The fact that I have to write this is nauseating. Cyber bullying or cyber beefing is all too common in the world of hip-hop. Twitter’s conversational format and ability to say many offensive things in 140 characters or less has unleashed a land abundant with Internet buffoonery.
Exhibit A: the always outspoken Azealia Banks. The Harlem rapper always seems to have an opinion and the unappealing desire to share it with the world. Never one to be too soft, Banks tends to get aggressive behind her computer and phone and dish out unnecessary and laughable comments.
Literally all of her feuds thus far in her career have been conducted via Twitter. From contemporaries Kreayshawn and Iggy Azalea, to T.I. and Lil’ Kim, few rappers are safe from Banks’ digital wrath.
What’s worse is that most of the time, those being dissed by the New York City rapper respond via Twitter.
Have you seen the absolute chaos that ensued between Banks, Lupe Fiasco and Kid Cudi after Banks took a shot at Fiasco for praising Kendrick Lamar’s recent comments in Billboard magazine? It’s a disaster that you can’t help but look at –– I urge you to avoid it all costs (but you’ll probably be inclined to read the series of tweets just like I did). The argument transcended beyond some uncalled for remarks to all-out farce as Cudi apparently subweeted (inferred via indirect reference) Lupe.
Lupe responds. Cudi calls Lupe Fiasco, “Poope Fiasco.” Really?
But among all of this Twitter beefing, there’s a bigger issue at hand. Or is there? What sense can we non-celebrities make out of these stars going at it publicly for the world to see? A sense of connection to these presumed Hollywood-types? I mean, Banks is the frustrated seventh grader and Lupe is the snobby know-it-all. Cudi scoffs on the sideline only to be brought in to the sheepish hellfire and brimstone of pointless middle-schoolesque debacles.
Because that is what is really amazing about all of this. “They’re just like us!” Just like we have fights with friends and secretly despise self-determined “enemies,” these hip-hop stars are dishing it out through social media. This is great!
In reality, it’s really corny. But all kidding aside, it would be another essay to speak on the acculturation of social media on a larger scale (as it pertains to this scenario). On a smaller scale, these beefs further perpetuate the idea that our computers defend us. While that may be the case in some regard, we may come to think that we are invincible in what we say and who reads what we say on the Internet. Plus the quickness of sending out a tweet rarely allows users to actually think through what they want to say before unleashing questionable hogwash. This is not a repetition of your fifth grade lecture on Internet safety and behavior; rather, this is more of an analysis of why rappers are going at it on social media.
I simply cannot answer that question. Rappers have historically held grudges against other rappers and beefs have ensued. Usually, these beefs involve something a bit more than simply stating their opinions about something.
Perhaps it is a cry for attention. Perhaps it is a cry for acceptance. Perhaps some people just like to whine a lot. Whatever the reason may be, one can’t help but to lower their respect or at least appreciation and understanding of someone that is always taking shots at others behind the glowing screen of their computers and phones. Thus, I would like to call a strike against supporting any and all Twitter beefs from here on out. Unless Azealia Banks says something really comical, then by all means, read on!