“Is Kai Cenat the Culture?”: Internet Reacts to DJ Akademiks Criticizing Kendrick Lamar’s Interview with Harper’s Bazaar

Livingston Allen, popularly known as DJ Akademiks, recently criticized Kendrick Lamar for his choice of media engagement with a non-hip-hop publication. During a livestream on DJ Akademiks TV on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, the influencer labeled Lamar a hypocrite, stating:

“Here’s a guy who professes to uphold morals and principles, yet his actions frequently contradict that narrative. He claims to be dedicated to the culture, but when an opportunity arises to showcase himself on a non-cultural platform, he jumps at it.”

Akademiks’ remarks came in response to Lamar’s interview featured in Harper’s Bazaar, published on Monday, where the acclaimed rapper discussed various topics, including his ongoing rivalry with Drake, his musical journey, personal experiences, and future aspirations.

During a segment of his commentary, Akademiks highlighted that Kendrick referred to Drake as a “colonizer”who leveraged his Black heritage for profit, despite Drake seemingly making more connections with hip-hop figures, stating:

“At least Drake made an effort to connect with me, Kai (Cenat)…”

Social media users were quick to respond to Akademiks’ statements, criticizing him for his ongoing attacks on Kendrick Lamar. One individual provocatively asked:

“Kai Cenat represents the culture?”

For context, Cenat is a well-known YouTuber recognized for his gaming and comedic content.

Some internet users supported Akademiks’ perspective, emphasizing the disconnect of Kendrick’s choice to engage with Harper’s Bazaar, a fashion magazine targeted at women, which they felt lacked ties to hip-hop.

“Why choose Harper’s Bazaar…a women’s fashion magazine?”a fan questioned.

“Y’all seem angrier at AK and Kai than you are at Kendrick for going to a WHITE PUBLICATION when he spent the whole summer saying ‘Not like us’; his fans are truly the most naive out there,”@FlageyGod remarked.

Conversely, some individuals pointed out that Drake also conducted an interview with a magazine outside of his industry (specifically, the cover of a fly fishing magazine, titled The Drake: For Those Who Fish, released this fall).

Others clarified that it was Sza who had interviewed Kendrick and noted the rapper’s numerous collaborations with hip-hop personalities in the past. Additionally, some pointed out that the chief editor of Harper’s Bazaar is Samira Nasr, who is historically significant as the first Black woman to hold that position.

“Drake just did an interview with a fishing magazine, by the way,”another user commented.

“What are you complaining about? Kendrick has had interviews with Big Boy numerous times, Sway, Rick Rubin, and The Breakfast Club, throughout his career. He does one non-hip-hop interview, and now you treat it like it’s a trend?”@__Peac3__ added.

“He did the interview with SZA. Not my top pick, but AK is irrational and fixated on anything that seems anti-Kendrick, lol,”@RevereRomance wrote.

“The reach is astounding. Just admit it, AK, you’re frustrated that Kendrick got a major publication interview as a hip-hop artist and Drake didn’t after their beef, lol,”a user stated.

“He’s playing with you all”— DJ Akademiks claims Kendrick Lamar exploited hip-hop culture for his gain

In his broadcast, DJ Akademiks alleged that Kendrick Lamar has taken advantage of hip-hop culture for his gain. He criticized Kendrick for vocalizing about principles and morals only to act counter to those beliefs when he opted for a “non-cultural”interview. He compared Kendrick to Jay-Z, whom Akademiks claims has consistently acted genuinely, stating:

“I love when rappers like Kendrick lull you fools to sleep with all this culture talk… yet it undermines you every single time.”

Livingston Allen illustrated his argument by bringing up Kendrick Lamar’s alleged inconsistency regarding Colin Kaepernick. He argued that while Kendrick showed support for the former NFL athlete, he later turned his back for the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show.

In 2016, Kaepernick sparked controversy by kneeling during the national anthem at NFL games as a protest against police brutality and racial discrimination. This action left him unsigned, with many attributing this to his political stance.

According to an article by Bleacher Report from October 2017, Kendrick performed a rendition of Mary J. Blige’s “American Skin (41 Shots)”in solidarity with Kaepernick during the height of the protest and expressed his support at the Forbes Under 30 summit that same year by stating:

“He stands for something, plain and simple. It’s not about the immediate consequences; it’s about what the next generation will inherit from it.”

Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s ongoing feud initially heated up earlier this year, with both artists releasing pointed tracks aimed at each other’s careers and personal lives, including Drake’s “Family Matters”and Kendrick’s “Euphoria.”By May, the intensity of their dispute had decreased but continues to spark conversations within the hip-hop community.

Throughout this discourse, various fans, critics, and public figures have taken sides. DJ Akademiks has publicly backed Drizzy, while others, such as Joe Budden, have shown support for K.Dot.

DJ Akademiks further expressed his frustrations, targeting industry figures like DJ Hed and Elliott Wilson for their defense of Kendrick Lamar. He pointed out that when Kendrick had the chance to give an interview, he chose Harper’s Bazaar over those who are significant within hip-hop culture. He commented:

“I love how the artist plays the crowd. Yeah, he’s messing with you all.”

Continuing his tirade, DJ Akademiks reaffirmed that he had shared these thoughts before, but to no avail. He emphasized that Kendrick Lamar has the potential to drive cultural change but seems more interested in personal success. He alleged that after having “exploited the culture”and achieved his goals, Kendrick has now distanced himself from hip-hop.

As of now, Kendrick Lamar has not publicly addressed these remarks.

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