Drake and Kendrick Lamar opened the floodgates to a litany of rap feuds. In the name of hip-hop as a sport, rappers used the very personal beef as an excuse for lyrical exercise. Kendrick repped west coast purity and emboldened other west coast rappers to rep their region harder than ever. Meanwhile, a rapper like Joey Bada$$ looked at this as the perfect opportunity to welcome all challengers and certify himself as the best in the world. This sparked a battle with Ray Vaughn and dozens of other side bouts.
There were no real stakes involved in all of this, battling just for the sake of it. It’s pure in spirit though, and a lot safer than the initial east vs west feud. Now that the smoke seems cleared, Joey Bada$$ is reflecting on what it all meant for hip-hop as a culture and a sport. Recently, he spoke with J.I.D. for XXL, where Joey reveals that the Atlanta rapper gassed him up in the bout. “He said, ‘Aye bruh, get them n***as,’” he recalls. “They got me f****d up. I’m about to Joey n****s. They got the wrong one. Let’s go. Let’s get to it.”
Joey Bada$$ Talks With J.I.D. about Big East Coast vs West Coast Feud
Meanwhile, J.I.D. highlights the difference between the coastal feud and what happened with Kendrick and Drake. Ultimately, it’s closer to a sparring session than real beef, where rappers can work out and hone their skills. “It was real slap boxing shit because nobody really hated each other,” J.I.D. says.
Additionally, the Dreamville artist differentiates himself from Joey Bada$$, noting that J.I.D. wouldn’t indulge in the spectacle because he favors writing over battling. In the end, it lined up perfectly for all parties. The peaceful exhibition acted as good promotion for guys like Joey, who released his 4th studio album Lonely at the Top on August 29th.
The post “Real Slap Boxing S**t”: J.I.D. & Joey Bada$$ Reflect on Recent East Coast vs West Coast Rap Rivalry appeared first on VICE.
