Joey Bada$$ has admitted he’s a fan of Kendrick Lamar’s song “Not Like Us” even though he’s taken shots at the rapper in his recent music.
In a new interview, the Brooklyn rapper explained his side of the recent back-and-forth between him and the West Coast, saying it was all in the name of competition. “My energy was really more like, ‘Okay, y’all having your moment, but New York City got something to say too,’” Joey said. “Some people didn’t like that, saying New York already had its time, but I felt like it was playful. This rap stuff is a sport.”
Joey dropped several diss tracks earlier this year, with some lines aimed at West Coast artists, including Kendrick. But even with all the shots, he says it wasn’t about hate or disrespect. “I was Crip Walking to ‘Not Like Us’ all summer,” he added, showing love to the song despite being part of the East vs West conversation.
In his track “The Finals,” Joey took aim at Kendrick, rapping, “I salute you Kenny but I know you well aware, You lookin’ for some competition? Then just know that I’ll be right here.” The rest of the track, which focused more on TDE artist Ray Vaughn, included some tough bars, making it clear Joey wasn’t pulling punches.
Things really heated up when Joey dropped “The Ruler’s Back” in January, where he called out “too much West Coast d*ck lickin’” and questioned the talent coming from that side.
Still, with his recent comments, it’s clear Joey Bada$$ was more about competition than conflict, showing respect while still standing his ground for New York Hip-Hop.
