Kardinal Offishall doesn’t hate Drake, he just doesn’t want to talk about him

Kardinal Offishall, once Toronto’s ambassador to the world of hip hop with his 2001 single “BaKardi Slang,” wherein he enumerates the idiosyncrasies of our city’s particular dialect, isn’t jealous of hip-hop it boy Drake, and he wishes people would stop thinking that he was. It’s not that he and Drake are at odds with each other because one is massively famous and the other less so; it’s just that they are different, mainly in the sense that one is massively famous and the other less so.

As Kardinal so eloquently told Vibe:

I remember when [Funkmaster] Flex one time said I was the only thing coming from Toronto, and I said, “Nah, there’s a lot of MCs” and he was like “Nah.” Then the next year Drake got his buzz out. It’s one of those things that’s whatever. I’m into the music. I don’t really care about who gets credit, who’s the best. I’ve always been in this game to outdo myself. As long as things don’t stop me from getting my paper, then I’m good. Right about now, music has turned into a real tabloid. Shit don’t really make sense.

Kardinal also says that the fake rivalry is no good for Toronto. We have to disagree. Fake rivalries keep the city interesting: Queen East vs. Queen West, Rick Campanelli vs. Ben Mulroney, and Drake vs. Kardinal.

• Kardinal Offishall wants you to stop comparing him to Drake [Vibe]