The signing of Atlanta rapper Trinidad James sparked outrage in some hip hop circles. The “All Gold Everything” rapper inked a deal with Def Jam Recordings reportedly worth $2 million, and the cheers from his fans were subsequently drowned out by boos from critics and those who feel his music doesn’t deserve the attention that it’s gotten.
One of those people, apparently, is G.O.O.D. Music’s Q-Tip.
“Yo @DefJamRecords brass! remember your BRAND! And what@UncleRUSH n co put out. Please! Don’t be short sighted,” Tip tweeted on the day it was announced that James had inked his deal.
Of course, his criticism was plastered on every blog and hip hop news site. The former A Tribe Called Quest frontman again addressed the issue late yesterday (December 14th) with another post, explaining–of course–that his issue isn’t with James himself.
“It ain’t about @trindadjames y’all please. That man is doing him. It’s deeper than all Adat dere,” he tweeted.
There were likely be more critics coming after James and decrying Def Jam’s signing of the Trinidadian-born star. His manager has voiced his take on the backlash.
“Trinidad started rapping last year and then began taking it seriously,” he said in an interview with CBS Local. “People are entitled to their own opinion, everything is not for everybody. Trinidad has his own lane. There are other artists who have their own lanes. There are people who love and hate it. That means they are paying atention. In a situation so new it’s a great thing. Just to know that people are paying attention lets us know we are doing something right.”
