Drizzy Didn’t Deserve It

Drizzy Didn’t Deserve It

On Sunday, Nov. 10, Tyler the Creator’s outdoor music carnival, Camp Flog Gnaw, took place at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles. The event hosted some of the biggest names in music like Solange, YG, H.E.R, Daniel Caesar, Summer Walker and 21 Savage. While all these performances drew crowds and made for an incredible concert, the most notable moment brought an uproar from fans and the host himself.

Tyler the Creator brought out an artist who is considered to be “the rapper of our generation.” With four Grammys and holding the title for the most Billboard Music Awards, Drake has shown nothing but success and consistent artistry within the music industry. While for most people watching Drake live as a surprise guest would be an honor, the younger audiences at Camp Flog Gnaw proved otherwise.

Prior to the carnival, Tyler the Creator supposedly hinted at a special guest throughout the weeks leading into the event on social media, with many fans believing that the mystery performer was going to be Frank Ocean. When the day came, Tyler was extremely excited to bring out one of his personal favorite artists of all-time with a surprise set, putting Drake center stage at the carnival.

Midway through his set, Drake looked to get the crowd engaged and hyped while performing some of his most popular songs, but was interrupted amidst the sudden booing and chants to bring Frank Ocean out. Though the situation was both rude and embarrassing, Drake handled the disrespect with complete professionalism, ended his set earlier than expected, and left the stage with a sad, yet positive attitude as he expressed his gratitude for showing up for Tyler and his fans.

This fiasco came with heat the following Monday, as both fans and Tyler the Creator took to Twitter and other social media platforms. They noted the entitlement of many audience members and showed Drake the respect that he deserves. This comes to question of the youth community of this generation, specifically, what gives them the right to outwardly disapprove a successful artist and more so, one who came out as a special act?

Many people seem to believe that the reason behind the booing is the new wave taking over the younger generation with more eclectic and “edgy” tastes in music, style, and culture—claiming that maybe Drake was too mainstream for the audience at Camp Flog Gnaw.

The answer is very simple—Drake should not have been booed off stage—and the reactions of those specific audience members were highly inappropriate and out of pocket. Drake is not only one of the most successful rappers of this generation, but artists as well. He has stayed consistent with his music production and fans since the beginning of his career, earning him many accolades and mutual respect among others in the industry. There is a reason why Tyler chose him has a special guest—he’s one of the greats. Drake changed the rap game by bringing out the feelings in even the hardest of people with influences of pop and R&B smoothly incorporated in his bars.

Although Drake could have made a scene and went off on the concert attendees, he handled the situation humbly and professionally. The rapper even looked to make light of the situation after thanking the crowd and leaving the set. The next morning, Drake took it to Instagram with the caption: “Plot twist… just signed a 10 year residency at Camp Flog Gnaw sorry kids see you EVERY SINGLE YEAR till you are 30.” Drake once again proves that nothing can keep him at the bot- tom, so to all those that booed him at Camp Flog, put some respect on this man’s name—the whole world already has.

Tallulah Bajar, Staff Reporter