This week, Kendrick Lamar took the Hip Hop world by storm by challenging everyone in his verse on Big Sean’s “Control.” Among those who responded were Big K.R.I.T., Cassidy, and Styles P, the last of whom engaged in a beef with Joe Budden.
Kendrick Lamar Disses Everyone On “Control,” Emcees Respond
Kendrick Lamar caused some major waves in Hip Hop this week, as the rapper said that he is “trying to murder” rappers on Big Sean’s “Control,” which also features Jay Electronica.
On the track, Kendrick name-dropped nearly a dozen emcees, challenging them, “I’m usually homeboys with the same niggas I’m rhymin’ with / But this is Hip Hop and them niggas should know what time it is / That goes for Jermaine Cole, Big K.R.I.T., Wale, Pusha T, Meek Mill, A$AP Rocky, Drake, Big Sean, Jay Electron[ica], Tyler[, the Creator], Mac Miller / I got love for you all but I’m tryin’ to murder you niggas / Trying to make sure your core fans never heard of you niggas / [and that] they don’t want to hear not one more noun or verb from you niggas / What is competition? I’m trying to raise the bar high.”
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Kendrick continued his bold claims by claiming to be King of New York as well as the King of the [West] Coast.
Instantly, a number of emcees responded. Meek Mill, who was specifically named in the track, stated, “I’ma tell y’all: y’all what y’all run; I run the streets. I’m in a lane by myself. I’m the only [one] that’s lyrically spittin’ some street music and gettin’ money. Kendrick [Lamar and Black Hippy], I’ma tell ’em in a rap: y’all can run that backpack, I’ma run these streets.”
Meanwhile, Talib Kweli told fans to pump the brakes on Kendrick Lamar hype, Wale stated he “would’ve been offended” if his named hadn’t been mentioned in the track, and B.o.B release a reponse track, “How 2 Rap,” claiming his superiority. Joell Ortiz jumped into the fray as well, rhyming on his own track, “Lil homie you ain’t the King Of New York/You the next thing on my fork…Maybe that’s why you left me out of that shit/Maybe that’s why the Slaughterhouse ain’t get dissed or maybe I’m not on your radar.”
Big K.R.I.T. Says Kendrick Lamar’s Verse “Exciting”
Not every emcee reacted negatively to K. Dot’s verse. In an interview with HipHopDX, Big K.R.I.T. explained that the rhyme was part of the spirit of Hip Hop.
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“Rap, Hip Hop has always been mad competitive,” said K.R.I.T. “It’s exciting because it was probably crazier for his fans, for him to mention my name among rappers that people would consider top tier, [rappers] people kind of look at as being the future and my name just randomly popped up. So what I got an opportunity to see a little bit last night and this morning, was just people that probably never tweeted me before, whether it be negative or positive. For me, it was like, ‘Thank you for the promotion.’”
K.R.I.T. continued, explaining that some fans want him to be more of a “battle rapper,” which K.R.I.T. responded to by pointing to his verse on the gritty posse cut “1 Train” from A$AP Rocky’s LongLiveA$AP. “All they want to hear you [do] is just go blow-for-blow lyrically. I really pride myself on that verse because it is factual. It wasn’t me talking about shooting shit up. It wasn’t a gang of entendres and similes and metaphors that didn’t pertain to my career per se. It was definitely factual…That would be the verse I’d play for somebody that’s not really a fan of my music, that doesn’t really think I can rap.”
Cassidy Drops “Control Freestyle,” Explains Reaction To Original Verse
Cassidy also got into the fray, dropping the “Control Freestyle.”
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In an interview with HipHopDX, Cassidy explained his thought process in recording the track.
“I got excited,” Cassidy said in an exclusive interview with HipHopDX. “I was happy when I heard, you know, Kendrick Lamar had the heart to say the things that he said or do the things that he did because I’m a pure Hip Hop head. I can vibe off with certain rappers, but I’m really Hip Hop. I started off, you know, battling and being in thousands of cyphers and running the streets and just rapping is what I do. You know what I’m saying. I didn’t get in the game to be successful or to wear jewelry and drive cars. I got in the game because I really love Hip Hop.”
“It’s not like a totally new idea,” said Cassidy of Kendrick’s verse, “but being that the fact that the timing is different, a lot of people that listen music right now can’t even remember or wasn’t even around when I was doing that. But being to the fact that he did it right now, where the game is at, I felt as though it was definitely a brave move and I respect it. Like, you got to have some nuts to be able to say some of things that he said in his verse. Just anybody wouldn’t even have had the balls to do that. So I respect him on that level for having heart.”
Styles P & Joe Budden Beef As Result Of Kendrick Lamar’s “Control” Verse
So controversial was Kendrick’s “Control” verse that it got other emcees to beef amongst each other.
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Styles P took to Twitter to observe that no one had responded to Kendrick’s verse, which drew a response from Budden:
Styles didn’t take kindly to the response, jumping straight from discussion to threats, which left Budden unimpressed.
The Twitter tiff concluded by Styles P telling Budden that the two weren’t “folk,” and said Styles was “street,” and Budden was “net.”
Other Items of Note:
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–Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 8/11/2013
–Terrace Martin 3ChordFold Album Review
–Redman & Method Man Remember Meeting At Kriss Kross’ Album Release Party
–#NewRules: The Music Industry’s Acceptance Of Digital & Streaming Music
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–Gucci Mane Offers Waka Flocka Flame’s Contract For $1 Million, Waka Responds
