Kodak Black has completed his mentoring duties for now, at least. The Florida rapper, only 22 years old, has been on the road and has at times teased his recent stay in New York, but after releasing rants on social media directed at some of the artists he’s signed to his Sniper Gang label. The outburst has reignited discussions about the struggles of artist development and loyalty in the current rap scene.
“I ain’t signing no more artists,” he said with conviction. “F*ck no … These n****s be acting like princesses.” His voice was raw, unfiltered, deeply, deeply personal. The message was unspoken but unmistakable, although he didn’t offer any names or specifics. Something has gone very badly awry backstage. Sniper Gang, created as a springboard to propel burgeoning talent in the shadows of Kodak, has delivered on a few of its star-studded promises over the years. But the rapper believes fame and ego got the best of some of his signees. In his view, the artists he hired have failed to meet expectations, and more problematically, they’ve made the process more stressful than rewarding.
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What’s so obviously jarring about Kodak’s current rant is that it feels completely at odds with the sort of personality who once would have expressed a desire to lend a hand in nurturing the next generation. He used to see himself as a leader prepared to open doors for others. He’s looking a bit world-weary now, perhaps singed by artists who, in his estimation, didn’t grasp the chance or act appropriately.
Precisely what made Kodak lose his temper, who did it, or what caused him to go on this tirade, wasn’t known in detail to me at the time of writing, but it did carry a more obvious message: trust and loyalty are a rare commodity. And for Kodak, that’s absolutely a dealbreaker. Although frustrated, the rapper did accept that he does still like his current Sniper Gang lineup. Kodak’s rant was emotional, but it underscored a very real tension in the music industry, the push and pull between label bosses and their signees.
