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+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!! 🕸️
+
+References
+
+   [1] <https://social.coop/@netopwibby/116579298826105440>