Playboi Carti is really keeping fans on their toes. The rapper spent years in silence. He rarely posted on social media, and never, ever released music. All that has changed in the last month. Playboi Carti has dropped two (!) singles, including a collab with The Weeknd. He’s regularly promoting his album on IG and Twitter. And he’s even taking time out of his day to make fun of Kick streamer Adin Ross. Ross has been making headlines as of late for beefing with L.A. artists, and Carti decided to get in on the fun.
The Adin Ross vs. L.A. saga started on September 26. The streamer called out a Kendrick Lamar affiliate for claiming he wasn’t welcome on the West Coast due to his friendship with Drake. Ross proceeded to deny these claims, and threatened to sue the alleged affiliate. Ross also posted a video in which he said he would have security physically assault him. The tension boiled over the following day. Hitta J3, an L.A. rapper who claims to be a Kendrick Lamar affiliate, mocked Adin Ross via Instagram Stories. He brought up the incident in which Playboi Carti went on Ross’ stream, then left after six minutes and proceeded to dip with $2 million of the streamer’s money.
Playboi Carti Had An Infamous Appearance On A Ross Stream
Playboi Carti laughs at Adin Ross after Compton rapper Hitta J3, also a known Kendrick affiliate, responds to Adin’s current issue with LA due to his stream with Top 5
“No wonder Carti didn’t take your podcast serious you n*ggas be kids with some fame & let it get to yall head… pic.twitter.com/0jgkiSZwaB
“No wonder Carti didn’t take your podcast serious,” Hitta J3 wrote. “You n**gas be kids with some fame & let it get to yall head Adin.” It was a pretty devastating diss. Playboi Carti’s involvement only made it hit harder. The rapper decided to repost Hitta’s post on his own IG timeline and included a laughing emoji. It clearly struck him as funny that Ross is still getting made fun for an incident that happened in February. It is pretty obvious that Playboi Carti doesn’t have a lot of respect for Ross as a tastemaker.
The rapper has mostly stayed out of the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar battle, and while he didn’t tip his hand either way, this dig against Ross is the closest we’ve seen to him picking a side. Playboi Carti wasn’t the only artist who dissed Adin Ross on Friday. Smac TDE went online and claimed that he was annoyed by Ross’ tough talk. He claimed to have been a fan of the streamer in the past, but vowed to mace and attack Adin Ross’ security if he ever saw him in L.A.
As if we needed any more of them, we now have a new angle to discuss and break down concerning Kendrick Lamar’s monstrous 2024 run. If you didn’t hear, a Los Angeles Times report claimed that Compton business owners spoke out about suffering financial losses in the thousands due to the “Not Like Us” music video shoot in the city. Apparently, this was because K.Dot’s team and city officials did not properly notify these business owners about the shoot, thus resulting in lack of business and not making back the money they paid their employees. However, one Compton business – Alma’s Food For The Soul – has spoken out against this narrative.
“This entire post is misquoted and pushing a narrative that we do not represent,” Corina Pleasant of Alma’s Food For The Soul said of Kendrick Lamar. “Please, please do not believe everything you read. Words have been twisted, and it’s not right. The city should have made better decisions with notification to tax paying business owners. We, in no way have any negative commentary for Kendrick. This was a city issue. And Akademiks you better be careful about misquoting people and twisting words. We never spoke to you, so how are you misquoting verbiage as fact?”
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The LA Times ran an article claiming Compton businesses lost thousands of dollars when the Not Like Us video shoot happened in June.
However, one of the owners of a restaurant mentioned in the article says that they were misquoted and that it was a city… pic.twitter.com/QK2S0XXrzE
Furthermore, it seems like businesses did lose out on a lot of money due to the “Watch The Party Die” rapper’s video shoot. But this particular business frames the issue as a criticism of how the city handled the situation, not about Kendrick Lamar or his team. Hopefully they can still reach out to support them and mitigate these losses, even if this specific business doesn’t feel like they are to blame. Also, this is just one comment from one business, so we don’t know if the others would agree. None of the accused parties (Kendrick, pgLang, the city or state, etc.) have responded to this at press time.
Meanwhile, this debate is somehow not the biggest around Kendrick Lamar right now. There’s still a lot of conversation around his new song and about his Super Bowl halftime show. Surely, we’ll have more to talk about before that February spectacle rolls around. But with this specific issue, it’s clear that this is about more than music.
Kendrick Lamar is coming under fire from small business owners in his hometown of Compton, after the filming of his music video for “Not Like Us” interrupted their day on June 22. In a new piece for The Los Angeles Times, Corina Pleasant, who runs the soul food restaurant, Alma’s Place, with her mother Alma, revealed that they were given no notice that the area would be overrun for the shoot. In turn, they lost thousands of dollars by staying open, despite being unable to operate.
“It was really disheartening to have the electricity on and gas. I’m just running everything and making no money. I literally was there for nothing, because the little money that I did make, I had to pay my staff with that,” she told the outlet. She also complained that the city didn’t provide her or any other business with enough notice to shut down ahead of time. She estimates her losses amount to between $1,800 to $2,200.
Kendrick Lamar Films “Not Like Us” Music Video In Compton
Watts, CA – June 22: Kendrick Lamar dances during the music video shoot for “Not Like Us” at Nickerson Gardens on Saturday, June 22, 2024, in Watts, CA. (Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Pleasant went on to explain that she doesn’t have an issue with Lamar filming the video in general, but with the way it was handled. “One day does matter. It does matter when you’re there, and you’re wasting your time. It does matter when your Edison bill is $1,000. It does matter when two weeks’ payroll for three people is nearly $3,000. It does matter when gas is $800. You’re there, all these things are running, and you have nothing to show for it,” she further explained.
Kendrick Lamar Returns To Compton For “Not Like Us”
A spokesperson for the City of Compton addressed the incident in a statement to The Los Angeles Times. They promised the city would identify “opportunities for more efficient film permit communication to our community” going forward. They added: “Businesses in Compton, especially small businesses, are the backbone of our city. We want to continue to keep an open line of communication and do everything we can to support economic growth.” Lamar, however, has not commented on the situation. The update comes after the NFL announced he will be headlining the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show. Be on the lookout for further updates on Kendrick Lamar on HotNewHipHop.
Someone in Los Angeles appears to have vandalized a mural of Kendrick Lamar in his hometown of Compton. In a video circulating on social media, the person sprays black paint over three images of Lamar’s face in the mural, which is situated outside of Honduras Restaurant Mi Sabor. For the final picture, they write out OVO, a reference to Drake’s October’s Very Own brand. Lamar and Drake have been feuding for months at this point.
One image from the mural shows Lamar accepting the key to the city of Compton in February 2016 while a second shows him accepting the Best Rap Album award for Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers at the 65th Grammy Awards. There is also a reference to the cover artwork for his iconic album, good Kid, m.A.A.d City. It appears that the artist finished it earlier this summer.
Kendrick Lamar Films “Not Like Us” Music Video In Compton
Watts, CA – June 22: Kendrick Lamar prepares to perform during the music video shoot for “Not Like Us” at Compton Courthouse on Saturday, June 22, 2024, in Compton, CA. (Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The vandalism comes after the NFL announced that Lamar will be headlining the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show in New Orleans. In sharing the news on Instagram, Lamar trolled Drake in a video on the platform. He remarked: “You know it’s only one opportunity to win a championship — no round twos.” Drake had recently teased being ready for a “Game 2” on his Instagram Story. Not everyone has been happy with the move. Many fans have complained that Lil Wayne should’ve headlined the event, which is taking place in his hometown. Cam’ron called out JAY-Z for his role in choosing Lamar on the latest episode of It Is What It Is.
On Sunday, Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum artist YG, alongside Compton natives The Game, Wallie The Sensei, and hundreds of residents, spearheaded a groundbreaking peace walk that successfully ended a ten-year rivalry between the Treetop Pirus and Fruit Town Pirus gangs. The event, which began at Gonzales Park, marked a pivotal moment for community healing and solidarity.
The walk, organized by YG and gang leaders, commenced in the afternoon and saw participants march through Compton’s streets, ultimately culminating in a gathering at a local park where the gangs officially declared peace. This significant event comes on the heels of YG’s latest album, “Just Re’d Up 3,” and follows his previous leadership in the 2020 Black rights march that attracted over 50,000 attendees.
YG’s efforts have not only made an impact through his music but also through his commitment to social justice and community empowerment. His ability to bring together opposing factions for a common cause underscores his role as a key advocate for change.
The peace walk represents more than just a symbolic gesture; it signifies a tangible step toward lasting peace in Compton. The once-divided neighborhoods now stand united, reflecting YG’s influence and the collective desire for a brighter future. This historic event offers hope and inspiration for communities nationwide grappling with similar conflicts.
Dr Dre has seen it all and done it all. He’s one of the pioneers of G-funk, and one of the most respected figures in the history of California hip-hop. His co-sign means a lot, which is why his appearance at the Pop Out show on Juneteeth was so special. Dr Dre introduced Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” in what turned out to be an iconic moment for the genre. Dre reflected on the performance during a chat with Complex Magazine, and how it was actually more important than fans might have realized at the time.
Dr Dre was questioned about Compton’s unity, or lack thereof, during the interview. He was fed a line from Vince Staples, who claimed that Compton gangs had been more unified than the media portrayed, and that Lamar’s Pop Out Show merely shined a light on it. Dr Dre disagreed with Staples’ take, but was hopeful that the success of “Not Like Us” will bring about change. “I’m not sure if that’s true or not,” Dr Dre asserted. “But I think Kendrick was able to bring that together for that moment. Hopefully that moment can move forward.”
Dre voiced uncertainty over the future, especially given the history of gang violence in the city. “I’m not sure if that’s possible or not,” he noted. “Because it’s gonna take more than just one event to get that accomplished. Once it’s done everybody goes home to their home teams. And then they go back.” The interviewer asked whether the Pop Out felt different from Dr Dre’s perspective, and he agreed. “It does feel different,” he noted. “But hopefully it can continue.” Snoop Dogg accompanied Dre during the interview, and he was similarly enthusiastic about Kendrick Lamar’s post-“Not Like Us” success.
Snoop Dogg was more aligned with Staples’ sentiments, but noted that someone of Kendrick Lamar’s caliber was needed to showcase it. “What Kendrick did was he united the whole city based off of him being a king,” the rapper noted. “Creating peace, giving homies the opportunity to come on stage. He’s about peace. He’s about love.” Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg credited Lamar’s big picture mentality to the fact that he doesn’t belong to any one gang. “He ain’t from no gang,” Snoop noted. “He’s from a city full of gangs and he unites cities.”
Dr Dre has seen it all and done it all. He’s one of the pioneers of G-funk, and one of the most respected figures in the history of California hip-hop. His co-sign means a lot, which is why his appearance at the Pop Out show on Juneteeth was so special. Dr Dre introduced Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” in what turned out to be an iconic moment for the genre. Dre reflected on the performance during a chat with Complex Magazine, and how it was actually more important than fans might have realized at the time.
Dr Dre was questioned about Compton’s unity, or lack thereof, during the interview. He was fed a line from Vince Staples, who claimed that Compton gangs had been more unified than the media portrayed, and that Lamar’s Pop Out Show merely shined a light on it. Dr Dre disagreed with Staples’ take, but was hopeful that the success of “Not Like Us” will bring about change. “I’m not sure if that’s true or not,” Dr Dre asserted. “But I think Kendrick was able to bring that together for that moment. Hopefully that moment can move forward.”
Dre voiced uncertainty over the future, especially given the history of gang violence in the city. “I’m not sure if that’s possible or not,” he noted. “Because it’s gonna take more than just one event to get that accomplished. Once it’s done everybody goes home to their home teams. And then they go back.” The interviewer asked whether the Pop Out felt different from Dr Dre’s perspective, and he agreed. “It does feel different,” he noted. “But hopefully it can continue.” Snoop Dogg accompanied Dre during the interview, and he was similarly enthusiastic about Kendrick Lamar’s post-“Not Like Us” success.
Snoop Dogg was more aligned with Staples’ sentiments, but noted that someone of Kendrick Lamar’s caliber was needed to showcase it. “What Kendrick did was he united the whole city based off of him being a king,” the rapper noted. “Creating peace, giving homies the opportunity to come on stage. He’s about peace. He’s about love.” Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg credited Lamar’s big picture mentality to the fact that he doesn’t belong to any one gang. “He ain’t from no gang,” Snoop noted. “He’s from a city full of gangs and he unites cities.”
YG organized a peace walk with rival gang members in his hometown of Compton on Sunday in an effort to promote peace and unity. Members of the Treetop Pirus and Fruit Town Pirus, who have been feuding for years, were both in attendance. The Game also showed up to support the Just Re’d Up 3 rapper.
“We came together. My hood and the Fruit Town Pirus across the street, we’ve been at war for, like, the last 10 years. We just enemies. So I felt like we all needed to come together and walk down our main street,” he told TMZ. “We all from Piru so we don’t really need to be beefing with each other. We’ve been doing that sh*t for years so it’s time to like… if we can clean it, clean it up. There’s been a lot of conversations about that sh*t so I put some energy towards it and we got it right.” He concluded: “It’s successful. All love and positive. We outside.” Together, the group stopped by Tam’s Burgers for a meal.
INDIO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 14: Rapper YG performs onstage during Weekend 1, Day 3 of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 14, 2019, in Indio, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for Coachella)
YG’s peace walk isn’t the first effort to promote unity this year. Back in June, Kendrick Lamar hosted The Pop Out – Ken & Friends with a similar goal in mind. “Aye, we ain’t never had this. We put this sh*t all together for motherf*ckin’ peace,” he said on stage at the event. “This sh*t is making me emotional, man. We’ve been f*cked up since Nipsey died. We’ve been f*cked up since Kobe died. Let the world see this. You ain’t seen this many sections on one stage keeping it together and having peace.” He brought out members of several rival gangs.
YG Takes To The Streets Of Compton
Compton rapper YG led a truce walk Sunday joined by members of the Treetop, Fruit Towns, family members & kids. The walk started at Gonzales Park & included a stop at Tams burgers pic.twitter.com/Y9i4iWOOcu
Jay Worthy ensures that his music captures the essence of Compton through his smooth delivery and laidback flow. Though he found a new fanbase following his appearance at Kendrick Lamar’s Pop Out concert in June, the L.A. by way of Vancouver MC has maintained a prolific output over the past few years. His behind-the-scenes work has allowed him to work alongside people like DJ Quik and even Kendrick Lamar while his efforts on wax have turned him into a revered underground legend. LNDN DRGS, for example, merged dreamy soundscapes of boogie and R&B-tinged funk, in ways that felt quintessentially West Coast. But at the same time, his work with people like The Alchemist and Harry Fraud, to name a few, paid homage to his influences outside of West Coast hip-hop.
“Maybe it’s I’m easy to work with or maybe, it’s just that I really love music and I understand what it is and what we’re doing, you know?” Jay Worthy tells HotNewHipHop. Perhaps that’s why he is only the second rapper outside of Snoop Dogg to work on a full collaborative album with the legendary DāM Funk. Together, they joined forces for their excellent new project Magic Hour, an album that delves into the lineage of funk music with DāM Funk in the driver’s seat.
Funk played a pivotal role in shaping Jay Worthy. He fondly recalls his father playing Parliament, S.O.S. Band, and Earth, Wind & Fire throughout his childhood in Vancouver. In that sense, it planted a seed that would grow throughout Jay Worthy’s musical career but his love for funk admittedly didn’t fully materialize until he moved to Compton. His exposure to low-rider culture and radio personalities like the famed Art Leboe developed a passion for its cultural DNA. “Like I said, oldies and funk and all of that have always been in my house. But I really started digging for samples and really, really having a love for it more after being out here on this side. You know, my big homies pulling up on they hogs and slappin’ shit, the low rider culture and all that,” he says, fondly recalling memories of Avalon and El Segundo. At this intersection, his friend’s dad sold CDs outside of the barbershop.
With that said, Magic Hour holds significant weight in Jay Worthy’s catalog. There was a seven-year anticipation for this project, though fans certainly weren’t left empty-handed since collaborative projects alongside Roc Marciano, DJ Muggs, and plenty of others came out within that time. “Not everybody can get on these types of beats, you know what I mean? Or understand what I’m doing here because I always tell people, man, I might rap, but I really look at myself as the funk artist,” he explained, detailing the meticulous process of curating the right features, such as Ty Dolla $ign, DJ Quik, and Channel Tres, and more, for this particular album.
It couldn’t have come at a better time, either. All eyes are on The West Coast right now, and there’s been unity across the city. Jay Worthy has certainly benefited from the renewed attention, too. Magic Hour feels like a crucial piece of the puzzle that traces the West Coast’s musical lineage, specifically the impact that funk had on shaping the L.A. sound as a whole. And with the momentum that Kendrick Lamar, Vince Staples, and Mustard built within the past few months alone, Magic Hour is a necessary addition to the soundtrack for summer ’24.
We recently caught up with Jay Worthy to discuss his latest album and working alongside DāM Funk, sending unreleased music to Kendrick Lamar, his heavily anticipated Griselda album, and why Los Angeles has always been on.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
HotNewHipHop:I read that this album has been in the works for upwards of 7 years but it seems like a perfect time for this album to arrive considering the momentum that the West Coast has. From your end, why did it make sense to release this album right now?
Jay Worthy: You know what, all the stars just aligned, to be honest with you.I feel like when you’re recording, and sometimes you’re in another bag, like, for a minute, the only thing that was inspiring me to rap was just looped samples and stuff with no drums, you know what I mean? So it took me a while to want to get back into that funk bag, you know what I’m saying? It wasn’t coming out of me when I was trying at the time. So I sat on the beat until I was ready to get back on that. And I would slowly go at it. You know, do a few songs here, a few songs there. And then I was like, man, this is a special project. It deserves the proper features on it.
And I also feel like there’s more eyes on me now. I feel like me and DāM Funk, for the world that we come from, it’s really appreciated. I know people were really expecting it and I didn’t want to rush it, you know what I mean? It came out now and it just so happens to be that the West is back on fire so, yeah it’s a good time.
Tell me a bit about the features, whether Ty Dolla $ign or Channel Tres, and how you got them to immerse themselves into this world that you and DāM Funk created.
Well, you know, Ty Dolla is a close friend of mine and so is Channel. A-Trak, you know, that was the first person to sign to Fool’s Gold. Quik, I just did the album with Quik and I wanted Quik a part of this. You know, Quik, and DāM know each other since Safe & Sound days. Of course, Soopafly. I needed representation of Tha Dogg Pound on there. Soopafly, that’s my boy. We’ve been making records together and I felt that he fit the project. A cat named Ray Wright from Warm Brew, who always was a friend of mine, and I always loved his voice. I mean, it reminded me of a Nate Dogg. Speaking of Nate Dogg, I had to grab Nhale and get his son on there.
So, you know, just people that would make sense that I know understand this funk sh*t and what sounds good on it, you know? But, I was honored to get Quik on there, for sure. And Channel, I love what he did. He’s also a fan of DāM. Like I said, again, just people that kind of understand what it is. Not everybody can get on these types of beats, you know what I mean? Or understand what I’m doing here because I always tell people, man, I might rap, but I really look at myself as the funk artist, you know what I’m saying?
Jay Worthy/YouTube
I’ve heard you refer to yourself as such in the past. How would you describe Magic Hour compared to other albums in your catalog? You mentioned that you took your time with this one.
Well, first I’ll say this: you got to think, DāM doesn’t work with a lot of rappers. The only rapper that he’s ever done an album with other than me is Snoop, so I was honored. Like I said, I consider myself a funk artist, and DāM was one of the few people, to me, that was pushing future funk and modern funk. This is way back, you know, I think me and Dame started first talking, I want to say like, ‘06 or something like that. I can’t remember exactly when, but I was always a fan before I started doing rap professionally. But I always knew that that’s where I wanted to take it.
So, you know, what’s different about this album compared to others is there’s no samples. DāM gets to showcase how good of a producer he is. If you notice on the album, I give him a lot of long outros. Or, some songs might just have one verse and a minute of a beat because his beats switch up so much, like, there’s so many different parts of the beat. He’d send me a beat, there’d be like eight minutes in the beat, and in that eight minutes, the beat would change up several times. So yeah, musically, it’s different than anything else I put out. I think it’s more musical, you know, it’s not sample-based. It’s raw. That’s just DāM in there being the one-man band.
What do you think makes Jay Worthy a great collaborator? It seems like you’re very easy to work with.
Maybe it’s I’m easy to work with or maybe, it’s just that I really love music and I understand what it is and what we’re doing, you know? I mean, like whether it’s with Alchemist and I understand what type of producer he is and what he makes him and what I’m gonna sound good on. If you listen to… I don’t know, let me see…. something like, let’s say I rap over somewhere Harry Fraud, and there’s no drums on it, and you hear me really rap-rapping – you know, that might bring that out of me. The funk might bring out some more player, more simple raps, but it’s just a different pocket. The beat is gonna talk to me and tell me what to do, you know what I mean?
But I think I just understand the music, and that’s why it comes out so it goes unspoken. I’ve never gone in a studio and been with anybody and been like, “this is what we’re gonna rap about pr this is what we’re gonna do or this is what the album is gonna be, or –” nah, we just let the music do what it do and it comes out how it comes out.
You’re originally from Vancouver. During your formative years, what was your exposure to funk music? Was that a sound that was prevalent where you grew up?
I mean, my pops, right? He raised me on Parliament, Earth, Wind & Fire, S.O.S. Band, and stuff. So that sh*t was in my house from a kid ‘til an adult. But as far as like finding my love for funk, that was more as a late teenager, you know what I’m saying? Being in LA, and you know, listening to Art Leboe and being in my hood in Compton. One of my homies’ pops – Rest In Peace – he used to sell CDs outside of the barbershop off Avalon & El Segundo.
I would always buy old-school mixes. Like I said, oldies and funk and all of that have always been in my house. But I really started digging for samples and really, really having a love for it more after being out here on this side. You know, my big homies pulling up on they hogs and slappin’ shit, the low rider culture and all that. Now, don’t get me wrong there is that, you know, low rider culture out in Vancouver, as well and record shops and stuff like that. But, you know, I think I fell in love with it out this way, just because this is such a part of our culture out here.
Considering everything that’s been going on, what are your thoughts on the current state of the West Coast and where do you see it heading?
Well, I think this: if we just stay on what we were on when we got together on that stage at the Pop Out with Kendrick, and showing unity, and – you know, we’ve been doing a lot of stuff in our community. Throwing events in the park, concerts, charity events, bringing Kai Cenat, all type of good stuff. It’s bringing people from all different neighborhoods to our specific neighborhood which probably never happened back in the day. I think places like Atlanta where everybody works with each other and supports each other. I think if we can if we can get past the politics that we have out here, and stay on what we’re on right now, I think we can get back on top, for real.
You know, because I hate when people say L.A. ain’t on anymore and I go, ‘What are you talking about? [laughs] Tyler, The Creator’s from L.A., Steve Lacy is from L.A., Billie Eilish is from L.A., Bruno Mars is from L.A., Anderson .Paak is from L.A. These are number one artists, you know what I’m saying? So I always felt that we – Kendrick Lamar, like come on, bro. We’ve been on top to me so sometimes the narrative that is pushed – I don’t understand – [like] we aren’t in a good space. But I feel like as far as the underground goes and the streets, and everybody is on some positive unity shit. So if we just stay on that, I think West Coast hip-hop is going to be in a great place.
How would you describe the Meet The Whoops project at this point of your career? You brought up Kai Cenat pulling up to Compton for the giveaway. Just by looking at the Instagram page, it seems like there’s more of a community-oriented feel to what you guys are doing.
As you can see, I’ve kind of always been a curator, you know? I don’t like to use the word A&R but, you know, I did Quik’s album, I’m working on Terrace [Martin’s] album with him. All the collaborations that you’ve seen, I’ve been hands-on with everything, from the artwork to the sample to who I collaborate with. So I just always wanted to do something with my homies from my hood and showcase the talent and put them on production that they might not have necessarily chosen.
I think we’re standing out because, you know what, you wouldn’t expect Meet The Whoops to rap on an Alchemist beat or a Terrace Martin beat or a classic DJ Quik “Quik’s Groove” that we flip to put on his album, you know? And, I just know the West hasn’t seen a rap group like this – or the world hasn’t seen a rap group like this, to be honest with you, since NWA or Wu-Tang or Dipset. And that’s how I feel. I really feel those dudes that I grabbed, who are my personal friends, are actually some of the best to do it. And I’m excited about what we’re about to do.
Courtesy Of Jay Worthy
What was it like bringing Kai Cenat to Compton?
It was just a positive thing and something that was great to see. The kids enjoyed it, the families enjoyed it, and we’re gonna do a lot more stuff like that. We’ve been doing stuff like that in our community for years. From the Christmas Toy Drive that we do with Kendrick to the Turkey Giveaways that we do with YG, I just think there are a lot more eyes on us now. You know, we get the TMZ looks and people are finding out more about what’s going on.
But you know, we’ve always been about our community and trying to bring things over there and do stuff that’s fun for the youth. And having Kai, I that was a great thing. He came and showed love and a lot of kids who weren’t able to get things like that were given exclusive shoes, and new iPhones and TVs and all types of good stuff.
Have there been any discussions of you joining Kai on his stream?
I don’t know. You know, I would have to tap back again with their team and see what’s up. Me and his agent and manager connected that day, so you never know. I think that’d be cool to see Meet The Whoops and Kai Cenat and bring him back to Compton for a livestream.
You posted a series of photos of you and Kendrick Lamar from over the years. Do you remember the first time you two crossed paths and how has that relationship developed since you first met?
I mean, Dot from our hood. We’re from the same neighborhood, we always crossed paths, you know? He’s always been in my corner. I produced a documentary called NoiseyBompton for Viceland TV which he starred in. You know, we’ve been pushing for years, that’s my brother.
You know, people don’t know, but it’s like when I dropped new music, I only send it to a few people, and he’s one of them, you know? I might send it to him, I might send it to Westside Gunn, I might send it to Terrace. So there’s only a few people that really get to hear my unreleased music that I want to really [hear] their opinion. [Kendrick Lamar] is really my brother and just a good friend. You know, it’s regular, though. That’s really just our homie, you know what I’m saying? I know, to the world, he’s the biggest thing in the world but to me and the homies, that’s just our bro.
What’s been the energy of Los Angeles since “Not Like Us,” The Pop Out, and the video shoot? I know you mentioned it before but if you could get a bit more in-depth.
It’s been a lot of unity, man. Just brought the city together. And that’s like what I was saying, man. Like, you know, it’s bigger than just – I know the lyrics and like, you know, behind it is a diss song but a message is – you know, just whatever it did, it brought L.A. together. I’m gonna just say that. You know, I’ve been feeling comfortable going to certain neighborhoods and places that I might never have gone to, you know what I’m saying? And vice versa. People are like, “yo, let’s work together. Let’s do this. Let’s do that.” Like, it’s been great. It had a very positive effect on the streets of L.A. and Compton.
When I interviewed Westside Gunn last year, he mentioned how he was working on your Griselda album. What could you tell me about that project and working with Gunn, in general?
Gunn and me, man. That’s my brother, man. He’ll tell you this: he likes to curate but, you got to understand, I curate and I know what I’m doing with my own sound and stuff and he respects that. So he kind of let me just do what I do and we’re gonna come together on this Griselda sh*t and it’s gonna sound crazy.
Is there a release date on this yet?
We just released this DāM Funk album so as soon as I’m done rolling out all of this, I’m gonna get into that Griselda stuff and start dropping singles on people and it’s gonna f*ck their heads up.
Final question: what else do you have on your bucket list outside of music?
Well, I’ve been behind the scenes, like I said. I do curation, I consult now, I’m working with all the people that — you know, it’s crazy when you wake up and you could call Mack 10 or Quik or you know, any of the greats, bro. Really, all the legends are a phone call away. I love what I’m doing with them, kind of bridging the new with the old just how I do in my own music so I’m just helping them do stuff. I’m consulting for different labels.
You know, I’ve always had my hand in the streetwear and skateboard world, doing collaborations with different clothing lines and all of that stuff. So, man, it’s a lot of stuff. Film stuff. There’s so much, man. Music is just one part of it. I’m a businessman at the end of the day. You’re gonna see Worthy executive producing more people’s albums; you’re gonna see my name pop up as an A&R on certain things. You’re gonna see more clothing collaborations, you’re gonna see more documentaries. It’s all about to happen man.
Some folks may already be feeling “Not Like Us” fatigue, but that certainly isn’t the case in Kendrick Lamar’s hometown of Compton, Los Angeles, California. The city has always been proud of K.Dot and vice versa, and with a stellar year for him so far, it’s only natural that Compton’s artists would want to pay tribute. Moreover, a new mural dedicated to the former TDE lyricist recently made some waves online, which depicts him receiving the Key to the City of Compton in 2016 on one side of a portrait and him winning the Best Rap Album award at the 2023 Grammys for Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers on the other.
As far as rap artists, though, many of them have commented on Kendrick Lamar’s explosive beef with Drake, with the latest take coming from Latto in a new interview. “I ain’t going to lie: I liked it!” she remarked. “I liked the back-and-forth, I thought it was healthy for the culture. It just felt nostalgic. I don’t think our generation has even seen a rivalry like that, I f***ed with it. I feel like it’s two n***as that’s killing this s**t and they both so talented, and they both on they high horse flexing their talent and capabilities. They both still that n***as, they both still the GOAT. That s**t fire for the culture.”
Even rock bands are joining the praise of Kendrick Lamar and Drake, although one of these MCs definitely has gotten it in more of a backhanded manner. For example, the Red Hot Chili Peppers recently did some shows in Toronto. As a thank-you message to their fans in the city on Instagram, they posted a picture of Kendrick waving goodbye in the “Not Like Us” music video. Pretty cheeky, no?
Meanwhile, there’s even a “Not Like Us” video game out now, so pretty much every corner of pop culture seems to be loving Kendrick Lamar right now. We can’t blame them; we just wish that we would get more music outside of this whole Drake thing. If all is fair and just, then both MCs would drop even better material later this year that has nothing to do with each other. Both of their cities and fanbases are ready for it, and they deserve to be great without it being at the other’s expense.
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