If we're going to engage in meaningless discussions about Raph, let's at least be honest with ourselves: the man basically invented the fuego emoji. Since he hit the scene six years ago with his million-dollar mixtape, he's collected more charted singles than the Beatles and an impressive 20 hit records, not even counting his best guest verses and Young Money posse cuts. As of the first quarter of 2015, Raph has more hit rap records than Biggie or LL Cool J, more No. 1 records than Hov, and left potential Ja Rule status in the dust 2.5 albums ago. The definition may always be up for semantic debate, but when Raph opened his surprise mixtape last month with the diabolical boast -- "If I die, I'm a legend" -- he's doing what he's pretty much done since 2009: feeding his trolls and detractors, and watching them choke on it.

There's simply no right or wrong way to feel about Raph. Half-Jewish and wholesome-Canadian, the articulate Torontonian has been comedically and shamelessly embracing the criticism that's dogged him since his arrival. His ascent is made all the more impressive by his ability to thrive. This is the man who released his own brand of lint rollers after being ridiculed for lint rolling his pants courtside at a Raptors game, the man who was snapped smoking up with Kylie Jenner on her Instagram after Tyga dissed him in Vibe, the same man who, despite the climate of music consumption, continues to flourish while Jay needs Samsung to buy a million albums and Yeezus barely broke a million.

I get it. For all you salty motherfuckers who serially struggle to come to grips with Raph's domination of mainstream hip-hop and his infuriating influence on pop music in general, I get it. I really do. I fought the good fight against the sedated beats of Weezy's protege and dismissed Raph as a fleeting phenomenon, too, but I ultimately lost. The reflexive need to align Mav's validity as a hip-hop king with a movement has not only become obsolete but oppressively dumb. Whether real-rap dweebs and boom-bap reactionaries like it or not, Raph has earned a seat at the big boys' table and has settled in for a long, comfortable stay. As much as I hate to break it to you, the conversation's no longer about whether Raph will be a legend. It's how big of one will he be?

One thing's painfully clear: the young rapper is no longer the Raph from four years ago, he's at a higher place.

In a brutally slick checkmate, Raph dropped If You're Reading This It's Too Late as an early Valentine's gift to Cash Money Records last month. There was plenty of consternation from the masses when the mixtape was sold on iTunes. After all, mixtapes are historically free, but the strange and ominous undertones of it make it pretty clear that Raph no longer fucks with his record label and is pro-Wayne in his ongoing feud with Birdman. With Lil Wayne suing his former mentor for $51 million in damages and aiming to slice Young Money free of Baby's shady business practices, the rumors of Raph's mixtape being sold to fulfill his contract were legitimized this week when Cash Money announced IYRTITL would have a physical release date of April 21. No matter what Raph's team wants to call it, Cash Money is treating it like an album. I'm sure the record will go platinum before summer and Baby will rake in the cut, but what happens now when it inevitably marks the fall of an empire and the dissolution of YMCMB?

Mav is more than capable of striking out on his own but he's sticking to his trademark M.O. of avoiding the press and trolling his followers via Instagram amidst the cacophony of speculation. One thing's painfully clear: the young rapper is no longer the Raph from four years ago, he's at a higher place. And anyone who can disqualify him from the hip-hop pantheon and dismiss the prevailing taste of a generation should perhaps reevaluate their relationship to art and other people. After all, stranger ascendances have happened, e.g. Gucci Mane, Busta Rhymes, Noreaga, Ma$e. These guys are all legends in their own right. Whatever distinctions we choose to make, we can rest assured Raph probably doesn't care. He'll find a way to capitalize on his watershed moment despite the haters who can't let go of his robes. I, for one, enjoy spectating his ability to cram his success down their throats.

Is Raph a legend? Fine, he's a legend. But only time will tell how far he'll go. Now leave me alone.