Jay-Z’s track record with beef is well documented. Obviously, there’s this infamous feud with Nas that sparked two iconic diss songs in “Takeover” and “Ether”. Then, there’s the years he spent jabbing at the likes of Mobb Deep, Lil Wayne, and past allies like Dame Dash and Beanie Sigel. Nowadays, he sends subliminal disses at Drake, despite vocally feeling like beef is pointless today.
“I don’t know if battling needs to be part of the culture anymore. We grew from breakdancing. We love graffiti. Before, the MC’s job was to bring attention to the DJ…. I want to hear what the rapper is saying. Now the last pillar is battling,” Jay-Z said back in March 2026. I hate that I have this point of view on it. I do. Because I know what it sounds like. It’s just how I feel about it.”
However, behind the scenes, there was an alleged beef that few people actually knew about. According to former entertainment attorney and hip-hop blogger, the late Combat Jack recalled a plan from Dame Dash and DJ Clark Kent to try and draw the ire of LL Cool J. The goal was to try and spark Jay’s career even earlier by having him beat LL.
“Whenever LL was spotted by either of them, they would page each other and Jay and get him to meet at whatever location LL was. This went on a couple of times,” Combat Jack recalled. “Once contacted, Jay would roll up to the club, bar or whatever venue and lay in the cut, waiting for his opportunity to attack LL in battle…. LL’s ego would result in him agreeing to go head to head against the young and then unknown challenger.”
Jay-Z allegedly beat LL Cool J by a wide margin. But the Queens bred legend would frequently prod at Hov at the end of each battle by teasing that he had a real music career with an album dropping. “I’m betting those battles are the reason LL is still kinda aggie towards Jay.”
However, LL himself refuted the idea that he himself battled Jay-Z. Instead, he clarified that he was essentially ambushed by Hov and fellow rapper and friend Sauce Money with a battle. But he effectively shrugged it off as desperation and never responded. “Sometimes the best thing to say is nothing,” he shrugged.
Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
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