So: Drake called Macklemore's Instagrammed apology to Kendrick Lamar "wack as fuck"—and regardless of that being the homeboy, I wasn't feeling it, either. But really, Drake, the king of being-persecuted-for-having-messy-public-emotions, is policing how another male rapper expresses his feelings? You wild Alanis right now, doggie. The truth is: Drizzy resented that the popular wisdom was that Good Kid M.A.A.D. City was the rightful owner of that Grammy, as opposed to Nothing Was the Same—it's just the latest wrinkle in his and Kendrick's passive-aggressive competition. After Drake's story lost the Rolling Stone cover in lieu of a photo of the recently departed Philip Seymour Hoffman, however, he really got deep in his feelings (or "acting lightskin" as the kids would call it these days, which is actually wack as fuck), declaring that "the press was evil." Owh beybeh.

Yo, I don't know if it's exclusive to them, but rappers really tend to think the press is here to serve them. If you refuse to be somebody's personal PR, you might get pegged a hater. Most rappers are as deathly allergic to critical thought as your cousin is to peanuts and I am to work. Just try asking one, on the record, about something they said, on a record—about a line that might be considered dishonorable outside of their 16 bars. You'll get outrage! You'll get "Whatever happened to freedom of speech?" (a copout as popular as having an Akon hook was in the years 2005 to 2009), when really they mean "Whatever happened to my imaginary right to never be held accountable for my free speech?" Uh...whatever happened to what I was talking about?

Anyway, Neema is, as usual, doing something strange—Strange Music, that is. He's hosting that Krizz Kaliko show at Nectar on Friday, February 21. The next night (this would be Saturday, February 22, now) the "illbient" OG Paul D. Miller aka DJ Spooky (That Subliminal Kid) is at Barboza for all those head-nodding believers in the transformative powers of triphop. Also on February 22, MOHAI is hosting an event called The Legacy of Seattle Hip Hop—set off by a panel discussion, "The Hood Ain't the Same: A Conversation About Gentrification in Seattle." "The Hood Ain't the Same" is in fact a very timely track and video by Seattle's own Draze, who you might remember from 2011's "What Up Pimpin" and his Mixtape Movies—not to mention his work alongside the rest of the Maraire brothers as C.A.V.E. If Seattle's aggressive gentrification leaves you feeling sick or at least with mixed emotions, it's for you. If you think it's all for the best, it's about you.

On Sunday, February 23, you got the Swap Meet cassette release party at Vermillion bringing some emergent basement sounds from West Coast collective Filthy Fingers United, featuring Tacoma producer Qui Vive and Seattle's Diogenes plus Dex Amora & J'Von, Vaughn Illa and Smear. Up in the back bar of the Crocodile, you'll find Portland's TxE, fresh off their Vs. PRTLND project, with Nu Era, Bryce Bowden, Phil Harmonic, DJ Celsius. Lastly, the Stop Biting beatmakers showcase is happening over at the Lo-Fi on Tuesday, February 25, with a tight grip of pad-beaters for your approval. Late.