Kendrick Lamar is currently in the midst of a feud with Drake, and we all know that it has been a brutal one, to say the least. Overall, it started with the song “Like That,” where Kendrick proclaimed there is no big three. Subsequently, Drake dropped off “Push Ups.” The diss song was officially released today, and now, fans are waiting to hear from Lamar. There is this sense that he needs to drop a response, sooner rather than later. Otherwise, Drake will be able to claim victory, and that will be the end of that.
One podcast that has speaking at length about the situation is the Joe Budden Podcast. It’s been a huge topic of conversation, and there have been some theories about Kendrick and his song. According to co-host Ish, Kendrick does have something coming. In fact, the song is reportedly going to be a lot like 2Pac’s diss track towards Biggie, “Hit ‘Em Up.” Admittedly, Ish has not heard the track, but this is what he has been told by people close to the situation.
“Some people that have heard the Kendrick track, I heard that his energy is just something that’s going to be hard for Drake to match. They said he’s coming on some Pac ‘Hit Em Up’ energy,” Ish explained. If this is true, then the hip-hop world is for quite the wild ride. However, there is a chance the song just does not exist. We will just have to wait and see what Kendrick decides to do. As we know, he isn’t with the social media games like Drizzy is.
Let us know what you think about this situation, in the comments section down below. Now that Drake has officially dropped off his response, do you think Lamar is on the clock? If he does drop, do you think he will ultimately come out the winner? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
It’s no secret that Kendrick Lamar’s “Like That” verse brought about a great deal of drama, but according to Gillie Da Kid, he hardly scratched the surface. When the song first dropped last month, listeners were quick to note that the Compton-born performer took shots and Drake and J Cole, and were eager to hear how they’d respond. Weeks later, J Cole fired back with a diss track on his surprise album Might Delete Later, “7 Minute Drill.” Ultimately, however, he apologized and removed the song from streaming services. Last week, Drake’s response “Push Ups” leaked, reigniting all the chatter around the feud.
During a recent episode of Shaq’s The Big Podcast, Gillie Da Kid weighed in on the debacle, arguing that Kendrick’s verse wasn’t all that wild. Moreover, he doesn’t even believe it should be considered a diss track at all. He says that in his day, Kendrick’s infamous “big three” line would be deemed “corny” at best.
Gillie Thinks Kendrick & J Cole Were Too “Friendly” In Their Diss Tracks
Gillie Da Kid calls out Kendrick Lamar’s “Like That” verse and J. Cole’s “7 Minute Drill” song as not being real diss records.
Also, Gillie Da Kid uses Nas’s “Ether” song and 2Pac’s “Hit ‘Em Up” as examples of real diss records, and Wallo agrees with Gillie Da Kid that we are in… pic.twitter.com/0R1RaVZl4d
“Let’s just be honest, bro, that’s not no diss record,” he began. “If that’s a diss record, that’s corny sh*t. The last time I checked, diss records went like this: ‘First off, f*ck your b*tch and the clique you claim….’” Gillie went on to quote other iconic diss tracks, emphasizing how their lyrics were far harsher than both Kendrick and Cole’s. “What is we talking about man? Diss records used to be like, “F*ck you, buddy….’ We’re living in a friendly culture, man.”
While plenty of commenters agree with Gillie’s take, others much prefer this version of rap beef, as it’s less likely to lead to violence. What do you think of Gillie Da Kid’s take on Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole’s diss tracks? Do you agree that they were corny? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
People who work behind the scenes often try to stay out of the spotlight. However, their modest popularity certainly does not diminish their importance and influence. One such figure is Cash XO, a luminary figure in the entertainment industry who manages one of music’s biggest stars, The Weeknd. While some are familiar with his name and works, a significant amount of people are unaware of who Cash XO is.
Following a name drop on Drake’s unconfirmed diss track, Cash’s name is currently making media rounds. Since the track was leaked, it has stirred up significant internet discourse. While the rappers Drake allegedly disses are easily recognizable, some listeners have wondered who the Cash he mentions is. Here’s a look at who Cash XO is, and why Drake supposedly dissed him.
ATLANTA, GA – NOVEMBER 17: Cash XO, Doe Boy, Future, Drake, Young Scooter and Gunna attend The Future: A Gentlemans Club at a private location on November 17, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia.(Photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage)
Cash XO was born Amir Esmailian on December 28, 1983 in Tehran, Iran. At the age of five in 1988, Esmailian and his family fled the country due to conflicts arising from the Iran-Iraq war. They eventually made their way to Ottawa, Canada, where Amir Esmailian was raised. Growing up, he enjoyed music like most people. However, there was certainly no telling how much of a big deal he would end up becoming in the music industry.
At the age of 19 in 2003, he got his first significant job in the industry. He was hired as the head of street promotion for Capital Prophets label, kickstarting his career before his twenties. By 2007, he stepped into a managerial role, serving as co-manager for Palestinian-Canadian rapper Belly. However, it was in 2011 that his life significantly changed after a friend shared some tracks by The Weeknd with him. Since then, Amir “Cash” Esmailian has built a reputable career and legacy with the singer.
As aforementioned, Cash XO first heard of The Weeknd in 2011. Soon after, he moved to Toronto, Canada to link up with the singer. Since then, Cash XO has managed the “Blinding Lights” singer and they have risen in the music industry together. They are both co-founders of XO Records which was established in 2012. In addition, Cash XO is a producer and songwriter. He has credits on songs by prominent artists, including The Carters, Future, and Travis Scott, among others.
Speaking to Complex in 2017, Cash XO said, “I live, breathe, sleep, eat, shit XO.” That just goes to show his dedication to both The Weeknd and XO Records. For his work and undeniable influence, Cash XO has been recognized as a power player in the industry several times. He made it into Billboard’s “40 Under 40: Music’s Young Power Players” list of 2015. In 2024, he was also one of the names included in Billboard’s “Power 100” list. Cash XO is an important figure in The Weeknd’s life, and has been instrumental in his ascent.
TORONTO, ON – AUGUST 05: (L-R) OVO Chubbs and Amir Cash Esmailian attend the Drake And Lebron James Pool Party In Toronto For Caribana 2017 on August 5, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/Getty Images for Remy Martin)
On April 14, 2024, an alleged Drake diss track titled “Push Ups” leaked online, leading to debates on whether the song is real or AI. However, since then, Drake has seemingly acknowledged that it was, indeed, his real response, even if it didn’t land an official release.
On the song, the rapper took shots at everyone, including Cash XO. “Y’all nigga manager was Chubbs lil’ blunt runner,” he raps, suggesting that Cash once used to work under Drake’s head of security. “Claim the 6ix and you boys ain’t even come from it/ And when you got rich, you had to run from it,” he continues, implying that, despite claiming Toronto, they didn’t actually come up from the city nor did they stay once they saw further success. Then, he drops specific names. “Cash blowin’ Abel bread out here trickin’/ Shit we do for bitches he doin’ for n***as… Spend it like you tryna fuck, boy, you trippin’, boy, you trippin‘” he spits, alleging that Cash wastes The Weeknd’s money on other men. Obviously, Cash XO did not diss Drake himself. However, it’s no surprise the manager has been dragged into it as feuds are very often messy and without rules.
In the entertainment world, drama often takes center stage, and few things ignite excitement like a good old-fashioned feud. Hip-hop stars aren’t exempt, and over the years, there have been many rap beefs between artists. From the most brutal diss tracks to heated Twitter exchanges, these conflicts captivate audiences and fuel tabloid headlines. However, amidst the chaos and clamor, some feuds have left fans questioning their authenticity. In detail, fans dissect lyrics, analyze social media interactions, and pore over tabloid gossip, reading between the lines and fueling conspiracy theories. While the authenticity of many hip-hop beefs is neither confirmed nor denied, the fans’ speculations often make sense, especially since some notable rap beefs have ended. Here are some of the hip-hop beefs that fans think were fake.
Eminem And Machine Gun Kelly
One notable Hip Hop clash recently between Eminem and Machine Gun Kelly. The origin of the conflict can be traced back to MGK’s tweet in 2012 where he commented about Em’s then-16-year-old daughter, Hailie. In the tweet, MGK said Hailie was “hot as f*ck,” and later events proved Eminem didn’t take the comment lightly. Subsequently, MGK alleged that Eminem had had him blacklisted from several radio stations because of the tweet. Afterward, in 2018, MGK threw shade at Slim Shady in the Tech N9ne song, “No Reason.” Interestingly, Em’s album, Kamikaze, was set to drop just a few months later.
On “Not Alike,” the Detroit rapper directly addressed MGK’s comment on his daughter. While some fans commended him for it, other listeners’ brows were raised at how convenient it was for him to respond at that time. With a new album out, many speculated that it was a promotion tactic to fan the flames of a beef that was actually nonexistent.
In 2015, Meek Mill started a fire on Twitter when he wrote that Drake “don’t write his own raps.” As expected, this comment quickly got under Drizzy’s skin. In fact, he got so heated that he responded with the diss track “Charged Up,” a warning shot to test the waters of their feud. However, it was the release of “Back To Back” that proved Drake didn’t need to rely on anyone else’s pen to get his bars off.
Following the release of “Back to Back,” Meek Mill finally released “Wanna Know,” replying to Drake. Meek Mill’s diss track did not garner the same level of attention and acclaim as Drake’s disses. However, it was enough to rile people up and make theirs one of the most talked about Hip Hop beefs at the time. Subsequently, their feud continued until 2018 when Drake called for Meek’s freedom. Then, they publicly commemorated the end of their beef when Drake brought out Meek Mill on stage during a concert in Boston. For something that seemed to be so serious while it lasted, fans thought it ended way too easily. This made many suspect that maybe the beef was never really authentic.
In November 2015, Metro Boomin took to Twitter to express his frustration with artists releasing too much music without proper quality control. While the producer didn’t mention any names, Young Thug caught the sub, believing Boomin was indirectly addressing him. Subsequently, the two got into an interesting back-and-forth Twitter spat that was almost believable. However, the pair had a collaborative mixtape that was set to drop soon, so their feud just seemed performative. Over time, it seemed to fizzle out, and the two continued to work together. Many Hip Hop beefs over the years have been as real as real can get. However, this one between Metro Boomin and Young Thug just didn’t feel authentic to fans.
Undoubtedly one of the biggest Hip Hop beefs in recent times, Cardi and Nicki have been at loggerheads for years. However, despite how authentic this feud seems, even getting physical once, some fans still have their doubts. Sometimes, perceived animosity between artists attracts more traffic than unity. Considering how much media coverage their beef gets, some fans believe that the two rappers continue to fan the flames just to remain on the headlines. Additionally, some have also noted that right before a major release from either rapper, something seems to go down between the two. While we can not confirm this theory, it is certainly an interesting one, and holds some plausibility.
Yes, these two Hip Hop legends have also contributed to the history of rap beefs over the years. However, many fans and critics believe that Nas and Jay-Z’s long beef was more of a strategic move to generate publicity. Building from a slow burn in the late ‘90s to a raging fire in the early 2000s, this feud utterly captivated audiences. It spawned many iconic diss tracks from the two, including “Takeover,” “Ether,” and “Supa Ugly,” among others. However, all good things come to an end. The curtains were drawn on this legendary feud in 2005 when the two publicly ended their beef at Jay’s I Declare War concert. If the speculations were right, then the two MCs won because they were both hot throughout the period of their beef.
Benzino and Eminem have been going after one another for years at this point. However, they are still going as it pertains to their feud. Although some would have expected them to let bygones be bygones, they haven’t. Just last week, Em snapped at Benzino on the track “Doomsday Pt. 2.” Subsequently, his opponent clapped back with “Vulturius.” Recently, he offered up a second diss track called “Rap Elvis.” Once again, Benzino was insinuating that Em is a culture vulture who doesn’t pay proper homage to black art.
Now that he has dropped two diss tracks against Em without any retaliation, Benzino is feeling on top of the world. Today, he went on Instagram Live, and he spoke to some of his fans. It was here where he continued to antagonize Em further. For instance, he spoke about Em’s appearance at the recent Detroit Lions football game. He noted how Em was in a skybox with his friends, although none of them were black. Benzino claims that Em should have invited at least one or two black friends, but chose not to. The implication here seems pretty obvious.
Moreover, Benzino also continued boasting about how he won the beef. He thinks he delivered two great diss tracks and that Em simply cannot compare. Having said that, Melle Mel claimed the exact same thing after he dissed Em last year. Unfortunately for both Benzino and Melle Mel, the court of public opinion has not entirely been on their side. Regardless, Benzino is running victory laps, and he probably won’t stop doing so.
A Winner Declared
Let us know who you think won the beef, in the comments section down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will always be sure to keep you informed on your favorite artists and their latest releases.
This past week, Eminem re-ignited his 22-year beef with Benzino on “Doomsday Pt. 2” from Lyrical Lemonade’s All Is Yellow. He also mentioned the former Source Magazine co-owner’s daughter, Coi Leray on the track, who later responded to Em’s lyrics on Twitter. Coi wrote, “There’s no way I’m about to entertain these grown ass men and the beef they been having for over 20 years. Lmao it’s so stupid, all I can do is laugh.” Throughout his career, Eminem has been notorious for engaging in beef, sending fiery diss tracks and stray shots at anyone who slights him. His competitive spirit contributed to his ascent as a rapper and still permeates his music today. Today, we are looking into the history of Eminem’s most vicious disses, including particular lines and entire songs. Take a look at the list below.
Eminem’s debut single saw the birth of his Slim Shady alter ego, as well as numerous rap beefs. His second verse on “Just Don’t Give a Fuck” targets multiple white rappers, dissing them in just a few bars. He raps, “I’m nicer than Pete, but I’m on a search to crush a milkbone / I’m everlastin’, I melt vanilla ice like silicone/ I’m ill enough to just straight up diss you for no reason/ I’m colder than snow season when it’s twenty below freezin’.” Eminem cleverly incorporated the names of Miilkbone and Vanilla Ice into cold-blooded punchlines while praising Pete Nice, MC Serch, and Everlast. Before he would beef with the latter, his jabs at Miilkbone and Vanilla Ice on this song led to exchanges of multiple diss tracks.
“Nail In The Coffin” (2002)
One of four diss tracks from Eminem’s feud with Benzino back in 2002, “Nail In The Coffin” was a vicious response to “Pull Your Skirt Up.” The entire song is quite cutthroat, but here are his most scathing bars: “You sit behind a fuckin’ desk at The Source butt-kissin’ / And beggin’ motherfuckers for guest appearances / And you can’t even get the clearances ’cause real lyricists don’t even respect you or take you serious/ It’s not that we don’t like you—we hate you, period.” Though Eminem recently took shots at Benzino, this song spoke true to its title during their beef back in the day.
“Bully” not only fires at Benzino but also at Ja Rule, with whom Eminem was also beefing during the early 2000s. Released during the peak of their feud, Em spits an aggressive diss towards Ja and Murder Inc. In his third verse, he raps, “If Irv really gave a fuck about Ja, like he claims he does / He’d wake him up and make his boy get off them drugs / But he just keeps feedin’ him pills, so if that E doesn’t kill him / Someone from G-Unit will, and I ain’t buzzed.” Eminem backs 50 Cent, who was also aiming disses at Ja Rule. As one of his meanest disses, he declares that he will not back down and “cower to no bully.”
“The Warning” (2009)
Eminem’s tension with Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon is one of his most bizarre feuds, but we got a relentless diss track out of it. “The Warning” responds to Carey’s “Obsessed” song and video, which stems from lyrics on “Bagpipes From Baghdad” and The Eminem Show about the singer. He fires at both Cannon and Carey: “You’re gonna ruin my career, you better get one / Like I’ma sit and fight with you over some slut bitch cunt that made me put up with her psycho ass over six months / And only spread her legs to let me hit once.” A harsh diss, “The Warning” certainly contains some of Eminem’s most disrespectful diss bars.
“Fall” (2018)
Eminem’s 2018 album, Kamikaze took digs at his critics, mumble rappers, and others who have spoken ill of him. Songs like “Fall” respond to his critics, including Pitchfork, Akademiks, Charlamagne tha God, Tyler, The Creator, and Lord Jamar. Most notably, he disses his former Shady Records signee and Slaughterhouse member Joe Budden. “Somebody tell Budden before I snap, he better fasten it or have his body bag get zipped/ The closest thing he’s had to hits is smackin’ bitches (Pump it up!),” he raps. Eminem makes light of Joe’s alleged domestic abuse after Budden heavily criticized Revival on Everyday Struggle. Joe Budden responded on his podcast, claiming to have been a better rapper than Eminem for “this entire decade.”
“Killshot” (2018)
Also on Kamikaze was “Not Alike” where Eminem directly attacked Machine Gun Kelly, which resulted in MGK’s “Rap Devil” diss. In response to the track came “Killshot.” The lethal diss track references the 2008 film in which a man named Colson, MGK’s government name, is targeted by a hitman. The song is riddled with vicious lyrics, including “Younger me? No, you the wack me, it’s funny but so true / I’d rather be 80-year-old me than 20-year-old you” and “as long as I’m Shady he’s gon’ have to live in my shadow.” Eminem also warns MGK: “Kelly, they’ll be putting your name next to Ja, next to Benzino—die, motherfucker! / Like the last motherfucker sayin’ Hailie in vain.” “Killshot” proved once again that one cannot mess with Eminem on a song without consequence.
“I Will” (2020)
“I Will” saw a mini Slaughterhouse reunion without Joe Budden. In the song, Eminem pays respects to his favorite rappers while also poking fun at Lord Jamar. The two have exchanged disses and words outside of music, but “I Will” was Eminem’s most brutal diss against him to date. He raps, “I’m more than you bargained for and I am far more worse than a forty-some bar Lord Jamar verse.”
Eminem responds to Lord Jamar calling him a “guest in the house of hip hop” and calls him the worst rapper in Brand Nubian: “If it was anyone’s house, G Rap and Rakim would be havin’ you mop floors / Run-DMC would be havin’ you cleanin’ sinks / Yeah, your group was off the chain, but you were the weakest link.” Over the span of his career, Eminem has come out victorious in his rap beefs by spitting lethal bars. With his latest verse against Benzino, it still holds true no matter how petty it might come across.
This is shaping up to be the wildest New Music Friday in a while after Megan Thee Stallion made a triumphant return with her latest song, “Hiss.” She announced the track only a few days out from its January 26 release, and as soon as midnight hit, fans flooded streaming services to hear what the Hottie hitmaker has been working on.
Almost immediately, fans began sharing a few controversial lyrics that they believed targeted people who didn’t have nice things to say about Megan in the past. Now, the femcee didn’t necessarily drop any names. However, a flurry of conversation was immediate, with social media users taking to platforms with their guesses. Fans broke down some references and concluded there were several that Megan may have been discussing on “Hiss.” This morning, during a call with The Breakfast Club, the Traumazine rapper was asked about her new track.
Charlamagne Tha God flatly questioned Megan if she outwardly said any of her foes’ names on the single. After a slight pause, she replied, “Hit dogs holler.” And boy, have they ever been on X (formerly Twitter), where Nicki Minaj and the Barbz haven’t stopped firing off nasty messages and liking anti-Megan posts. However, she isn’t the only one who the public believes Megan Thee Stallion was letting off steam about, so let’s take a look at a few bars that seem to target the industry elite who have openly spoken out against the Texas titan in the past.
It hasn’t even been a full 24 hours since Megan Thee Stallion’s “Hiss” hit airwaves and the Queen rapper has been unleashing. On the track, Megan raps: “These hoes don’t be mad at Megan, these hoe’s mad at Megan’s Law.” This is referring to a law enacted after the murder of seven-year-old Megan Kanka in 1994 by a sex offender who lived in her neighborhood. Megan’s Law was created to legally require sex offenders to register with their local law enforcement or government.
Nicki Minaj’s husband Kenneth Petty has been in and out of headlines for years regarding the 1990s cases where he served time. Also in 1994, a 16-year-old Jennifer Hough accused Petty, who was the same age, of raping her at knifepoint. He denied the allegations but later entered a guilty plea to an attempted rape charge. Petty would serve over four years in prison and must register as a sex offender.
Minaj hasn’t spoken about the controversy at length, especially considering there are still legal issues tied to the incident. However, the raptress icon didn’t waste a moment making fun of Megan The Stallion online after hearing “Hiss.” Nicki has mocked Megan being shot and has been liking posts chastising Megan and her case with Tory Lanez, among highlighting other controversies.
Minaj’s longtime Young Money bestie Drake may have also caught an arrow on “Hiss.” Megan spits, “These n*ggas hate on BBLs and be walkin’ ’round with the same scars (Ah)/ Real curvy, no edgin’, n*ggas fight to get in my section (My section).” There have long been rumors that Drake didn’t gain his figure in the gym, but under the knife. Joe Budden infamously teased years ago that Drizzy underwent cosmetic surgery to get his body right and tight.
Further, Drake’s friendship and support of Tory Lanez through the latter’s trial caused a stir. Then, on his Her Loss, 21 Savage-assisted track “Circo Loco,” Drake was accused of targeting Megan unprovoked with the bars: “This b*tch lie ’bout gettin’ shots, but she still a stallion.” This helped continue the social media vitriol against Megan, most notably from DJ Akademiks, as she faced allegations of lying about being shot by Lanez. A jury sided with the prosecution and sentenced Lanez to 10 years in prison. He, and his supporters, continue to maintain his innocence.
Pardison Fontaine
Pardison Fontaine is telling his side of the breakup with Megan Thee Stallion. He says she never walked in on him receiving oral sex nor did he cheat. However, he admitted to texting someone inappropriately and attempting to hide it. pic.twitter.com/NsaKyL6gLT
The romance between Megan Thee Stallion and Pardison Fontaine may be a thing of the past, but fans believe she hinted at her ex on “Hiss.” When the pair emerged, they couldn’t get enough of showing off their love on red carpets and at events. Fontaine was present throughout Megan’s Tory Lanez ordeal and even defended his then-lady against the Chixtape hitmaker.
However, like many high-profile romances often do, things ended quietly between Pardison and Megan. Then, the latter dropped “Cobra,” a track where she insinuated a lover cheated on her in their shared bed. She never said any of the lyrics were about Fontaine, but he took things personally and retaliated with a song of his own. On “Hiss,” fans think Megan was taking a verbal shot at her ex when she said, “He can’t move on, can’t let it go (Let it go)/ he hooked, nose full of that Tina Snow.” She stated elsewhere, “Say he a player, but he in his feelings (What?)/Bet I won’t give up the p*ssy again/ Sh*t, should’ve gave it to his friend (Ayy).“
Tory Lanez & Akademiks
Tory when Megan said “Download JPay since y’all niggas got so much to say Or schedule a conjugal visit or somethin’”pic.twitter.com/esYm3f4PyQ
“Diss”—ahem—”Hiss” wouldn’t be complete without a reference to Tory Lanez. For years, Lanez and Megan Thee Stallion were engaged in a rift that had a chokehold on Hip Hop. Fans were divided over Megan testifying that Lanez shot her in the foot in July 2020 following a Hollywood Hills party at Kylie Jenner’s home. Although Megan did not initially name her assailant, Lanez took to the internet with posts that ignited the Southern star.
Megan took to Instagram Live to directly accuse Lanez of shooting her in the foot. This caused a massive divide, and soon, Thee Stallion found herself on the receiving end of internet hate as Lanez continued to deny culpability. Further, Lanez before the trial and his subsequent sentencing, Lanez repeatedly targeted Megan in social media posts. Moreover, he antagonized Megan with a music video of him butchering horse feet. His famous friends followed suit, with jokes about being shot and allegations that Megan lied about the incident.
Megan Thee Stallion seeming references Lanez’s incarceration on “Hiss,” but doesn’t deliver a message to him. Instead, she had a few words in the outro for his supporters who continued to harass her. Some think this one was also for Akademiks. “Say, b*tch-ass n*gga, don’t type me nothin’ else, don’t write me nothin’ else / Download JPay since y’all n*ggas got so much to say / Or schedule a conjugal visit or somethin’, hahaha / D*ck ridin’-ass n*ggas.”
Some of the most iconic works in rap history have been scathing diss records. Hip-hop heads frequently cite Tupac Shakur’s “Hit ‘Em Up” as one of the greatest diss tracks of all time, and verses such as Kendrick Lamar’s on the Big Sean track “Control” have inspired many rappers to sharpen their pens and prove their capabilities. However, for every “No Vaseline” that serves as a show-stopping example of a rapper eviscerating their opponents, there are many duds that fail to impress fans or inspire awe. Here’s a look at 7 of the worst diss tracks ever made.
MC Hammer gained fame for creating the chart-topping single “Can’t Touch This” but failed to secure his financial future, ultimately falling out of the public consciousness. Unfortunately for the parachute pants-wearing rapper, this 2010 diss aimed at Jay-Z failed to reinvigorate his career. Hammer delivered the track after taking offense to Jay-Z referencing him on the Kanye West track “So Appalled.”
On the track, Jay raps “Hammer went broke, so you know I’m more focused” in an apparent reference to the “Can’t Touch This” rapper’s financial failures. Instead of acknowledging that the lyric served as an accurate representation of his financial status, MC Hammer took it upon himself to film a music video with less production value than an average TikTok, featuring milquetoast lyrics like “Yo Jay, I got a reasonable doubt. If I knocked on your door, would you come on out?”
6. Canibus “J. Clone”
Canibus has been on both the giving and receiving end of some of the most legendary diss tracks in hip hop, with high-profile feuds such as his 1997 beef with LL Cool J. Despite his reputation for being an elite writer, many of Canibus’ performances leave a lot to be desired.
One such example is his J. Cole diss, titled “J. Clone” which was delivered in response to J. Cole praising Canibus, and even stating that he grew up admiring the rapper’s artistry. Somehow, Canibus took offense to this praise, and responded on wax, deriding Cole for using his name in interviews. Fans seem to agree that belligerent behavior like this is what prevented Canibus from reaching the mainstream heights that artists like Cole have seen in recent years.
This track became a meme due to its simplistic writing, schoolyard insults, and grating repetition. Nicki Minaj was still relatively new on the hip-hop scene in 2012, prompting her to aim at legendary femcee Lil’ Kim. Unfortunately, all this track did in the pop culture zeitgeist is reinforce the existing idea that female rappers cannot coexist. Luckily, the modern hip-hop soundscape has allowed women such as Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, Rapsody, Ice Spice, and many others to present a united front.
Nicki Minaj has also grown in the years following the release of “Stupid Hoe.” In response to a question regarding her beef with Lil’ Kim just a year after this track released, the Young Money signee stated “I don’t have beef with anybody, let me just say that. Life is too short. Nothing is ever that serious.”
4. Meek Mill “Wanna Know”
These days hip hop heads remember the Drake vs. Meek Mill beef primarily for the savagery of Drake’s now-iconic “Back To Back.” However, one track often forgotten in the conversation is Meek’s “Wanna Know.” This track delivers some of the softest jabs in diss track history, with Meek failing to win over any new fans in the beef, while also failing to impress any of his existing ones.
To make matters worse, the track resulted in a cease and desist letter from Vince McMahon and The Undertaker, due to utilizing uncleared samples for their WWE entrance music. Drake and Meek have since put the beef behind them, but this track remains a dark spot in the Philadelphia native’s discography.
Nick Cannon and Eminem have a long and storied history of dissing each other, dating back to a series of jabs thrown by Eminem on his 2009 album Relapse. On the album, Nick Cannon caught a number of strays after Eminem attacked his then-spouse Mariah Carey for denying rumors that she had ever dated the “Without Me” vocalist. For some unknown reason, Nick Cannon waited a full decade to clap back at Em, in a clear violation of the 24-hour rule imposed by the Drake and Meek Mill beef.
Cannon was no longer married to Mariah Carey when “The Invitation” was released in 2019, leaving listeners to question why he would even have the energy for this fight. Cannon released a flurry of tracks around this time that were interchangeably corny and unlistenable, with the Wild ‘N Out host delivering painfully boring vocal performances each time. Eminem responded with a few punchlines on the Fat Joe track “Lord Above,” while 50 Cent took to media outlets to express, “I would never respond to Nick Cannon… He is legendary corny, he’s been corny forever.”
2. Melle Mel “Kickback”
There’s just something about Eminem that inspires terrible diss records. Proficient modern lyricists may avoid engaging in beef with Eminem because they respect his pen too much, or perhaps it’s just dumb luck. However, Eminem has yet to face a genuine lyricist in his weight class. In 2023, hip hop legend Melle Mel came out of retirement to attack Eminem, after months of disrespecting Em’s status as a rap legend in the interview circuit.
Unfortunately, his outdated sound didn’t gel well with the modern hip hop landscape, making this track sound like a relic from the past that should have remained in the vault. Rhymes like “You look bad like a roach just crawled out of your book bag” leave listeners scratching their heads, while outdated jokes such as calling Eminem “Pill Clinton” only serve to make Melle Mel look like a dinosaur clawing for relevance. Mel attempted to retract the diss a few days after releasing it, claiming that the entire beef was some sort of performance art piece created to celebrate hip hop’s 50th anniversary. However, that just came off as a tepid excuse to save face.
1. Insane Clown Posse “Slim Anus”
Topping this list is yet another diss directed at Detroit rapper Eminem, this time from none other than the Insane Clown Posse. Rather than taking the route of a traditional diss record, ICP decided to attack Eminem with a parody of one of his earliest hits, “My Name Is.” In this song, the Clowns refer to Eminem as “Slim Anus” multiple times, which isn’t just an odd stretch in terms of wordplay, it also doesn’t effectively function as an insult.
Eminem responded to this record on the track “Marshall Mathers” wherein he accepts the nickname, stating “Slim Anus? You damn right slim anus, I don’t get f***ed in mine like you two little flaming f*****s.” Multiple lyrics aren’t even adjusted from the original song in the parody, leaving listeners to assume that ICP simply isn’t lyrical or creative enough to contend with the song they’re making fun of. At the end of the day, this song is a failure at almost every level, making it one of the worst diss tracks of all time. It’s at least worth listening to once or twice for a hearty laugh.
City Boy’s up or nah? Burna Boy might be one of the most beloved musicians in the world right now but he’s found himself in some trouble with the ladies, namely his Jada Kingdom and Stefflon Don. While the Nigerian artist was once openly dating Stefflon Don, he recently sang about his affinity for Jada Kingdom on Byron Messia’s “Taliban (Remix),” including a Birkin Bag that he purchased for her. Months later, it appears that Don and Jada Kingdom have taken their issues with one another on wax.
Earlier this week, Stefflon Don shared her new song, “Dat A Dat,” where she alleges that an unnamed woman slept with her partner. However, given Burna Boy’s alleged romance with Jada Kingdom, it didn’t take long for her to respond to Stefflon seemingly. Jada initially denied having any sort of romantic relationship with Burna Boy. However, after leaving several comments regarding Stefflon Don’s song, Kingdom called the beef weird. “It’s weird, because it’s behind a man… this n***a is for everybody. Last year she pass har remarks, I said nothing,” she said. Ultimately, Jada said that the only part about the song that concerned her surrounded the alleged threats made by Stefflon.
While Stefflon Don made her points heard on “Dat A Dat,” Jada Kingdom later took their issues to wax with a response record. Using Byron Messia’s “Taliban (Remix)” instrumental, she fired back with the release of “London Bed,” where she spits lines like “Buss a move an meet mi anyweh, you coward like puss yu nu bad from noweh.” At this point, we haven’t heard from Stefflon Don but Kingdom made her voice heard in this feud.
Despite Burna Boy being the focal point of this feud, Jada Kingdom is currently linked to Pardison Fontaine. After dropping the song, she explained on her IG story that she only responded “for my respect and for the culture.” She added, “she’s the only one beefing over a man I clearly don’t want.” So far, Burna Boy hasn’t chimed in on the matter but we suspect he’ll likely keep mum on the feud as long as it’s in the headlines.
so apparently Jada said: – Steff Brother is a p*do -She sucks dick up and down – She ppps pills and they’ve shitted on her face -Burna didn’t want to be a stepdad -Burna is a mama’s boy -Steff has to fuck to get features in Jamaica because she owes men money -Steff has a…
Diss tracks have always been an inherent nature of the hip-hop industry. In the early ’90s, the beginnings of the East Coast vs. West Coast rap beef took place. Death Row Records was at odds with Bad Boy, playing an integral role in the growing animosity at the time. With many MCs making it out of difficult childhood circumstances, the battle to make it to the top of rap is a cut-throat one. Several of the greatest rappers aren’t afraid to tone down their words, which has resulted in plenty of iconic diss tracks throughout the years. Today, we’re looking at the best diss tracks of all time, in no particular order.
9. “Ether” – Nas (2001)
Who’s the greatest MC out of New York? It’s a question that spans multiple decades, with Nas and Jay-Z consistently at the top of lists. The two had been close friends in the mid-1990s. However, they would begin to beef about who was the greatest and who deserved more respect in the industry. By 2001, this tension had reached its boiling point. While Jay-Z released “Takeover,” Nas responded with “Ether,” widely regarded as one of the greatest diss tracks ever. On the track, Nas aimed Jay-Z’s appearance, career, and personal life. He stated, “Well, life is harsh, hug me, don’t reject me or make records to disrespect me, blatant or indirectly.”
8. “Takeover” – Jay-Z (2001)
Jay-Z took direct shots at New York heavy hitters Nas and Mobb Deep on “Takeover.” The Kanye West-produced track was featured on The Blueprint, a record that changed hip-hop landscape for good. Jay-Z accused Nas of dropping a slew of mediocre albums after the critically acclaimed Illmatic. He stated, “One was nah, other was Illmatic / That’s one hot album every ten-year average.” In fact, Jay-Z went as far as to call Nas “straight garbage.” In addition to being a lyrically masterful song, “Takeover” was a commercial and critical success, solidifying Jay as one of the biggest MCs. While the two ended their beef in 2005, their nearly decade-long riff remains an iconic era in hip-hop history.
With hip-hop now an aspect of worldwide culture, the East Coast vs. West Coast beef that took over the scene no longer exists. However, this wasn’t the case when Tupac released “Hit Em Up.” You had the likes of Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and Tupac against Jay-Z, Nas, and Biggie. With two distinctive sounds, the competitiveness between the regions sprouted an iconic era in the genre. “Hit Em Up” was a heavy attack on Notorious B.I.G and Bad Boy Records, as 2Pac insults their image and romanticization of violence.
Widely hailed as the greatest diss track of all time, “No Vaseline” set the standard. The diss was directed at NWA, Ice Cube’s former rap group. As documented, Cube didn’t believe he was being adequately compensated, leading to him leaving NWA. Eazy-E and Cube would be at odds, often taking their grievances to the studio.
“No Vaseline” helped to solidify Ice Cube’s legacy as an iconic MC. Taking aim at the likes of Dr. Dre and Eazy-E, he claims that the group betrayed him and held him back. Despite the aggressive bars, Cube and Eazy were said to have mended fences just prior to the latter’s death. In an interview with Howard Stern in 2016, he stated, “We just went forward. We’re always gonna be like that. I don’t care if we don’t talk to each other for 10 years. When we see each other, it’s gonna be like yesterday.”
5. “The Story of Adidon” – Pusha T (2018)
The beef between Drake and Pusha T indirectly began before Drake’s career took off. Back in 2006, Pusha T took shots at Lil Wayne after he was seen sporting BAPE, Clipse’s signature look, in a magazine. With Drake and Lil Wayne later becoming consistent collaborators, it’s argued that the Toronto-born MC was influenced by Wayne’s opinion of Pusha.
After a series of subtle disses over a decade, the beef culminated with Pusha T’s “The Story of Adidon.” The ex-Clipse act spent no time numbing his words, exposing the existence of Drake’s kid while once again accusing him of having ghostwriters. Drake addressed the diss on Lebron James’ HBO Show, The Shop, stating, “I knew something was gonna come up about my kid. They had to add the deadbeat dad thing to make it more appealing.” Re-using the instrumental from Jay-Z’s “The Story of O.J.,” “The Story of Adidon” is the defining diss track of the Gen-Z generation.
4. “Back Down” – 50 Cent (2003)
While 50 Cent has had his fair share of feuds, there’s none more iconic than his decade-long beef with Ja Rule. The two Queens-born artists began beefing in the late ’90s when Ja was reportedly robbed at gunpoint by a group of men affiliated with 50 Cent. Believing that 50 was behind the robbery, he began to dish out insults in a slew of diss tracks. Over the next five years, the two would exchange jabs at each other.
However, “Back Down” by 50 Cent is arguably the defining diss between the two. His debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin’, featured the iconic song. The Dr. Dre-produced track saw him question Ja’s street credibility and authenticity throughout. “Back Down” would become one of the most popular tracks off of the No. 1 project. Over the years, the beef has only grown as Ja and Fif continue to take jabs at one another.
3. “Killshot” by Eminem (2018)
While Eminem’s career has been up and down over the past decade, “Killshot” is undeniably an iconic moment from the 8 Mile MC. Released in September 2018, the track features his trademark menacing and rapid flow directed at Machine Gun Kelly. MGK’s previous diss track, “Rap Devil,” was confusing because he was complimenting and dissing the legendary artist. Eminem addresses this in “Killshot,” stating, “Wait, you just dissed me? I’m perplexed / Insult me in a line, compliment me on the next.”
The bad blood between the two started back in 2012. MGK made a comment directed at Eminem’s daughter. He would continue taking shots at Eminem over the next five years until Em finally responded. On “Killshot,” Eminem directly insults MGK’s appearance and lack of commercial success in the hip-hop lane. This beef had a clear winner, as MGK later admitted that his loss in the rap battle directed him away from hip-hop for good.
2. “Pest Control” – The Game (2016)
In 2016, The Game and Meek Mill were in a public beef that primarily took place on social media. What initially seemed like a money grab quickly turned into a genuine argument between the two, as The Game accused him of snitching about a robbery at a nightclub. Amid a series of diss tracks between each other, Game would release “Pest Control.” On the track, he once again accused Meek of snitching while also attempting to prove that Mill has ghostwriters. Soon after, Meek would go to prison for violating the probation of a crime he committed at 21. By the time he got out, the beef between them had essentially run its course.
1. “Back to Back” – Drake (2015)
Meek Mill has been the burden of plenty of disses throughout his career. In 2015, Drake responded to Meek Mill’s accusations that he had ghostwriters with the critically acclaimed “Back to Back.” However, Meek’s accusations cut even more profound, considering that he claimed Drake hired ghostwriters for his verse on “R.I.C.O,” a highly successful song off of Meek’s Dreams Worth More than Money. “Back to Back” would reach No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100. Drake accuses Meek of being all talk, stating, “Trigger fingers turn to Twitter fingers.” The menacing production and smooth bars make it one of the better disses of the last ten years.
(@anoushkarx) 
(@elj0_) 