Maino Explains Akademiks Feud, Says Age-Gap Talk in Hip-Hop Is ‘Dangerous’
Maino says his clash with Akademiks goes beyond jokes and fashion, arguing that the media personality fuels a false generational divide in hip-hop culture.
In a recent interview with VladTV, Maino addressed the fallout that began after Akademiks mocked Fabolous for his fashion choices, calling the critique a symptom of a larger, “dangerous” age-gap narrative in hip-hop.
The conflict reached a boiling point in 2025 when Akademiks teased Fabolous for wearing a headband, calling the look a “midlife crisis.”
Maino, who had previously fired back by calling Ak a “wet bag of laundry” and a “jar of relish,” argued that Akademiks lacks the cultural standing to critique style.
“Well you wearing a baseball cap n***a. What are baseball caps made for? Baseball. Ok, so this is hip-hop, none of the things that we wear in fashion, we’re not wearing it for that particular thing,” Maino stated regarding the hypocrisy of Ak’s fashion commentary.
Maino also explained that his generation established the trends that younger artists, and Akademiks himself, now follow.
“The things that’s hot today were the things that were made hot in our generation,” he noted, pointing out that items like Jordans were popular before the current youth were even born. He further dismissed the idea that he is a “disgruntled” veteran, asserting, “I’ve never been. You can’t find no piece of footage where I ever spoke down on no young artist ever.”Play
Addressing Akademiks’ claims of being the “Michael Jordan” of hip-hop media who made traditional radio obsolete, Maino remained unimpressed. He critiqued Ak’s reliance on protection and his public persona, saying, “I don’t need seven securities to come out to make me feel good… I’m not out here, you know, extra angry with women”.
According to Maino, the divide Ak promotes between generations is artificial: “It’s not young and old, it’s either cool or lame, it’s either you get it or you don’t. That’s it.”
Despite the barrage of insults, Maino believes a productive dialogue was possible if Akademiks “didn’t let his pride get to him.”
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