But Doctor Dre tells ‘RapFix Live’ Nicki should have played Summer Jam: ‘You go out there and you perform for your fans.’ By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway Nicki Minaj Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage When it comes to Nicki Minaj versus Hot 97 , it’s hard not to have an opinion. And, of course, Sunday’s Summer Jam drama came up during Wednesday’s (June 6) “RapFix Live.” During the special episode, MTV News correspondent Sway Calloway shared hosting duties with “Yo! MTV Raps” legends Ed Lover and Doctor Dre, who weighed in on the situation. “You can’t look at anybody that crosses over and achieves pop appeal as a sellout, because that’s what you’re trying to do when you put a record out,” Ed Lover said. “So if Nicki Minaj ain’t real hip-hop, then Public Enemy wasn’t real hip-hop, then Run-DMC wasn’t real hip-hop, then Eminem ain’t real hip-hop.” After Hot 97 DJ Peter Rosenberg criticized Nicki’s “Starships” single, suggesting the track wasn’t real hip-hop, Minaj’s Young Money boss Lil Wayne decided to cancel the Summer Jam performance. According to Doctor Dre, that’s a no-no: The show must go on. “First of all, Nicki Minaj was the only one who ruined 55,000 fans’ expectations of the night. It has nothing to do with Rosenberg. You go out there and you perform for your fans,” he said. While Dre feels that Nicki should have performed that night, he also believes Rosenberg was out of line. “We have too many what I call ‘semi-super experts’ who always try to redefine hip-hop from its infancy,” he argued. In the late 1990s, Ed and Dre hosted “Yo! MTV Raps,” and on Thursday, they will be the subjects of VH1’s new Rock Doc “Yo: The Story of Yo! MTV Raps.” During their iconic run, they’ve interviewed artists such as 2Pac, the Notorious B.I.G. and Rakim, just to name a few. They’ve seen many artists come and go. “She’s an artist whether I like her or I don’t like her. My daughter loves her and thinks that she’s the world, and that’s the case,” Dre said before issuing a challenge to Rosenberg. “You make your record and get in the ring and let’s see how you react, whether you start to sell out or not.” Where do you stand in the Young Money/ Summer Jam drama? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Related Videos ‘RapFix Live’ Goes Big With K.R.I.T., N.O.R.E And A ‘Yo! MTV Raps’ Reunion Related Artists Nicki Minaj Doctor Dre & Ed Lover
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If Nicki Minaj Isn’t Hip-Hop, Neither Is Eminem, Ed Lover Says