Bun B Defends Drake’s R&B Image, “If MCs Could Sing, They Wouldn’t Get Singers On Their Albums”

UGK's Bun B recently defended Drake against critics who have cited the rapper's ability to sing as a negative feature.

Bun believes Drake’s ability to rap and sing is a gift, not a curse.

“I don’t know what they are talking about personally because if you are saying that then that means you are trying to say that people like T.J. Swan, Slick Rick and Biz Markie are not hip-hop. Come on… all of those guys sung on their songs. Singing in hip-hop is nothing new. We’ve always had people that incorporated singing in their raps. And believe me, if MC’s could sing, they wouldn’t get singers to sing on their albums.” (VIBE)

Recently, Drake said rapping was his best feature.

“I could never really take singing on the road the way I can take rapping on the road. I can’t get on stage and blow people away with my range and vocals. I’m a studio singer because I can convey emotion and I have unique melodies, so that’s kind of what I pride myself on, but that’s where it stops. I make music more for people to listen to rather than to hold me as an R&B artist. Not to wish that I couldn’t sing better. If I could sing like Trey [Songz] then yeah, I’d definitely just want to be a singer. If I could do anything, trust me, I wish I could just sit at the piano and sing.” (VIBE)

Last January, Drake talked about his ability to write R&B and hip-hop songs.

“With R&B, I know my sound. I know I make records to f*ck to,” he explained in an interview. “The way Jay and Wayne write rap, I write R&B. I don’t write lyrics down on paper. The other day, I was in the studio with Alicia Keys, and I wrote two songs just speaking to her. I wish I could write that way for rap. With my rap songs, there’s so much of me I have to give that I don’t know if I could ever just flow. The thing is, I’m a great rapper. There’s two elements to rap: having the thoughts, and then being a great rapper. I can really rap the sh*t that I write. My tone, my inflection. When I listen to myself on records, I don’t feel like I don’t belong there. When I listen to ‘Forever,’ with three of my heroes, I fit right in.” (Complex)

Drake previously opened up about working with R&B superstar Rihanna on her Rated R album.

“Rihanna has a great album,” Drake said in an interview. “She’s got great records that she’s using, she’s got great records that she’s not even using that she has for a later date. I’m excited for her. She deserves everything that she gets…We did do some great work together and hopefully it’ll find it’s place on some project one day. The record we have is great. It’s a special record, so for it not to make it, I know something had to click. It’s all good. I think the project’s gonna be great no matter what.” (Rap-Up)

Check out some recent Drake footage down below: