Document: WM-091                                                 P. Webb
Category: Life                                                2026-05-22

                                Rap Slop

Abstract

   Stop wasting people’s time

Body

   We are inundated with information.

   Every notification we get on our phones, our computers, our devices
   are of differing levels of importance and we don’t know which until
   we check. Half the news delivered to us is lies; either by omission
   or straight up. The explosion of LLM usage (slop) across recreational
   and professional realms take a cognitive toll, even if you’ve gained
   the skill to quickly detect and dismiss. Again, you have to check to
   see if your time will be wasted (it will).

   It comes as no surprise then that Drake’s latest album drops, rumored
   by his enthusiastic fanbase to be “throwaways” to get out of his
   label contract with Universal Music Group, have been received poorly
   by the majority of said fanbase. He released three albums
   simultaneously, that’s nearly three hours of music across 43 tracks
   with objectively mid lyrics and unfocused beats. It’s the same energy
   as a coworker using an LLM to write emails or a tech bro using an LLM
   to write a blog post about their latest product; time you will never
   get back. A finite and precious resource, ripped from you because
   that coworker, that tech bro, that rapper views your time amongst the
   living as worthless.

   An online friend recently penned an essay on Substack about how the
   aftermath of the Drake/Kendrick beef has made it difficult for him
   and others to publicly show support for or even enjoyment of Drake’s
   music. I understand his stance to a degree because it’s uncomfortable
   when the world is staunchly against something or someone you support.
   For example, I think Will Smith was justified in slapping Chris Rock
   at the Oscars. The timing and the choice of venue to do so wasn’t
   the best but I understood Will’s reasoning behind it; I’d do the same
   in his shoes (why has my wife been the butt of your jokes for the
   past 20 years…move the fuck on bro)! The Substack essay failed to
   change my mind because it left out choice context.

   Mind you, I was a Drake enjoyer before his rap battle with Kendrick.
   I loved his songs “Hotline Bling” and “God’s Plan.” The objectively
   weird shit that came out during the battle soured my slowly declining
   opinion on him (like with Chris Rock, Drake’s obsession with Rihanna
   and constant subliminal jabs toward her has always been wack as fuck
   to me…dude is famous and rich, find someone else!!); creepy
   behavior with teens (children), having sex with your mentor’s
   girlfriend while he in prison (bitch-ass sucka shit, to me), nah bro.

   That ain’t it.

   Despite all that, I assumed Drake would bounce back with certified
   BANGERS and objectively, he’s lost it. 40 (his best friend and
   producer) told him to “dig deep” and he did that! On the intro track
   of ICEMAN! BARS!! Why didn’t he continue doing that across the
   entire album?

   My Substack friend mentioned people not having empathy for
   millionaires, and this is true of all -aires. You can see it in the
   people gleefully resharing bullshit about Jay-Z, Pharrell, &c. You
   know what these rapper millionaires/billionaires don’t do? Spend
   two years of hype and millions on marketing to eventually release
   a 3-pack of ass.

   These were my initial thoughts[1] on ICEMAN (I listened to it shortly
   after midnight EST, after 9pm for us West Coast folks) straight
   through and didn’t read reviews until after I shared my own):


   Listened to Drake’s “ICEMAN” last night and while there was a lot
   more rapping than singing…the tough guy bars don’t land the same.
   The revisionist history he’s attempting is weak.
   
   Claiming he’s never lost sleep over a now two-year old battle is
   patently false when his lawsuit explicitly states such; taking more
   jabs at Kendrick (and Jay-Z for some reason) is contradictory.
   
   But hey, not a bad album for diehard fans!



   SIGH

   The lawsuit. Suing because you lost a rap battle you instigated and
   what the other guy said about you hit harder than what you said about
   him and your mythos got tarnished. Anyhoo.

   The disrespect to the listener is appalling. The subsequent outrage
   is palpable. Proving your opponent’s predictions correct is a
   masterclass in missing the point; or willful ignorance? The
   mind boggles.

   People say LLMs gonna destroy everything (people actually use the
   term “A.I.” but by using it you’re legitimizing the claims that it’s
   here…it is not) and I disagree.

   Corporations using LLMs to do away with entry-level employees are
   destroying the pipeline of new talent into various fields. To be
   clear, financial optimization has always been the goal but we gotta
   stop blaming the tech as if the tech is doing this by virtue of
   existing. Name the CEOs and corpos abusing tech!

   If you believe the numbers, ICEMAN received over 140 million streams
   and for an hour-long album, which is the same as 140 million hours.
   Let’s assume a quarter of people who listened enjoyed every track.
   That’s 105 million people who wished they could get that hour back.

   Insane scale.

   Drake fans revolting against LLM rap slop is a great sign that
   curated, intentional creativity always wins. If you’re an LLM
   enjoyer, you aren’t excused from reviewing and editing the output.

   Respect your fellow human!! 🕸️