension between commercial success and cultural integrity. Meanwhile, Young Thug's controversial jail call comments reveal troubling dynamics where personal conflicts overshadow the artistry hip-hop was built upon.
Hip-hop emerged from 1970s Bronx as more than music—it was a powerful voice for marginalized communities facing social injustice and economic disparity. True hip-hop carries profound responsibilities: community upliftment, youth engagement, authentic representation, and social activism. As the genre evolves, with hip-hop elements likely appearing in virtually all music by 2025, artists must navigate their responsibilities carefully, balancing innovation with respect for the culture's foundational values.
This episode challenges both artists and listeners to consider what it means to honor hip-hop's legacy while embracing its evolution. Are we preserving the authentic voice that made hip-hop revolutionary, or sacrificing cultural integrity for commercial appeal? The conversation isn't just about music—it's about cultural preservation, community responsibility, and the power of authentic expression.
Subscribe on YouTube, follow on social media, or listen on all major podcast platforms to join the conversation about hip-hop's past, present, and future. The show is returning to its original name, "Blonde Intelligence"—same insightful content with the original branding you've come to know.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Learn about the indie artist from the indie artist.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
I'm Kiana Key.
I'm an artist.
My name is Lauren, as youalready said, I am a
singer-songwriter.
I'm Al Pems.
I originally come from theCaribbean, st Vincent and the
Grenadines.
My name is Brian Doucette.
I'm an East Coast Canadianrocker.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
And then I found myself in Las Vegas, where I'm
at currently for dancing forCirque du Soleil with my own
solo.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
I also learned from music industry professionals.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
I'm a music producer.
I've been producingprofessionally for about 14
years.
I have worked with a couplepeople in the industry Grammy
nominated Trev Rich Misha from702.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
After I got my deal with universal music, after the
alicia keys and gunna record andmany others that I've done, and
then alicia keys was the numberone adult r&b song of the year
I asked the question that's agreat question yeah, it's a good
question oh uh, that is a goodquestion, wow I love all these
(01:10):
questions.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
These are great like.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Most of the questions that I get are, like you know,
tell me about justin bieber.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
It's indie artist.
Music hustle is for the indieartists, their fans, industry
professionals and the musiclover.
Subscribe on YouTube, facebookor the podcast on Apple, spotify
, pandora or Blonde IntelligenceFacebook page.
Don't forget to add me to yourplaylist, bye.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
It's been really fun, especially talking to someone
across the pond.
It's cool.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Welcome to this week's Blonde Intelligence.
I'm your host, ms Bronnie,where I always seek to give you
exquisite perennial repertoire.
The recent events surroundingthe Kendrick Lamar and Drake
Rapvee, along with the leakedjail calls from Young Thug, have
sparked a vital discussionabout the evolving identity of
(02:07):
hip-hop culture, especially asthe genre just celebrated its
50th anniversary.
These incidents not onlyhighlight existing tensions
within the hip-hop community,but also challenge artists to
reflect on their authenticityand commitment to the culture.
Kendrick Lamar's lyrics in theHeart, part 4, served as a
(02:29):
critical response to perceivedinauthenticity among his
contemporaries.
His call for introspectionresonates with true hip-hop fans
and pioneers who argue thatcommercial interests are eroding
the genre's essence.
And we see that in an examplefrom when I think it was Common
(02:50):
who said Drake music was themusic that you would listen to
in Target.
So you kind of see where it'ssaying that the interests are
eroding in the genre's essence.
Seeing that the interests areeroding in the genre's essence,
according to an article fromComplex, lamar emphasizes the
need for artists to maintainintegrity and authenticity,
(03:13):
urging them to consider theimpact of their contribution on
the culture as a whole.
In stark contrast, young Thug'sderogatory remark, revealed in
the leaked jail callsillustrates a troubling trend
where interpersonal conflictsovershadow the artistry that
hip-hop is built upon.
(03:34):
These comments can beunderstood through social
identity theory, which positsthat individuals may diminish
in-group members to elevatetheir own status.
Dr Patricia Hill Collins, inher article published in the
Journal of Hip-Hop Studies,argues that such disrespect
(03:54):
undermines the communal valuesthat hip-hop embodies,
alienating artists and fansalike.
The ramifications of YoungThug's statements are
significant.
They may lead to a reluctanceamong artists to collaborate
with him as they navigate thepotential backlash among their
own reputation.
(04:14):
This reflects a broader concernwithin hip-hop regarding the
balance between personalexpression and community
responsibility, and I think thatit's very ironic that his whole
basis of everything that he wasdiscussing was to make money.
Now, I understand thecollaboration part, but
(04:38):
collaborations have to actuallywork together.
You don't just go and putvinegar and oil together.
I mean, what is it?
Oil and water together?
You have to add some letitianin there somewhere for something
to bind.
So if you don't have anythingthat's going to bind you
(04:58):
together, then the twodifferences are going to
overpower each other, and I'mgoing to touch a little bit more
about this communityresponsibility as being a hip
hop artist.
These incidents have sparkedcritical conversations about the
essence of hip hop culture,emphasizing the importance of
(05:20):
respect and authenticity ofrespect and authenticity.
As the genre continues toevolve, it is essential for
artists to engage in thesediscussions, ensuring that the
foundational values of hip-hopare preserved for future
generations.
And I'm, you know, more of anobserver of things.
(05:42):
So when, such as the Leap Jailcalls came out, you know I just
listened because I feel callscame out.
You know I just listenedbecause I feel like that.
Then, you know, when the truthis trying to expel itself,
sometimes it's going to be somepain, some rolling pain, and so
I'm looking at the discussionafterward not actually what was
(06:06):
said, because it could have camefrom anybody.
So when it's time for, I wouldsay, the truth to prevail, it
doesn't have a respective personor who it's going to go through
to make the channels open thatneed to be open for the
conversation.
So we're going to talk abouthip hop a little bit, little hip
(06:29):
hop history.
The authentic hip hop culturecarries a profound
responsibility towards itscommunity, serving not only as a
musical genre but as a powerfulvoice for social change.
Historically, hip hop emergedin the 1970s in the Bronx,
representing the struggles andaspirations of marginalized
(06:53):
communities, as articulated inthe Source magazine.
Hip-hop artists used theirplatforms to raise awareness
about social injustice,advocating for issues such as
racial equality, economicdisparity and police brutality.
This commitment to activism wasechoed in the pages of the Vibe
(07:13):
magazine, who showcased artistswho leveraged their influence
to promote education andcommunity upliftment.
One significant communityresponsibility of hip-hop
culture is to engage the youthin constructive dialogue about
their identity and societalissues.
Word Up magazine highlightedinitiatives where artists
(07:36):
conducted workshops andmentorship programs fostering
creativity and self-expressionamong young people.
These programs not onlyempowered the youth, but also
created a sense of belonging,encouraging them to contribute
positively to their community.
Hip hop culture emphasizes theimportance of authenticity and
(07:57):
representation, as discussed inPump it Up on BET.
Artists are often seen as rolemodels who must navigate their
responsibilities carefully.
Role models who must navigatetheir responsibilities carefully
.
They have the duty to portraytheir communities accurately and
uplift their narratives, ratherthan perpetrating negative
stereotypes.
This sense of responsibility iscrucial in shaping the
(08:21):
perception of hip-hop withinsociety.
The community responsibilitiesof authentic hip-hop culture
extend beyond entertainment.
So you're not just trying tomake them dance in the club and
have them throw dollars or 20sor 40s or whatever the going
(08:42):
price is these days.
They encompass activism,mentorship and representation,
all of which play a vital rolein preserving the integrity of
hip hop and fostering a positiveimpact on society.
And I said in my first promotionthat hip hop I think by the
(09:05):
year 2025, is going to be a partof all genres.
People were going to mixelements of hip-hop together
with other genres and people arecreating their own genres, but
as a true hip-hop culture, andthat's what Kendra keeps talking
about, and that's the reasonwhy I brought up the past
(09:25):
publication that was dedicatedto hip hop, and even I remember
even first seeing Escape in thisin some other groups on what
was it called Teen Summit.
We had things to motivate usand promote black is proud and
(09:46):
hip hop culture is expression.
And promote black is proud andhip-hop culture is expression.
You can express yourself, and Ithink that young thug has been
able to express himself througheven his, his wardrobe and still
be accepted, because that ispart of hip-hop to pull in all
the parts of your community.
And I think that's where theproblem comes in with Drake is
(10:11):
that he's trying to pull inpeople's personas and he don't
understand the true essence ofthe culture of being an activist
, of speaking on socialinjustices, of the police
brutality that has been seen inour community and I was watching
(10:33):
.
I watch a lot of these showswhere people ask AI these
different questions and therewas a white woman on there that
said if you were to come back atany other race, what would it
be?
And AI said I will come back asa black person, because the
(10:55):
true origins of the world camefrom Africa and people try to
downplay being African-American.
But it talked about the 144,000chosen and the origins of
different cultures and how theyall tie back to being black.
(11:18):
And they was talking about how,if another culture says
something, how it's perceivedand took in so easily, says
something, how it's perceivedand took in so easily.
But if the black voice said howit's to be perceived as
negative, I would say I wouldjust put it in those words and
that if we want to know thetruth, that you have to start
(11:42):
listening to the black voicesand not saying that Kendrick is
the Messiah and as in Drakewords or trying to free the
slaves.
But if the truth is there, youhave to be able to open your
mind to it and as in the youngthug thing.
(12:03):
I don't look at it as a badthing because I feel like that
it opened up conversations tocome open up to conversations
that need to be had in thehip-hop community.
We do have to maintainauthenticity and have goals and
integrity and not cutting peoplebecause of the money or even
(12:25):
trying to sneak this.
I don't like this sneak thisthing either, because I had
somebody try to sneak this to mein a song and I'm not even a
rapper, so I understand.
You know where people arecoming from commercializing the
genre, and it really wasn'tmeant for that.
(12:46):
Now, yes, it's catchy andda-da-da-da and all that.
And with the internet, now youreally, if you have something to
say, somebody is going to hearit, the right people are going
to hear it.
So that's what I'm going toleave you with.
And I want you to notice thatI've been introducing as Blonde
Intelligence, because I'm goingto change the name of my show
(13:08):
back to Blonde Intelligence.
Because I'm going to change thename of my show back to Blonde
Intelligence Because that is mytagline and everything.
And I got two of my businesspages floating out on Facebook
that I am trying to manage froma distance because they're not
giving me access to.
So I'm going back to usingBlonde Intelligence.
So people still like my page onFacebook, even if you don't see
(13:32):
a whole lot of back TV.
I'm going to start tagging frommy other page, blonde
Intelligence.
Blonde Intelligence LLC.
You can follow me on socialmedia.
You can subscribe on YouTubeand when I feel like sometimes I
don't feel like doing my hair,so I just do the podcast portion
(13:53):
.
But as I can't chill it withMoni would say, she said my
audio Moni here, audio Ronniehere.
And as Ryan Seacrest would say,he out, I'm gone.
Bye, hey girl, let me tell youabout this podcast he out.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
I'm gone Bye.
Hey girl, Let me tell you aboutthis podcast Girl.
Everybody has a podcast thesedays, but this one interviews
new and interesting indieartists.
It's called Indie Artist MusicHostel with Blunt Intelligence.
Really, when can I find it?
It's on all podcastingplatforms streams live on social
media and on RPENTradiocom.
(14:28):
What'd you say?
It was called again, it'scalled Indie Artist Music Hostel
with Blind Intelligence.
Girl, I'm gonna have to checkthat out.
Give it a check, girl.
Learn about the indie artist from the indie artist.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
I'm Kiana Key.
I'm an artist.
My name is Lauren, as youalready said, I am a
singer-songwriter.
I'm Al Pems.
I originally come from theCaribbean, st Vincent and the
Grenadines.
My name is Brian Doucette.
I'm an East Coast Canadianrocker.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
And then I found myself in Las Vegas, where I'm
at currently for dancing forCirque du Soleil with my own
solo.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
I also learned from music industry professionals.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
I'm a music producer.
I've been producingprofessionally for about 14
years.
I have worked with a couplepeople in the industry Grammy
nominated Trev Rich Misha from702.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
After I got my deal with universal music, after the
alicia keys and gunna record andmany others that I've done, and
then alicia keys was the numberone adult r&b song of the year
I asked the question that's agreat question yeah, it's a good
question oh uh, that is a goodquestion, wow I love all these
(01:10):
questions.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
These are great like.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Most of the questions that I get are, like you know,
tell me about justin bieber.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
It's indie artist.
Music hustle is for the indieartists, their fans, industry
professionals and the musiclover.
Subscribe on YouTube, facebookor the podcast on Apple, spotify
, pandora or Blonde IntelligenceFacebook page.
Don't forget to add me to yourplaylist, bye.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
It's been really fun, especially talking to someone
across the pond.
It's cool.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Welcome to this week's Blonde Intelligence.
I'm your host, ms Bronnie,where I always seek to give you
exquisite perennial repertoire.
The recent events surroundingthe Kendrick Lamar and Drake
Rapvee, along with the leakedjail calls from Young Thug, have
sparked a vital discussionabout the evolving identity of
(02:07):
hip-hop culture, especially asthe genre just celebrated its
50th anniversary.
These incidents not onlyhighlight existing tensions
within the hip-hop community,but also challenge artists to
reflect on their authenticityand commitment to the culture.
Kendrick Lamar's lyrics in theHeart, part 4, served as a
(02:29):
critical response to perceivedinauthenticity among his
contemporaries.
His call for introspectionresonates with true hip-hop fans
and pioneers who argue thatcommercial interests are eroding
the genre's essence.
And we see that in an examplefrom when I think it was Common
(02:50):
who said Drake music was themusic that you would listen to
in Target.
So you kind of see where it'ssaying that the interests are
eroding in the genre's essence.
Seeing that the interests areeroding in the genre's essence,
according to an article fromComplex, lamar emphasizes the
need for artists to maintainintegrity and authenticity,
(03:13):
urging them to consider theimpact of their contribution on
the culture as a whole.
In stark contrast, young Thug'sderogatory remark, revealed in
the leaked jail callsillustrates a troubling trend
where interpersonal conflictsovershadow the artistry that
hip-hop is built upon.
(03:34):
These comments can beunderstood through social
identity theory, which positsthat individuals may diminish
in-group members to elevatetheir own status.
Dr Patricia Hill Collins, inher article published in the
Journal of Hip-Hop Studies,argues that such disrespect
(03:54):
undermines the communal valuesthat hip-hop embodies,
alienating artists and fansalike.
The ramifications of YoungThug's statements are
significant.
They may lead to a reluctanceamong artists to collaborate
with him as they navigate thepotential backlash among their
own reputation.
(04:14):
This reflects a broader concernwithin hip-hop regarding the
balance between personalexpression and community
responsibility, and I think thatit's very ironic that his whole
basis of everything that he wasdiscussing was to make money.
Now, I understand thecollaboration part, but
(04:38):
collaborations have to actuallywork together.
You don't just go and putvinegar and oil together.
I mean, what is it?
Oil and water together?
You have to add some letitianin there somewhere for something
to bind.
So if you don't have anythingthat's going to bind you
(04:58):
together, then the twodifferences are going to
overpower each other, and I'mgoing to touch a little bit more
about this communityresponsibility as being a hip
hop artist.
These incidents have sparkedcritical conversations about the
essence of hip hop culture,emphasizing the importance of
(05:20):
respect and authenticity ofrespect and authenticity.
As the genre continues toevolve, it is essential for
artists to engage in thesediscussions, ensuring that the
foundational values of hip-hopare preserved for future
generations.
And I'm, you know, more of anobserver of things.
(05:42):
So when, such as the Leap Jailcalls came out, you know I just
listened because I feel callscame out.
You know I just listenedbecause I feel like that.
Then, you know, when the truthis trying to expel itself,
sometimes it's going to be somepain, some rolling pain, and so
I'm looking at the discussionafterward not actually what was
(06:06):
said, because it could have camefrom anybody.
So when it's time for, I wouldsay, the truth to prevail, it
doesn't have a respective personor who it's going to go through
to make the channels open thatneed to be open for the
conversation.
So we're going to talk abouthip hop a little bit, little hip
(06:29):
hop history.
The authentic hip hop culturecarries a profound
responsibility towards itscommunity, serving not only as a
musical genre but as a powerfulvoice for social change.
Historically, hip hop emergedin the 1970s in the Bronx,
representing the struggles andaspirations of marginalized
(06:53):
communities, as articulated inthe Source magazine.
Hip-hop artists used theirplatforms to raise awareness
about social injustice,advocating for issues such as
racial equality, economicdisparity and police brutality.
This commitment to activism wasechoed in the pages of the Vibe
(07:13):
magazine, who showcased artistswho leveraged their influence
to promote education andcommunity upliftment.
One significant communityresponsibility of hip-hop
culture is to engage the youthin constructive dialogue about
their identity and societalissues.
Word Up magazine highlightedinitiatives where artists
(07:36):
conducted workshops andmentorship programs fostering
creativity and self-expressionamong young people.
These programs not onlyempowered the youth, but also
created a sense of belonging,encouraging them to contribute
positively to their community.
Hip hop culture emphasizes theimportance of authenticity and
(07:57):
representation, as discussed inPump it Up on BET.
Artists are often seen as rolemodels who must navigate their
responsibilities carefully.
Role models who must navigatetheir responsibilities carefully
.
They have the duty to portraytheir communities accurately and
uplift their narratives, ratherthan perpetrating negative
stereotypes.
This sense of responsibility iscrucial in shaping the
(08:21):
perception of hip-hop withinsociety.
The community responsibilitiesof authentic hip-hop culture
extend beyond entertainment.
So you're not just trying tomake them dance in the club and
have them throw dollars or 20sor 40s or whatever the going
(08:42):
price is these days.
They encompass activism,mentorship and representation,
all of which play a vital rolein preserving the integrity of
hip hop and fostering a positiveimpact on society.
And I said in my first promotionthat hip hop I think by the
(09:05):
year 2025, is going to be a partof all genres.
People were going to mixelements of hip-hop together
with other genres and people arecreating their own genres, but
as a true hip-hop culture, andthat's what Kendra keeps talking
about, and that's the reasonwhy I brought up the past
(09:25):
publication that was dedicatedto hip hop, and even I remember
even first seeing Escape in thisin some other groups on what
was it called Teen Summit.
We had things to motivate usand promote black is proud and
(09:46):
hip hop culture is expression.
And promote black is proud andhip-hop culture is expression.
You can express yourself, and Ithink that young thug has been
able to express himself througheven his, his wardrobe and still
be accepted, because that ispart of hip-hop to pull in all
the parts of your community.
And I think that's where theproblem comes in with Drake is
(10:11):
that he's trying to pull inpeople's personas and he don't
understand the true essence ofthe culture of being an activist
, of speaking on socialinjustices, of the police
brutality that has been seen inour community and I was watching
(10:33):
.
I watch a lot of these showswhere people ask AI these
different questions and therewas a white woman on there that
said if you were to come back atany other race, what would it
be?
And AI said I will come back asa black person, because the
(10:55):
true origins of the world camefrom Africa and people try to
downplay being African-American.
But it talked about the 144,000chosen and the origins of
different cultures and how theyall tie back to being black.
(11:18):
And they was talking about how,if another culture says
something, how it's perceivedand took in so easily, says
something, how it's perceivedand took in so easily.
But if the black voice said howit's to be perceived as
negative, I would say I wouldjust put it in those words and
that if we want to know thetruth, that you have to start
(11:42):
listening to the black voicesand not saying that Kendrick is
the Messiah and as in Drakewords or trying to free the
slaves.
But if the truth is there, youhave to be able to open your
mind to it and as in the youngthug thing.
(12:03):
I don't look at it as a badthing because I feel like that
it opened up conversations tocome open up to conversations
that need to be had in thehip-hop community.
We do have to maintainauthenticity and have goals and
integrity and not cutting peoplebecause of the money or even
(12:25):
trying to sneak this.
I don't like this sneak thisthing either, because I had
somebody try to sneak this to mein a song and I'm not even a
rapper, so I understand.
You know where people arecoming from commercializing the
genre, and it really wasn'tmeant for that.
(12:46):
Now, yes, it's catchy andda-da-da-da and all that.
And with the internet, now youreally, if you have something to
say, somebody is going to hearit, the right people are going
to hear it.
So that's what I'm going toleave you with.
And I want you to notice thatI've been introducing as Blonde
Intelligence, because I'm goingto change the name of my show
(13:08):
back to Blonde Intelligence.
Because I'm going to change thename of my show back to Blonde
Intelligence Because that is mytagline and everything.
And I got two of my businesspages floating out on Facebook
that I am trying to manage froma distance because they're not
giving me access to.
So I'm going back to usingBlonde Intelligence.
So people still like my page onFacebook, even if you don't see
(13:32):
a whole lot of back TV.
I'm going to start tagging frommy other page, blonde
Intelligence.
Blonde Intelligence LLC.
You can follow me on socialmedia.
You can subscribe on YouTubeand when I feel like sometimes I
don't feel like doing my hair,so I just do the podcast portion
(13:53):
.
But as I can't chill it withMoni would say, she said my
audio Moni here, audio Ronniehere.
And as Ryan Seacrest would say,he out, I'm gone.
Bye, hey girl, let me tell youabout this podcast he out.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
I'm gone Bye.
Hey girl, Let me tell you aboutthis podcast Girl.
Everybody has a podcast thesedays, but this one interviews
new and interesting indieartists.
It's called Indie Artist MusicHostel with Blunt Intelligence.
Really, when can I find it?
It's on all podcastingplatforms streams live on social
media and on RPENTradiocom.
(14:28):
What'd you say?
It was called again, it'scalled Indie Artist Music Hostel
with Blind Intelligence.
Girl, I'm gonna have to checkthat out.
Give it a check, girl.
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