Drake Confronts the ‘Culture Vulture’ Tag in Conversation with Bobbi Althoff

Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Bobbi Althoff via YouTube

Drake and Bobbi Althoff have reunited for another conversation, this time turning to one of the more persistent criticisms of his career. The Toronto rapper has built his global influence on a willingness to bend genres, moving fluidly between rap, R&B, dancehall, U.K. grime, Afrobeats, and pop. That chameleon-like range has expanded his reach—but also sparked debate over cultural appropriation.

The charge is familiar. Detractors have often labeled him a “culture vulture,” accusing him of profiting from scenes he did not create. Drake has bristled at that characterization, insisting his collaborations are about connection, not exploitation. “I hate that people think that me being into music from these kids that are trying to make it… is some culture vulture behavior,” he said in a past exchange, pointing to what he sees as a double standard.

From Rift to Reunion, Drake and Althoff Reset

In his latest discussion with Althoff, recorded for the NFR Podcast, Drake revisited the criticism with blunt honesty. “I experience a lot of guilt tripping in my life where people are like, ‘No, this is your fault,’ essentially… My intentions are pure,” he said. What he finds disheartening, he added, is the suggestion that championing younger artists could be mistaken for self-interest.

Their reunion comes months after a viral interview in July 2023, a deadpan back-and-forth that dominated social feeds before disappearing without explanation. That vanishing act fueled speculation about a rift, though Althoff has since dismissed the chatter. “Drake flew me to Manchester, then Belgium, and finally Switzerland, where this episode was filmed, to make amends,” she recalled.

The new installment, pointedly titled Not This Again, is intended as the start of a recurring monthly series. Unlike their first meeting, this one is here to stay. For Drake, the return offers more than a viral clip—it provides a stage to reframe how his eclectic career, and the cultural borrowing that defines it, is understood.