Malcolm Jamal-Warner Says Rap Beef Is Bad For The Culture

Malcom Jamal Warner
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 14: Actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner attends 2023 Beloved Community Awards at Hyatt Regency Atlanta on January 14, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. Formerly known as the Salute Greatness Gala, the Beloved Community Awards is a part of the weeklong celebration of the 2023 King Holiday Observance. The event recognizes community leaders, businesses, and organizations that exemplify excellence in leadership, philanthropy and social justice in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

In an interview with TMZ, Malcom Jamal-Warner shared his thoughts regarding the recent Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef.

The 53-year old told the reported that Black hip hop culture has normalized subject matters that are regressive – murder, drugs and misogyny.

The Cosby alum shared, “It’s been normalized for us to call ourselves the N-word. We like to talk about how we’ve taken the power of that word back.”

“I’m of the school of thought that if I am trying to speak love and upliftment to my brother, why am I going to borrow a word from people who hate me?”

“Our music is not reflecting of positivity, love, and upliftment of our culture. So much of our black music is anti-black.”

He continued, “When you think about it, you almost cannot have hiphop without talking about drugs, using the N-word, and murkin’ sombody or calling a female a b**** or a hoe.”

Warner is not alone in his beliefs. Philly native, Questlove railed against the enthusiasm behind Drake and K.Dot picking one another apart.

The Roots drummer posted on his Instagram account regarding the high-profile rap battle.

“Nobody won the war,” he wrote. “This wasn’t about skill. This was a wrestling match level mudslinging and takedown by any means necessary — women & children (& actual facts) be damned.”

Questlove believes that the beef is all fun and games until it takes a serious turn.

“Same audience wanting blood will soon put up ‘RIP’ posts like they weren’t part of the problem,” he wrote in is note. “Hip hop truly is dead.”

Questlove disabled the feature that allows for comments on his post.