Remember how celebrities and other notable figures would go on 60 Minutes and spill all the beans to Barbara Walters? That’s exactly how entertainers are with N.o.r.e. and DJ EFN with Drink Champs. Back then it could be Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, or even a whistle-bower at Ford Motors. It’s like when they sat across from Walters, all the secrets came out.
For Hip-Hop, that honor belongs to Drink Champs. While EFN is a key figure on the show, we all know that N.O.R.E. is the main attraction. If you can get past his taking over his guest, Drink Champs is a very entertaining show.
Back in the day, Rap City and Yo MTV Raps were the spots where artists would go but even then, you could tell that the host were told to keep it somewhat PG related. With Drink Champs, there is no such thing as silence on a subject.
In one episode, you can learn so much about your favorite artists that you may walk away from that episode with either a deeper love for them or some hatred, Drink Champs is that wide open.
Without it, how would we know just how hurt Irv Gotti was over Ashanti? How would we know how deeply Kayne felt about Jews? Maybe it’s the liquor or weed that forces those to spill the beans, but whatever it is, it does not need to stop.
Social Media has become a thing of the norm for artists to get their thoughts out there but nothing beats a straight-up interview where they get to speak clearly. This is where we learn about past or present beef, hidden crushes, and just some of the wildest stories ever in the industry.
What makes this show different than the others is that they’re telling these stories to one of their own. As great as Barbar Walters was, she couldn’t hold a note to Houston or Jackson and did not know what it was like to work at a factory or drug company. N.O.R.E. is one of them. He has his own Hip-Hip history and then alone makes the show that much more appealing.
Since its debut in 2016, there have been a few other copycat shows to hit the airways. We won’t mention them by name but we know who they are. They try to mimic what Drink Champs does, but they lack the essence that N.O.R.E. and EFN provide.
From Memphis Bleek to Nas to Yeezy, Chris Brown and all the way to Patti Labelle, Drink Champs has been privy to some of the best behind-the-scenes stories ever told.
Damn, imagine the stories someone like Pac and Big would have to share if they were still alive. Barbara Walters was a national treasure as far as journalism and reporting goes but let’s keep it real, she was never for us. But Drink Champs, that’s a different story.