The Kid Mero, a 42-year-old media personality, has publicly criticized Akademiks live on Hot 97, accusing him of focusing on views and analytics over real-world impact. His comments were made following a heated social media exchange. Mero's central argument was that Akademik thrives on gossip and negativity, while he also highlighted his colleagues' globally relevant work. He also criticized the Akademick guest list, which he claimed lacks cultural significance. The last thing Mero warned Akademiak is that "you don't want to smoke with nobody, especially me".