There have a been a number of rappers who have compared themselves to Tupac in the past, but now TDE President Punch is making a comparison of his own to the late hip-hop icon. Over the weekend (April 7), the Top Dawg Entertainment head tweeted his belief that Cardi B is Tupac, but didn't give any context to his statement, and received a lot of criticism.

Today (April 9), Punch penned an editorial for DJ Booth, where he elaborates on his controversial tweet that quickly turned into a heated debate on Twitter. The music executive starts off his argument by stating that although Pac never harnessed the technical rap skills of Jay-Z, Nas, or his known rival, The Notorious B.I.G., he has been viewed as a great because of his passion and honesty.

"Pac wasn't as skilled technically as some of his iconic counterparts, like a JAY-Z or Nas or B.I.G., and yet, he’s still viewed by many as the greatest rapper of all time," he writes. "Why is that? The answer: a combination of passion, content, delivery, and HONESTY."

He then flips the comparison to the "Bodak Yellow" rapper, claiming that she possesses the same honest and raw qualities of Tupac, and has an addictive charisma that people want to listen to.

"Which brings me to Cardi B. I won't pretend to know as much about Cardi as I do about 2Pac, but from what I do know, she embodies some of those same qualities," he continues. "She’s a straight shooter right from the hip. Her interviews are as raw as her music. She’s politically incorrect, yet, her charisma means you cannot stop watching and listening, whether you agree or disagree. She says exactly what she’s feeling at the time the question is delivered."

Later in the editorial, Punch says that Tupac represented for "the Have Nots," which Cardi is also mastering herself. He also uses lyrics from her "Bodak Yellow" hit single to compare to Pac's delivery on his "Ambitionz Az a Ridah" record.

"Pac represented the Have Nots as a whole. Cardi reps a particular section of the Have Nots, which will only continue to grow if she keeps going," he pens. "Cardi also has a cadence and flow that’s similar to Pac’s. She emphasizes and elongates words to stress points for impact, like “I make money movesss” and “Don’t get comfortableeee.” For a sonic reference, listen to the similarities between her No. 1 single “Bodak Yellow” and Pac's legendary “Ambitionz Az a Ridah.” Please take into consideration that Pac passed over 20 years ago and that music has changed quite a bit since then."

Summing all of his points up in the end, the TDE President believes that Cardi captures the essence of a famous Tupac quote, and embodies the same brutal honesty that the 1990s rapper used to protect his feelings.

"One of Pac's most famous quotes was, 'The reason I’m so harsh is because I’m so sensitive.' In a nutshell, that sums up why, I believe, Cardi B is 2Pac. She fully embodies this idea of being brutally honest so she can’t be hurt."

Punch comparing Cardi to Tupac follows in the footsteps of artists such as Troy Ave, Young Thug, Chris Brown, Childish Gambino and many others labeling themselves as the "new" version of the late icon.

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