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As a Drake Guy, it Would be a Disservice if Temple University Didn’t Allow Me to Shadow This Kendrick Lamar Class
By Kyle Pagan
Published:
Eric Nixon at WHYY writes that Temple University is offering a Kendrick Lamar class:
A Temple University Professor is turning to Lamar’s life as a teaching tool. The new course, titled “Kendrick Lamar and the Morale of M.A.A.D City,” will launch in the fall 2025 semester.
Timothy Welbeck, a professor of Africology and African American Studies at Temple University, developed the course. A Memphis native, Welbeck moved to Philadelphia to study law at Villanova University and is also a hip-hop artist himself.
The course will take an Africalogical approach, examining Lamar’s life through an Afrocentric lens. It will explore the socioeconomic and cultural conditions of his hometown, Compton, California, and the urban policies that shaped the stories in his music.
Hand up, after reading that little blurb I don’t think I’m the target demographic for this course. The only time I’ve ever stared at something through an Afrocentric lens is that one time I had Jamaican food while watching Chet Hanks videos. But this is obviously going to be a Kendrick Lamar suckfest. Booorrrringggggggg. I need to be in this class. No! They need someone like me in this class. You know why? Who wants to take a class with a bunch of people who share the same opinions? Sure, they’re going to study the urban policies of rap and how lyrics are developed by the environment you grew up in, but you and I know this is just going to turn into Kendrick vs. Drake. It’s like every NBA conversation somehow reverting back to MJ vs. LeBron. It’s just natural. And that is why I should be able to shadow this to keep the class fair and balanced. I’m a Drake guy. One of Aubrey’s Angels you may say. The greatest rapper of the last 15 years. One of the greatest thespians of our lifetime. Sure we’ve taken our lumps over the last year. That’s fine. Had to let the Kendrick fans catch up. But we’re gonna come back with a vengeance! NOKIA is only the start. We’re already doing recon. I was behind enemy lines and they didn’t even know it:
I’ve shifted to more country and alternative music in my older state. It just comes with the territory. But growing up it was all hip hop and rap. I was born in the prime of it. Molded by it. I’ve been blessed to grow up with classics like Illmatic, The Blueprint, Late Registration, The Eminem Show and plenty others. The neighbors were wondering why I would skate around barking like a dog. That’s because It’s Dark and Hell is Hot just came out and DMX was all over the radio. Nowadays these kids have Soundcloud mumble rappers and guys in the drill scene that are unfortunately not living long enough to make a name for themselves. They don’t know what real music is. They don’t remember the heyday and I’m gonna take them to school.
I’d be the match that lit the wick of the dynamite. You want to talk about Kendrick Lamar’s 22 Grammy’s? Go ahead. I’ll talk to you about how much cooler it is that Drake boycotted them. That’s why they never give him trophies anymore. Oh Kendrick has six #1 singles? Drake has double that. It’s nice that Kendrick got one little summer while Drake has dominated them front to back for a decade. Congrats to Kendrick on his nationwide tour where he can go tell everyone Drake is a pedophile. He still has to thank Drake for that. Super Bowl Halftime Show? Wow! I’m sure Kendrick got that on his own accord and not because Jay-Z HATES Drake’s guts. Congrats to Kendrick’s success. Make sure you send Drake a Hanukkah card it. Enjoy it K-Dot fans cause the next time he releases an album we’ll all go back to not listening to it again. Put me in this class!
Live look at me on the first day:
Kyle writes blog posts and does Man on the Street-style videos all around Philadelphia. He graduated from Temple University (a basketball school) in 2015. contact: k.pagan@sportradar.com