Drake and Kendrick Lamar have been beefing for a week or two now, and while at the surface it may just seem like trivial rap argument, I believe it exemplifies ongoing media literacy issues in pop-culture and America as a whole.

In one of Drake’s disses, “The Heart Part 6,” they accuse Lamar of accusing Drake of being a pedophile because they were supposedly sexually assaulted when they were a young child. Drake references Lamar’s song, “Mother I Sober,” from their 2022 album “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers” to back up their argument. It’s very clear though, that Drake obviously misinterpreted the entire song. 

“Mother I Sober” is a heartbreaking song first and foremost about Kendrick’s mother’s experience with sexual abuse, but it’s also a commentary on the hypersexualization of today’s world. Kendrick raps about how they’d dealt with lust problems from a young age, and they viewed themself cheating on their fiancé in the same way they viewed their mother’s abuser.

Art is oftentimes nuanced, complex, and up to many interpretations; almost no opinion can be ‘wrong.’ Sometimes, however, a piece of art is very clearly trying to get across a specific message. When instances like this, such as in the case of “Mother I Sober,” any other interpretation or takeaway of the piece is just simply incorrect.

The definition of media literacy is, “the expanded conceptualization of literacy that includes the ability to access and analyze media messages as well as create, reflect, and take action, using the power of information and communication to make a difference in the world,” (Wikipedia). Drake’s ‘interpretation’ of “Mother I Sober” is just simply incorrect, and using it as a justification for their own grooming is even worse. Drake’s interpretation of Lamar’s art is a prime example of how media literacy isn’t an issue to write off. The problem will only get worse if nothing is done about it.