“Drake of surf journalism” still waiting for response to decades old diss articles

Where you at, Sam George?

It is impossible, today, to escape news of the quickly escalating hip hop war civil war pitting the biggest names against each other in all out mortal combat. For surf fans aware of the landscape, but confused, I offer a short primer. Drake, who hails from Toronto and why he named himself the 6 God (due area code), and Kendrick Lamar, who calls Compton home, have had long simmering, though genteel strife. All that changed when, in March, Lamar provided guest vocals on a track that was critical of Aubrey Graham (Drake’s given name).

The gloves came off and everybody from Rick Ross to Travis Scott to Suge Knight piled on Drake who, days ago, fired back using artificially intelligent 2 Pac and Snoop Dogg in the ditty Taylor Made Freestyle.

Now, I’ll be honest. Before today I was aware that rap battles existed though never followed one closely in real time. The genius of the actors involved in this current civil war, thus, cannot be overstated. Barbs flying from camp to camp. Millions upon millions of looky-loos becoming involved, listening, picking sides etc.

Mass engagement.

Peak entertainment.

Stupid surfing.

Since I first dawned surf journalism’s door, back in 2004, I have tried to make rap-style beef with any or everyone in order to spruce up our otherwise staid amphitheater. Mick Fanning, Michael Rodrigues, the entire protectorate of Puerto Rico, The Inertia’s Zach Weisberg and staff, the World Surf League’s Erik Logan plus others, Ashton Goggans, Surfer Magazine’s AI assistant “Jake Howard” just to name the ones I can remember at breakfast.

What slams have I received in return?

Fanning decided to step up to the mic and while his initial diss response was spicy, he chased with the entirely weak follow up rhyme, “I acknowledge that my decision to use words that were inappropriate — albeit in an attempt to be ironic, knowing they were of the type favoured by the magazine — was misjudged and wrong.”

Ashton Goggans called the cops.

And that is it.

Any and everyone else somehow thinking public fighting is undignified and immature. In poor taste. Etc.

Surfing remaining an odd backwater growing increasingly stagnant with chill vibes ruling.

Booooooooring.

Where you at, Sam George?