Joey Bada$$ is a name that has graced the columns of Sound Bite a number of times before, and someone who I am always tuned in to whenever he makes new music. But recently, he decided to take on pretty much every West Coast rapper out there in what has to be one of the most interesting and large-scale rap beefs that I’ve had the pleasure of following.
On January 1 Joey Bada$$ released his single “The Ruler’s Back,” in which he performed the bars that served as the catalyst for this entire beef. In the song he not only claimed that he is the best rapper to do it, but that there has been too much “West Coast dick lickin’,” a bar which many assumed to be in reference to Kendrick Lamar and his recent success following his own beef with Drake.
Suffice to say, the West Coast went wild with this bar and rappers from all across the state responded. Notable respondents include Jason Martin, Daylyt, Ray Vaughn, AZ Chike, Reason and now YG and Shoreline Mafia.
Personally, my focus right now is between Joey and Ray Vaughn, as they are both producing what I believe to be the strongest and most entertaining songs of this whole beef. To speak to them specifically, Joey recently was part of a RedBull freestyle in which he took shots at Ray, and within less than 24 hours Ray responded with what is arguably the best song of the whole beef.
“Hoe Era” is directly focused on Joey Badass and it is brutal, tearing him apart piece by piece with some of the funniest and most lyrically dense bars I’ve heard from Ray throughout his entire career. A personal favorite of mine from this song, “Conductor got you soundin’ like you in a jazz band, Why you goin’ after Dot? He think he Pac-Man.”
Following the release of “Hoe Era,” Joey responded back to back with his own song “The Finals” which also features intense lyrical bars layered in metaphor and satire in a way that I can really appreciate, even though I’m a west coast ride or die.
A key factor of this entire beef is that, so far, the main players have kept it entirely rap, which is something I really appreciate. A lyrical battle is fun to listen to, it keeps the game alive and it keeps the music fresh. Rap beefs have been around as long as rap has, and I’m loving this current era battle rap.
Now the underlying question here is basically this, is this whole beef symbolic of a larger beef between the East and the West Coast, as Tupac and Biggie’s beef was all those years ago, or is this simply Joey claiming to be the greatest of all time and taking on anyone who stands in his way?
To be honest, I don’t have an answer to that question, and I think it will drastically change depending on who you ask. Joey himself has said that it’s not about East v.s. West, but I think many of the West coast rappers would disagree. Regardless, this beef has been super fun to follow and I highly suggest you check out some of the key songs that have been released so far.
