Ludacris Settles This Drake/Big Sean Pause Flow Thing for Good

(Luda and Drake in happier, more Conjure fueled times.)

Remember that time when Fabolous was reading my "Rap Lines That Make No Fucking Sense" and decided to contribute his own piece, brilliantly pointing out that nearly every Dead Presidents line in history was just wrong? God I love it when famous rappers become RefinedHype Nation citizens, and now it's Ludacris' turn. After reading our extensive investigation into the origins of the Elongated Pause Flow that Drake made so insanely popular last year he decided to weigh in with a little "History Lesson".



That, Luda, is a fucking excellent point. But before I go any further, it's worth doing a mini history lesson on why Luda's so pissed. When asked about the popularity of the Elongated Pause Flow Drizzy responded, "I don’t want to offend somebody…I hate that rappers picked that flow up. I wish they had left that for people that know how to use it. [They go like] “It’s a parade! MACY’S!”

So yeah, a not so subtle shot fired at Luda.

And then Big Sean followed with, “Don’t get it wrong I’m not trying to dis Ludacris or nothing. He’s a great MC. But even though that that style that got so overused, there was a lot of people who did it great and there was a lot of people who didn’t do it so great. People always ask me was you mad that people took that style from you."

Considering Drake had just put out his debut album and Big Sean hadn't even dropped "Finally Famous" when they said that, and Luda has sold millions of albums and won several Grammys, yeah, the young kids on the block needed to take the egos down a notch.

But honestly I don't really care about famous rapper beef. My inner rap nerd is far more fascinated with the true origins of the Elongated Pause Flow. Thanks to the Ludameister we now have a rough timeline:

Drake "Over" (2010)

"Making sure the Young Money ship is never sinkin / Bout to set it off in this bitch...Jada Pinkett."

Big Sean "Supa Dupa Lemonade" (2009)

"And if she’s on my pipe, I will make her go down...Draino / Tell that bitch to eat her heart out...Caino"

Bobby V. ft. Ludacris & Lil Wayne 'Beep Beep (Remix) (2008)

"She got her rocks off, and I got the cops off / In my fire red lamborghini........hot sauce."

Kanye West "The Good Life" (2007)

"Y'all pop the trunk, I pop the hood...Ferrari / And she got that ass, I got to look...sorry / Haters give me them salty looks...Lawry's"

Cam'ron "Dipset Anthem" (2003)

"I'm on the westside of Chicago, lookin' for a bust down / And make me put my two arms up...touchdown."

Method Man "Cradle Rock" (1998)

"The aliens we just landed and you in the way / overthrow these niggas planet...Independence Day."

Biggie "It's All About the Benjamins (Remix)" (1997)

"Make it hard to figure me, liquor be, kickin me in the asshole / undercover...Donnie Brasco."

A Tribe Called Quest "Buggin Out" (1991)

"Zulu Nation, brothers that's creation / Minds get flooded...ejaculation."

I have to give it up to you Luda, you really did your fucking homework. Looks like you're a hardcore rap nerd too. The lesson here? No one really invented the elongated pause - it's a not particularly complicated style good rappers have thinking of for decades. Drake just brought it into the mainstream and touched it off on a massive level, but he doesn't get any more credit for that than Kanye gets for "inventing" the weekly series.

It's been over a year of investigation, but I feel like I can finally rest knowing the true origins of the Elongated Pause Flow....although if anyone can cite an earlier example than Q-Tip on "Buggin Out" you will be like a god in my eyes.

(Drake still gets 100% credit for the Angry Kitten Flow though. Word to Miss Info for digging up those quotes from Drake and Big Sean.)