Is Drake a Sellout for Pushing Sprite?

If you looked at the title of this piece and said "GET THE 'gasp' OUTTA HERE,", your sentiments are heavily felt. Let's talk about these people who jump to these conclusions without looking at the bigger picture. We all know people LOVE to make witch hunts out of everything, so let's sweep up the mess that is their thoughts. (Subtle "broom" reference by the way. Broom...witch...anyways...)

“Cash Rules Everything Around Me, CREAM, get the money, dollar, dollar bills y’all.” We all know the song. It’s a classic. Cash money has been a topic in hip hop for the longest. As a matter of fact, it hasn’t only been a topic, but also has been something many artists hope to attain. The art of becoming a famous hip hop artist is somehow intertwined with the sentiments of the “American Dream”, which includes the pursuit of wealth. Now, I know that some people ONLY get into the rap game for the money, and that’s not necessarily what I agree with, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to make some legitimate money from doing what I loved. I brought up this topic today, because I've been hearing a lot of (ignorant) people throw the word "sell-out" around lately when rap artists are endorsing certain products. I thought the object of the game was to be successful, which would include people getting money from sponsoring and things of that nature. So why you all aggy?

The topic came up recently when Drake's Sprite commercial came out. I thought it was a good look for Mr. Graham and felt it was one of the coolest Sprite commercials I'd seen in a while. "Forever" was a HUGE song for the year of 2009, and it still receiving heavy radio rotation. Drake also had a huge year and still continues to have an incredible buzz for a newcomer in the game as we await his debut album "Thank Me Later".



If anyone thinks back, hip hop's relationship with Sprite is not brand new. I can personally remember the 1995 Pete Rock and CL Smooth commercial. I was 7 at the time, and obviously didn't know who they were until later, but I did know it was hip-hop music and Sprite hand in hand.



People pop a lot of noise about how hip-hop should stay pure and this and that. Let's get real here. In 2010, that ship has sailed. I personally never seen anything wrong with hip-hop artists endorsing things. That's what makes the culture so great. The hip-hop culture hasn't just been the music; it's everything surrounding, from the clothes you where, to the way you talk, walk and think, all the way down to the soda you choose to drink. As an artist, a brand is created. This is your career now and you are to make money off of your brand. Wasn't that the whole object anyways? We wanted hip hop as a genre to thrive and expand and for a culture that started out from just being a couple of cats rapping and breaking on the corner to become the multi-million dollar entity that it is today.

Mos Def sells phones, Jay-Z sells alcohol, Kanye sells shoes, Ludacris has his own cognac, Drake endorses Sprite, and the list goes on. These are intelligent business ventures and shouldn't be called "selling out". Revenue is a way of life and people are going to have to start realizing this. Until I see a rapper out selling something that is completely against what they stand for. (Like Common selling Skin-bleaching cream). I commend all these artists for having a great business mind, figuring out how to capitalize on their craft, brand and the American Dream.

With that being said, products placements, GET AT ME! LOL.