Wincing at one particular criticism that has followed him throughout his career, Drake has opened up about his sensitivity to being labeled a “culture vulture” in the music industry. The Toronto-born artist, who has achieved unprecedented success across multiple musical genres, describes this specific accusation as especially hurtful, triggering emotional responses despite his usual resilience to public scrutiny.
Drake’s versatility across hip-hop, R&B, dancehall, UK rap, and pop has fueled both his global appeal and controversy. His incorporation of Jamaican Patois and elements from various musical traditions has led some critics to question whether his approach represents appreciation or appropriation. The artist maintains that his collaborations are intended to uplift emerging and under-recognized talent rather than exploit their cultural contributions.
Drake’s musical chameleon-like nature both powers his success and fuels his critics, raising questions about the line between homage and theft.
The debate intensified in 2019 when UK grime artist Wiley publicly criticized Drake, prompting a rare direct response from the typically reserved superstar. Drake challenged the logic behind the “culture vulture” label, pointing to what he perceives as a double standard where other artists receive praise for similar cross-cultural work.
More recently, Kendrick Lamar’s diss tracks “euphoria” and “Not Like Us,” released in 2023, reignited discourse on Drake’s cultural positioning within hip-hop. These tracks framed Drake’s artistic approach as controversial, pressuring him to defend his creative choices and sparking broader conversations about cultural ownership in music. His appearance on Bobbi Althoff’s podcast “Not This Again” provided a platform to address these ongoing criticisms directly.
The ongoing criticism appears to trigger genuine guilt and self-doubt in Drake, who sees a disconnect between his intentions and public perceptions. His collaborative approach, he insists, reflects a desire to boost rather than appropriate from other cultures. While being critiqued for his genre-hopping, Drake has simultaneously built one of the most diverse revenue streams in modern music, utilizing everything from streaming to merchandise to sync deals.
Despite typically ignoring such accusations, the persistence of the “culture vulture” label has forced Drake to navigate complex issues of race, power, and cultural exchange while maintaining his commercial success and artistic integrity in an increasingly globalized music landscape. His attempts at genre blending have sometimes produced contentious results like Wah Gwan Delilah, which critics have pointed to as examples of cultural missteps. Industry experts note that Drake’s strategy of building a strong brand story across platforms has been instrumental in weathering these controversies while maintaining his dominant position in the music industry.
