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The rumors rumbled, social media sizzled, then the music is released.

As crazy as it sounds, this process, which I’ve just decided to coin “The Three-Step Drop”, has become commonplace in hip-hop. Drake did it early this year when he surprised fans with If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late. Sunday night he did it again, only this time he stealthy collabed with Atlanta trap rapper Future. The result…

Rap fans nationwide are being regaled by records that has the streets as wide-eyed as ole’ Jasper here eating a Moon Pie. But the music alone isn’t the only story. The implications of the lyrics, the way in which What A Time To Be Alive was released and the reverberations this project has the potential to leave on the rap game are the story behind the story, which is a story worth dissecting.

Rap Collaborations Of This Magnitude Rarely Happen

Despite collaborating on several legendary – yes, legendary – records together, Nas and AZ never linked up as a duo to release a full album. To make matters worse, they’ve teased us with the possibility of doing it for about 20 years now; it’s the Detox of tag team records. Nas pulled the same stunt with Common once upon a time. We were lied to when Lil Wayne and Juelz Santana had us convinced they were going to drop a full project entitled I Can’t Feel My Face, even after they joined forces on unbelievable records like “Hot Shit”. Many were convinced Weezy would unite with Jay Z on an all-Cater collaboration after recording two previous joint songs, “Mr. Carter” and “Hello Brooklyn 2.0”, each of which were an audio abomination.

Sidebar: To be fair, neither Hov nor Wayne ever alluded to this publicly. This is mostly just me venting my disdain for those two songs.

Jay Z protégé Beanie Sigel was supposed to link with Houston legend Scarface on a Mac ‘N Brad project, however Face deaded the rumors in 2013, citing an over-saturation in hip-hop. Most recently, there’s been speculation that J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar would release an LP together—we’ve heard no such work to date. Kanye and Jay Z formed The Throne, however the duo were already label-mates that had long since been invested in one another, so it doesn’t really qualify for this discussion, even if it was the last time two solo giants teamed up.

The point is we don’t see two individual artists of this magnitude linking up for a full album. Whether it be money, scheduling, ego, label restrictions, groupies (maybe) or all of the above, something typically gets in the way. Drizzy and Future Hendrix, the two most popular rappers of 2015, were able to put all that aside for the sake of this record.

Battle Lines Are Being Drawn In The Sand

You can be the excitement for WATTBA surely extends from coast to coast, or more specifically, from Fayetteville, NC to Compton, CA. With that, never before has there been more pressure for Cole and Kendrick to make good on their joint album, ironically rumored to be titled Out The Sky.

Drake, the decidedly more superficial/vain of the trio of artists, has been locked in a three-way struggle for rap supremacy for the last few years. Both Cole and K. Dot have released records within the last 10 months, but while each poured their soul into their solo projects, Drake’s been on the grind. He now has two releases under his belt in 2015, including this record with Future, which illustrates his versatility while underscoring his own magnetic popularity.

In this time, you’re only as relevant as your last release. While Kendrick has been calling himself “King”, and Cole “The God”, Champagnepapi has being holding the public’s attention more consistently, especially with dynamite features as heard on “100“. This isn’t to call Cole and Kendrick lazy, but the more fire Drake spits unopposed, the more he will continue to increase the perception that he stands alone.

Quality without quantity doesn’t really fly in 2015.

The Meek Mill Saga Continues

Until further notice, any action that involves Drake winning will only further push Meek Mill deeper into the abyss. Two months ago Meek and Future hopped on a track together for Meek’s album that had the potential to be the hottest song of the summer. Now Future is not only backing Drake, but he’s allegedly taking shots at Meek as well.

It is believed that Future’s line, “You just a battle rapper, I’m an official trapper/Niggas be droppin’ subliminals, they’re just some jibber-jabber” was a direct hit against Meek, in all it’s hypocritical splendor. As a result, Meek’s mentions have been lit up with diamonds on top of diamonds.

In spite of any column HHSR could write, the dirt from this entire incident will continue to follow Meek Mill. He’s basically the Pig-Pen of rap.

MMG’s Next Move

Maybach Music Group has seen better days. With this once powerful rap super-label now standing on shaky ground, Rick Ross and Co. must decide on how to proceed. One of it’s principal members is the victim of a bombardment of slander to the point that some are invoking the phrase “cyber-bullying”.

In the recent past, rappers have taken up for one another when one member of its crew has come under fire. It’s safe to assume Wale won’t be the one to throw barbs on Meek’s behalf, but WWRD? Of course, Ross is good friends with Drake, as the duo’s collaboration history goes back five years. Furthermore, it’s too late for Rozay to even think about putting out a diss record— he had the chance on his new mixtape Black Dollar, but didn’t. Ricky did include a Meek verse on the mixtape (on “World’s Finest”, a play on Jay Z & Biggie Smalls’ classic “Brooklyn’s Finest”), but somehow Super Future, of all people, managed to also find his way onto Black Dollar.

It would be ill-advised to speculate on the chronological order of recordings, but Ross’ top soldier is getting railroaded on a daily basis. And rather than come to his defense, he turns around and makes a record with the same man who just dropped a joint LP with his partner’s arch nemesis? The same man who dissed his partner on that same record?

On the surface, not a good look, Ricky.

Drake’s Label Situation

We noted in the IYRTITL Tale of the Tape that Drizzy was essentially writing a breakup letter to Young Money/Cash Money and Birdman. By releasing another surprise album — yes, it is technically an album that is for sale on iTunes — it appears Drake has inched one step closer to freedom by fulfilling the album requirement and satisfying his deal with YMCMB.

This is not a totally new strategy for artists. Nas famously attempted to speed up the free agent process by cranking out albums to get out from under Columbia. This project ended up being a joint release by Cash Money and Future’s Epic Records. This sneaky move could easily reignite a trend for artists looking to move on from their current deals— Drake certainly has enough clout to make it so. But in recent days, the theory has been floated that Cash Money is holding Drake’s next highly publicized solo album, Views From The 6, hostage.

This shouldn’t seem that far fetched. Birdman did the same thing to Lil Wayne’s and Tyga’s last two albums. Birdman didn’t get to where he is by playing nice. Hence, he can be a cold-hearted business man when it’s litigation time.

Conscious Rap And The WATTBA Backlash

All successful rappers have egos…BIG ones. Therefore, it’s not at all unusual for emcees to shade other emcees who currently have the collective ear of the people. Enter Kid Cudi. Far more of a nerd rapper (that’s what I like to call them anyway) than a tradition conscious emcee, Cudder was outspoken on Twitter about his general apathy towards the Drizzy-Hendrix project. Apparently, other rappers who would traditionally be classified as “lyricists” were lumped in with Cudi as those who were openly critical of What A Time To Be Alive.

Consequently, a scathing piece was written by a Complex Magazine foot soldier who called out names of specific artists, such as Lupe Fiasco and Talib Kweli, and any other fan of traditional hip-hop who took issue with the Future/Drake LP. Never ones to shy away from an old fashioned Twitter-squabble, Lupe and Talib vehemently defended themselves — more for having been mentioned by name above anything — and whether intentionally or not, threw gasoline on the fire of the longstanding conflict between conscious rappers (or backpackers) and the streets.

For years backpackers and their supporters have looked down their noses at the fans of whatever is popular. Their mantra: Regardless if this popularity resides on the charts, in the club, on the radio or in the hood, if it’s not talking positivism and social issues while using witty wordplay, it’s wack. In turn, the backpackers are roasted for being uppity, arrogant and boring.

What’s concerning is that the rap world is more than big enough for both and has survived with both pretty much since hip-hop’s inception. And a special few are talented enough to ride this fence (e.g. Kendrick Lamar). In 2015, there’s no need for the masses to take aim at stuffy conscious rap fans, or for the conscious crew to throw jabs at shallow street cats.

It’s not a productive argument. Period.

This type of infighting will only stunt the growth of the culture, which is crucial considering the delicate transition of an aging generation of rap fans who are now in their 30s and 40s.

Future’s Power Is Limitless

Never thought I’d see the day, but the man who once again revived autotune is holding all the cards. Maybe it’s the Ciara/Russell Wilson situation, or maybe he’s found that special groove as a musician, but everything Future touches turns to dirty Sprite. And the people love it.

Kanye West once called himself “the gap like Banana Republic and Old Navy,” due to his ability to unite different types of rappers on the same songs. No one embodies that phrase more today than Future, who can spin just about any song with any rapper into a hit. He’s worked with seemingly everyone, so it makes sense that he’d take his collab skills to the next level.

Sidebar: Not to mention a Future solo record is arguably rap song of the year.

Quiet as kept, Future might be the new king of the south. Don’t believe me? #FutureHive will clue you in on the double.

“Rapper Drake” Is The Most Entertaining Emcee Today

Whenever Jay Z jumps on a track, it’s an event. But unfortunately, his rhymes don’t carry the weight they once did. Fewer people who drive the genre are enamored with Jigga’s lyrics (young people, of course). Hov heads are in their 30s (or older) and have a career, and children, and bills. The youth however gravitates to Drake, and why not?

No other rapper today has the combination of charisma and lyricism Drake possesses. He’s the most in-demand rapper of the moment (ask Apple), and when he strips away everything and steps in the booth with only his iPhone and honesty in his pocket, there isn’t a more compelling person to hear.

Drake – 30 For 30 Freestyle