Stephen A. Smith Tells Drake: “That Ain’t What Hip-Hop Is” Amid Legal Feud With Kendrick Lamar 

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Stephen A. Smith has a message for Drake after hearing that the Toronto superstar was upset by his recent critiques, urging him to address his issues with Kendrick Lamar in the booth rather than the courtroom. 


The veteran sports personality addressed the topic on the latest episode of the “Stephen A. Smith Show.” 

“I understand that Drake’s a bit sensitive in these times,” he began. “He’s in his feelings.” 

Smith said he’s aware Drake has seen “some of the things I have said about him on this show,” before continuing.  

“To Drake, the artist extraordinaire,” he added. “I did not say or echo a single negative thing about you… What I said was fact. ‘Not Like Us’ got you.” 

Smith elaborated, insisting he was merely encouraging Drake to get back in the studio and didn’t focus on the salacious allegations in K. Dot’s diss.  

“What I’m saying is, you don’t go the lawyer route in Hip-Hop over something like this. You take it to the studio. You take it to the streets. That’s all I said,” Smith said. “I didn’t sit up there and say you can’t answer Kendrick Lamar. I said, ‘You better figure out a way to do so,’ meaning you have the capability, I think, to pull it off. That’s all!” 

Smith concluded by saying that while has “nothing but respect” for Drake, taking his complaints to lawyers was not a good look, especially because of who Lamar is and what he represents.  

Come back with yours, or you say, ‘Damn, he got me,” he said. “If you’re gonna rely on lawyers, then it’s not a good look because that ain’t what Hip-Hop is. That’s all. And if that’s how you feel, then they’re right when they say, ‘Not like us.’”