Baby Keem sent the internet into a frenzy when he announced plans for his upcoming single “Family Ties” featuring an assist from his elusive cousin Kendrick Lamar. Prior to the anticipated track’s arrival on Thursday night (August 26), a snippet surfaced on social media earlier this week.
K. Dot invades the ominous production with a threat to the rest of the rap game by kicking off his verse repeating that he’s “smoking on your Top 5 tonight.”
With an introduction putting Hip Hop on notice, we couldn’t help but think back to when Kendrick co-opted “Control” and name-dropped rappers such as Pusha T, Drake, Meek Mill and A$AP Rocky by hitting them with a haymaker letting them know the game was his with a hostile verse.
The conversation surrounding K. Dot’s scathing rhymes continued to the point that Big Sean withheld the song from his 2013 Hall of Fame due to “clearance issues.”
The reclusive Compton native has remained in hiding for much of the past two years but could be returning very soon. Kendrick Lamar dropped a bombshell letter to his website last week informing fans that his DAMN. follow up would be his final project on Top Dawg Entertainment.
Top Dawg Reacts To Kendrick Lamar's TDE Departure
“I spend most of my days with fleeting thoughts,” the 34-year-old wrote. “Writing. Listening. And collecting old Beach cruisers. The morning rides keep me on a hill of silence. I go months without a phone. Love, loss, and grief have disturbed my comfort zone, but the glimmers of God speak through my music and family. While the world around me evolves, I reflect on what matters the most. The life in which my words will land next.”
He continued, “As I produce my final TDE album, I feel joy to have been a part of such a cultural imprint after 17 years. The Struggles. The Success. And most importantly, the Brotherhood. May the Most High continue to use Top Dawg as a vessel for candid creators. As I continue to pursue my life’s calling. There’s beauty in completion. And always faith in the unknown. Thank you for keeping me in your thoughts. I’ve prayed for you all. See you soon enough.”
Find the cover art for “Family Ties” below. Listen to the full track at 9 p.m. PT on Thursday.
Finally King Kenny is back
Kendrick is not smoking on my top 5 cuz Jadakiss is in it.
Kendrick is not smoking my top 5 because Jadakiss is in it.
I was hoping that a track called “family ties” with his cousin would be more of a personal or storytelling record.
“Control” was the most overrated verse of the 2010s. Nothing you Kendrick stans will say will change my mind.
Kendrick Lamar stays out the media and doesn’t need to say outrageous things in public for attention or constantly be beefing with people for attention to sell albums.
He will outsell Drake and Kanye easy. Drake and Kanye both lame as fuck.
Probably won’t “easily” outsell them because the other 2 are global stars to a level that most artists (including K.Dot, who I love) will never reach. You can say he may drop a better album (subjective so nobody will ever win that argument) but to project he will “easily” outsell 2 of the biggest worldwide superstars hip hop has ever had is kind of ridiculous. Probably Kanye because his last albums haven’t done well (it’s also cool to hate him now so people dont even give him a chance) but not Drake
Kendrick is a global star.
So if someone could read the lyrics to the Control verse and tell me how it was a “haymaker” that would be lovely. Kendrick is a legend, but that verse was mediocre. I have no clue why people responded like they did.
Because he said people’s names. That’s the only reason. While everybody else takes pride in subliminal jabs. You’re 100%. The verse was average.
Control verse is a beast mode verse Kendrick shit on his peers and let them knows he’s the best…
KDOT need to holler at the boy FERG. Or naw ?
if this is truly it for K.DOT? then without a doubt, it has been an honor and a privilige to have heard him spit some of the most illustrious bars and drop all time classic albums through the TDE label for years.
It’s in vouge to not be feelin kendrick now lol.. The internet can only let you be on top for so long
kendrick’s a far-cry from the dumb rappers getting shine right now but yall still over-hyping him with that lackadaisical TPAB, damn album & control verse.
Like son, yall are hip hop journalists, you know how much talent out there needs to be showcased.