During an interview with Complex Magazine, Waka talked about the hard-hitting sound he’s developed throughout his career and the imitators who have made their careers off his originality. Specifically, he spoke of Rick Ross, who’s tracks throw the same punch as Waka’s: “That’s crazy. But what you gonna say? This n**** out here making 30 f****** songs with your sound. He watering it down, just putting words together that sounded good. Shit would be harder if it was the truth.”
Waka also discussed Lex Luger’s operatic track, “H.A.M.,” which starred Jay-Z and Kanye and dominated the airwaves for months. Instead of being upset, Waka was proud of the influence he’s had over the game, confidently stating, “They love the sound. They can’t run away from it…My sound put life into a lot of people’s careers. I feel like my sound changed hip-hop.”
Although he admitted he was extremely upset about the imitation, Waka remained logical and level headed by explaining “you can’t be mad at something you can’t control.”
All art is shaped by the work that came before it and shapes what will come after it; it’s extremely interesting to see how artists interact when contemporaries directly impact each other’s work. Although Waka is upset, he seems to realize that much of his influence is uncontrollable and is simply a part of music itself.
Props to Complex Magazine.
-Kevin Shea (@kevinnshea)