Reminisce, the veteran Nigerian rapper has stated that in the world of hip-hop, respect isn’t earned through wealth or streaming numbers but through raw talent and lyrical skill.
Speaking on a recent episode of the On The Record podcast alongside fellow rapper Vector, Reminisce weighed in on the ongoing supremacy debate between Nigerian hip-hop acts Odumodublvck and Blaqbonez. He stressed that, unlike other music genres, hip-hop values authenticity and lyrical prowess above commercial success.
“Hip-hop is the only genre that doesn’t respect numbers or money,” Reminisce said. “No matter how rich or successful you are, you can’t buy respect in hip-hop. You have to earn it through skill. That’s what I love most about the genre.”
He referenced the recent rap battle between American rapper Kendrick Lamar and Canadian superstar Drake to drive home his point, highlighting that Lamar’s technical skill and lyrical sharpness earned him the win in the eyes of the hip-hop community, despite Drake’s larger commercial reach.
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“You can have five trillion streams and call your album the greatest nobody cares. What matters is your skill,” he added. “That’s why Kendrick Lamar is widely seen as the winner over Drake. When it comes to pure rap ability, Kendrick delivered, and that’s what hip-hop respects.”