Drake On What "Greatness" Means

In a new interview with W magazine, Drake opened up about responding to the critics, most recently and publicly Meek Mill. While many celebrities likely consider dealing with detractors to be a downside of fame, the rapper has a different perspective. On the Meek Mill feud, Drake said, "I signed up for greatness. This comes with it." When asked to elaborate on what that means, the 29-year-old had a lot to say:

Realizing that I had a larger purpose was one of the most comforting, peaceful feelings. With music, especially, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m a vessel to deliver emotion to people. I want to provide the background music to your life as you live it. I’m there for you in heartbreak and tragedy and joy. The thought of being remembered is what keeps me going. What I was trying to say is, the negatives don’t matter — it’s history that counts. At 19, I was just really, really excited to be in the room. Everything was romantic then. Now, nearly a decade later, it’s a bit different. I have to speak against negativity and conflict. There’s so much bullsh*t that you’re forced to address, but it’s okay.

The 6 Man definitely has a unique perspective on what it means to speak out against critics and naysayers. What makes the viewpoint unique is how positive it is, and also how it speaks to the narrative he hopes to create, rather than just being about two people facing something in one moment in time. It sounds like he sees every chance to further his message through his music and is not willing to give up on that goal in the face of conflict.

There is a lot to unpack in that one quote. When you have a platform as big as Drake's, that speaks to more than 14 million Instagram followers, more than 26 million Twitter followers, and more than 1 million copies of his surprise mixtape sold, it is undeniable that people want to hear what he has to say and, as he puts it, that are using his music as the background to their lives. And this is true during the good times and the bad times, which he experiences just like the people of his devoted fandom. It is inevitable that, like everyone else, he would eventually go through troubled times as well, like his row with Meek.

But Drake clearly sees those times of turbulence not as an inconvenience, but as an opportunity — an opportunity to further mark his territory as an artist who he considers to embody the definition of greatness. And it is actually a good way to look at it. After all, it is hard to think of anyone considered great in the course of history that has not been doubted before or that has not had to answer to critics. Eventually, the honeymoon phase, or "romantic" part of first breaking through as a star has to end and embracing that much is obviously a tall order for anyone to fill, but it seems like Drake has done that much so far.

It will be interesting to see what he does about that next in his path to what he considers to be greatness. Luckily, his fans are all welcome along for the ride.