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Yasiin Bey’s Freestyle Over ‘Like That’ Has Fans Thinking He Dissed Drake, Kendrick Lamar, And J. Cole

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During a recent livestream on Instagram, the rapper now known as Yasiin Bey appeared to take shots at some participants in a recent rap beef as he freestyled over one of the songs they battled with. Over the instrumental from Metro Boomin’s “Like That” beat, Bey raps, “Greedy, seedy, and creepy/ Corny, horny, and boring/ Bougie, goofy, and moody/ Foolish, ruthless, and clueless/ Variations on a petty Big 3/ A whole lot to look at, but not much to see.”

The mention of the Big 3 has fans thinking the verse is a disappointed reference to Drake, J. Cole, and Kendrick Lamar, after repeated mentions of their grouping as a unit on records wound up touching off the battle between them. It was on “Like That” that Kendrick first yelled “motherf*ck the Big 3,” sparking the conflict between them. After J. Cole dropped out of the feud for personal reasons, Drake and Kendrick’s back-and-forth became increasingly noxious to the point that even the fans who egged them on quickly became disgusted with the vitriolic rhetoric.

It probably shouldn’t surprise anyone that Bey was equally disgusted with the beef. Back in 2003, the April 9 episode of Chappelle’s Show featured musical guests Yasiin Bey (then known as Mos Def) and Talib Kweli — collectively known as Black Star. The two Brooklyn rappers performed a new song called “What’s Beef.”

Over the course of his verse, Bey decried various high profile rap beefs, contrasting them with more dire current events. He even name-checked the conflict in Gaza, which goes to show how long people have effectively ignored what Bey would consider “real” beef in favor of WWF-style rap antics. “Beef is not what Jay said to Nas,” he said. “Beef is when working folks can’t find jobs / So they try to find n****s to rob / Try to find bigger guns so they can finish the job.” Bey later released a solo version on a mixtape, Mos Definite .

20 years later, it seems his opinions about rap beef he expressed in that verse haven’t changed, even though his name has.

What Constitutes As “Defamation”? Breaking Down The Legal Term

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The term defamation has been thrown around in hip-hop circles as of late. Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s gruesome rap feud resulted in a wide array of unsubstantiated allegations from both sides which could feasibly damage either of the artists’ reputations, whether the comments made are true or not. Shortly after the feud came to an end, a woman sued DJ Akademiks for an alleged sexual assault and added accusations of defamation to the mix.

But what does defamation actually mean, and how can a court of law determine it? Here, we’ll explain the exact meaning of defamation, analyze the causes and effects of a defamation suit, and describe what makes someone guilty of defamation in a court of law. Without any further preamble, let’s dive right in and asses the legal term.

Read More: Akademiks Sued For Rape & Defamation: What We Know

Defamation Must Be False

For defamation to stick, the court requires proof that a defendant’s made provably false and actively harmful claims. According to a legal definition by PBS, “Defamation is any false information that harms the reputation of a person, business, or organization.” The court defines defamation into two categories: libel, written defamation, and slander, defined as spoken defamation. The latter includes statements made on public forums, such as DJ Akademiks’ live streams and other broadcast media outings.

To establish defamation, a plaintiff usually needs to show that the statement was false, communicated to someone other than the plaintiff, and resulted in reputational damage. For public figures, it must also be proven that the statement was made with actual malice, which means it was either known to be false or made with reckless disregard for the truth.

For instance, some have argued that Kendrick Lamar and Drake have grounds to sue one another for defamation due to the allegations made in their respective diss songs. Without any substantial evidence, Drake accused Kendrick of physically assaulting his wife while the Compton MC alleged that Drake engaged in sexual acts with minors. However, if they did decide to take these issues to court, both parties would have to bring evidence to prove that the other party proliferated false and harmful information. Ultimately, if either brought the other party to court over these claims, they would likely have to open an investigation into whether this language rings true to reality for the affected individuals.

Journalists Are Often Accused Of Defamation

According to PBS‘s meaning of defamation, journalists are frequent targets of defamation suits as their reporting can often touch a nerve for public-facing figures. However, the First Amendment often protects journalists who uphold proper ethical standards in their work. Still, the critical aspect of these type of lawsuits against journalists requires proof of malice.

For an example of this, look no further than the lawsuit accusing DJ Akademik of sexual assault and defamation case. The lawsuit claims DJ Akademiks allegedly drugged and raped his former girlfriend, Fauziya Abashe. Abashe accuses AK of defaming her online following the abuse, citing claims from the media figure that she willingly engaged in sexual activity with multiple partners in his home, and was not ,in fact, assaulted. If the court finds Akademiks innocent of these charges, he could countersue for defamation, as these serious allegations have undoubtedly impacted his reputation and financial success. Ultimately, it depends on the proof provided in these cases.

How Do Courts Punish Defamation?

The court often imposes financial charges as punishment for defamation, meaning those found guilty must pay out large sums of money to the plaintiff. This could include compensatory damages (for harm suffered), punitive damages (to punish the defendant), and sometimes nominal damages (symbolic compensation). If Fauziya Abashe’s claims prove true, she will likely pursue a substantial sum from Akademiks, as the court usually bases financial compensation on the damages suffered by the plaintiff, including emotional harm, loss of employment, and medical issues arising from stress. The young woman’s lawyer recently stated to the press that they had contacted Akademiks multiple times to settle the matter privately before legal proceedings began, but he refused.

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Drake Shows Support For Toronto’s WNBA Expansion Team In First Public Appearance After Kendrick Lamar Beef

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Toronto will officially be home to its very own WNBA team soon. Yesterday, the WNBA announced that Toronto will host the newest WNBA expansion team, and Toronto’s biggest star, Drake, popped up to show support. A women’s professional basketball franchise has been awarded to Kilmer Sports Ventures bid. At a press conference held Thursday morning at a downtown Toronto hotel, Drake, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Scottie Barnes of the Toronto Raptors, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were all present for the formal announcement. Furthermore, it is notably Drake’s first public appearance after the Kendrick Lamar feud.

The club hasn’t been named yet and will play home games at the 8,700-seat Coca-Cola Coliseum, located at Exhibition Place in downtown Toronto. They will occasionally be able to move up to the Scotiabank Arena. The WNBA also recently announced another expansion team that is headed to the Bay Area, the Golden State Valkyries. The newest Toronto squad, the first in the league to play outside of the US, will take the court in 2026. Drake is a big NBA fan and is regularly seen courtside at Toronto Raptors games. The rapper will likely be showing support for Toronto’s first WNBA team.

Read More: Yasiin Bey Disses The Big Three On Slick “Like That” Freestyle

Drake In Attendance For WNBA’s Big Expansion Announcement

Drake’s recent appearanc eis his first since releasing his diss track against Kendrick Lamar, “THE HEART PART 6.” After the diss track, blogger Akademiks shared a little video of Drake on vacation, but followers pointed out that the video was from a long time ago. Since 2013, Drake has served as the official global ambassador for the Raptors. The team has thrown “Drake Nights” and even unveiled an official shirt with an OVO motif.

The WNBA continues to grow in popularity. With a strong crop rookies who are porving to be budding stars, and established allstar level players dominating the lague, the WNBA is in a great place. The league continues to expand and if they capitialize of the elevated visibility it will be able to grow exponintially. Drake seems to be trying his best to put the viscous back and forth with Kendrick behind him. Overall, expect to see Drake courtside at WNBA games in 2026.

Read More: Kendrick Lamar’s Monthly Spotify Listeners Soar Following Drake Beef

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Yasiin Bey Disses The Big Three On Slick “Like That” Freestyle

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Yasiin Bey needs no introduction. He’s one of the most acclaimed rappers of his generation, and someone who’s been praised for putting artistry before commercialism. It’s this propensity for artistry that led Bey aka Mos Def to criticize Drake during a January interview. He claimed the Toronto rapper failed to meet his definition of hip-hop. A lot has transpired since then, however. The Big Three was destroyed by Kendrick Lamar, and Drake took another high profile L in a rap battle.

Yasiin Bey has decided to resurface in the aftermath of the Drake vs. Kendrick battle and drop a new freestyle. His instrumental choice? The song that started the whole Big Three conflict in the first place, “Like That” by Future and Metro Boomin. Bey sounds sharp as ever over the sparse beat, but the lines that turned the most heads were aimed squarely at the Big Three. The Black Star rapper appears to criticize the artists connected to the moniker for being superficial and greedy.

Read More: Common Takes Drake’s Side In Yasiin Bey Beef

Yasiin Bey Claimed The Big Three Is “Not Much To Look At”

“Greedy, seedy, and creepy/Corny, horny, and boring,” Bey raps. “Bougie, goofy, and moody/Foolish, ruthless, and clueless/Variations on a petty Big 3/A whole lot to look at, but not much to see.” Calling rap’s most popular artists “petty” is enough to offend the younger generation, but Bey doubles down and claims that the Big Three don’t provide much substance. “A whole lot to look at, but not much to see” is a root of the rapper’s original problem with Drake.

In the aforementioned January interview, Bey dubbed Drake a “pop artist” instead of a rap artist. “Drake is pop to me,” he asserted. “In the sense like if I was in Target in Houston and I heard a Drake song. It feels like his music is compatible with shopping. You know, shopping with an edge in certain instances.” He drew so much negative attention for his comments that he clarified them on Instagram. That said, he stood by his opinion. “I require more of myself and others than just talent or charm or charisma,” he told Drake. “Particularly in times of urgent crisis.” Bey’s freestyle can be seen, consequently, as a triple down.

Read More: Drake Shouts Out Yasiin Bey In Newly Unearthed Video

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Elliott Wilson Claims Drake Has Blacklisted Him From Toronto

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Elliott Wilson calls it like it he sees it. He’s been complimentive of Drake in the past, and conducted what many consider to be the definitive Drake interview in 2020. That being said, Wilson did not hold back his criticisms during the 6 God’s battle with Kendrick Lamar. He believed that Drake lost the battle by a wide margin, and detailed the ways in which he did on social media. This led to the Toronto rapper unfollowing him on Instagram. According to Wilson, however, the bitterness didn’t stop there.

Elliott Wilson discussed his current relationship with Drake during a recent UPROXX interview. The rap journalist told the hosts that not only did Drake unfollow him, but has subsequently made it difficult for him to travel to Toronto. “Kendrick clearly won,” Wilson noted. “And I understand not wanting to see that on your timeline.” It was the next step of the process that proved to be more of an issue. “I got the call from the OGs,” the journalist revealed. “I’m not really welcome in Toronto right now.”

Read More: Elliott Wilson Sends Kai Cenat An Apology On His Birthday

Elliott Wilson Respects Drake’s Decision

Despite putting Drake’s decision on blast, Wilson told the hosts that he understood why it was made. “I grew up in New York City,” he explained. “You know you don’t go through other people’s projects. Your projects is your projects. You might go visit shorty, but you ain’t got no business going to her projects looking for no problems.” The journalist respects that Toronto is the 6 God’s domain, and will abide by that until they’re on better terms. “I would not go to Toronto if me and Drake weren’t good,” he added. “That obviously makes sense.”

Elliott Wilson’s respect extended to any artist he’s criticized in the past. “You develop these connections with them and you have to manage that relationship,” he asserted. “And there’s ups and downs with that. So, I respect him. I don’t think he’s a bad person for unfollowing me.” One of the UPROXX host claims he saw the Wilson and Drake spat coming, but Wilson doubled down and said that he doesn’t take any of it personally. “Most artists don’t [f*ck with me],” he noted while laughing.

Read More: Rich The Kid Fires Back At Elliott Wilson Over “Lucky” Criticism

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Kendrick Lamar’s Monthly Spotify Listeners Soar Following Drake Beef

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Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s beef has been by far the biggest story in rap this year. While the beef is firmly in the rearview mirror now, fans are still processing everything that unfolded in the beef. It didn’t help how quickly the beef unfolded. Diss tracks dropped in rapid-fire fashion one after another over a weekend last month. As those songs have hit the Hot 100 its become more and more clear that the beef was one of the most commercially appealing of all time. It included two songs, “Like That” and “Not Like Us” that debuted in the top spot on the Hot 100. It also included three other top-ten hits on the chart.

Kendrick Lamar in particular has seen a massive boost in streaming. Not only have his diss tracks been the bigger hits of the pair, but his back catalog has also racked up more and more streams. As of today, he has reached a new peak on the most listened to artists in the world chart. The list keeps track of where particular artists lie among the most popular in all of music. It’s been dominated by Taylor Swift and The Weeknd in the past few years. Now Kendrick Lamar has officially entered the top 10 for the first time in his career as he currently sits at the #10 spot. Consequently on the other side of the beef, Drake currently sits as the #6 most listened-to artist in the world.

Read More: Which Rappers Have Apologized To Kendrick Lamar?

Kendrick Lamar Enters The Top 10 Most Listened To Artists On Spotify

Additionally, Kendrick Lamar was recently honored with a top 10 spot of a different kind. Apple Music has spent all week ranking their greatest albums of all time in a top 100 list. The top 10 was finally revealed today where Kendrick’s 2012 album Good Kid m.A.A.D City landed at the number 7 spot.

What do you think of Kendrick Lamar becoming one of the top 10 most listened-to artists on Spotify for the first time? Do you think his level of popularity will be maintained going forward even without the beef? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: Kendrick Lamar Scores This Milestone For Feature On “Like That”

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DJ Akademiks Claims That Cam’ron Beat Jay-Z In 2000s Rap Battle

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Another day, another DJ Akademiks hot take. The internet personality has not had the best month in terms of public perception. Drake, the rapper he chose to win in the Kendrick Lamar battle, effectively lost, and Ak himself was accused of sexual assault in a lawsuit. He hasn’t let it slow down his streaming schedule, or his propensity for frustrating hip-hop heads, though. Soon after laying into Meek Mill and claiming that he ended the Philly rapper’s career, Ak claimed that Cam’ron defeated Jay-Z back when they were beefing in the 2000s.

“I thought Cam beat Jay,” Ak asserted. “I know they ain’t really battle like that, but I always thought he flamed Jay-Z.” The song Ak is referring to is “You Gotta Love It” off his 2006 album Killa Season. As far as the internet personality was concerned, Cam’ron leveled all competition with his style and sense of humor. “When we had Cam’ron [and] Max B diss Jay, it’s like ‘You got open-toed sandals with jeans on.’ Come on. It was over for me,” Akademiks recalled.

Read More: DJ Akademiks Theorizes Why Rappers Are Cliquing Up Against Drake

DJ Akademiks Thought Cam’ron’s Diss Was More Memorable

He went on to play the diss on his stream, before claiming that he wanted Drake to adopt more of a Cam approach in his battle with Kendrick Lamar. “I’m telling you, Cam got the jokes,” he noted. “Cam is more potent. Him and Rick Ross… This sh*t was ill to me. This is how I wanted Drake to start the sh*t! You the G.O.A.T., man.” Cam’ron is relevant as ever these days, thanks to It Is What It Is podcast and the bizarre interview he gave on CNN, but the rapper has smoothed things over with Jay-Z. The rappers, who were signed to Roc-A-Fella, had a cold war that stemmed from perceived slights on both sides.

Fortunately, they were able to squash their beef in the late 2010s. Cam’ron discussed his relationship with Jay during an interview with Million Dollaz Worth of Game, and detailed an invite he got to perform alongside the rapper at a 2019 concert. “Jay called, he’s like, ‘Yo, first of all I want to tell you I got respect for you,’ and I’m like, ‘Same here, bro,’” Cam’ron recalled. “We just showed our love for each other, and we kept it under wraps. Nobody would’ve thought that in a million years.”

Read More: DJ Akademiks Claims Kendrick Lamar Wears Heels And Fans Are Not Happy

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Benny The Butcher Praises Drake For Pushing The Culture Forward

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Drake isn’t getting lots of compliments these days. He lost the battle to Kendrick Lamar, and now has to contend with the fact that the number one single on the charts, “Not Like Us,” is song in which he gets called a pedophile. Not a great look. The Toronto rapper will rebound, barring any legal troubles, but he recently got support from an unexpected source. Benny the Butcher, a charter member of the grimy rap collective Griselda, praised Drake for his musical contributions.

Benny discussed the rapper during an April appearance on Montreality. He believes that those who hate on Drake for making radio songs are simply envious of his pen game. “Drake is phenomenal,” he opined. “N**gas that hate on Drake pen is jealous. Drake that n**ga, you know what I’m saying. He a fair n**ga, he look out for dudes, give dudes verses and sh*t.” The latter point is especially interesting, given that the Toronto rapper has been accused of being a “culture vulture” and a “colonizer” by Lamar. Drake’s been hit with these accusations for years, but Lamar crystallized them on record.

Read More: Benny The Butcher Commends J Cole For Kendrick Lamar & Drake Beef Exit

Benny The Butcher Claims Drake Is “Doing His Part”

Benny the Butcher does not agree with this line of thinking. He went on to commend Drake for giving features to young artists and co-signing those who are less popular. “Drake takes the responsibility of pushing the culture forward,” Benny asserted. “When you have a position like he has in the game, you have to do that. He takes that responsibility head on.”

The Griselda rapper went on to dismiss the idea that Drake is not giving back to the artists he’s a fan of. “People ask ‘Why he got a song with him or why he doing features with him.’ Because he like those n**gas and that’s what he like to do,” Benny added. “He’s pushing the culture forward. He’s doing his part.”

The praise runs both ways. Drake praised Benny the Butcher and the Griselda crew during a 2020 interview with Rap Radar. “I really like… Just that whole cliquing up, Griselda sh*t is just ill,” he noted. When asked whether he would be willing to collaborate with Benny the Butcher, Drake said yes. “I’m down,” he asserted. “Benny showed me love one time on an interview, too. I think what they’re doing is great.” Drake has already worked with frequent Griselda producer Conductor Williams, so hopefully we get to hear more between the different crews.

Read More: Benny The Butcher Lists Tyler, The Creator, Kendrick Lamar, And More As His Dream Collaborators

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Kendrick Lamar Drops $40M on New 8-Bedroom Brentwood House

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Kendrick Lamar Headlines Lollapalooza's 2023 Lineup

Kendrick Lamar has added a new mansion to his real estate portfolio. According to The Wall Street Journal, the “Not Like Us” hitmaker dis coping the crib for over $40 million.

The purchase is one of the most expensive property purchases of 2024. The home once belonged to a trust of former Fox Corp. executive Viet Dinh and his wife, Jennifer Ashworth Dinh. The couple bought the home for $20 million in 2019.

The new crib is 16,000 square feet and has eight bedrooms in the main house. Additionally, there is a wine cellar, gym, pool, and guesthouse.

In more Kendrick Lamar news, is back on top of the Billboard Hot 100 with a Drake diss. Following the success of his scene-stealing “Like That” call out, Kendrick Lamar has placed a solo hit on top of the charts with “Not Like Us.”

Additionally, Lamar’s shade to Drake on “Euphoria” moves into the No. 3 slot from No. 11. “Like That” rebounds from No. 8 to No. 6. Drake gets a shot in on his own, with “Family Matters” hitting at No. 7.

According to Billboard, this is Lamar’s fourth Hot 100 No. 1 and 15 top 10s. Drake has a whopping 78 top 10 records, an all-time record.

READ MORE: Naomi Osaka Praises Kendrick Lamar for “Not Like Us,” Makes it Her Walk On Music

“Not Like Us,” released on pgLang/Interscope Records/ICLG, storms onto the Hot 100 with a staggering 70.9 million official streams, 5 million radio airplay audience impressions, and 15,000 units sold in the U.S. for May 9. Remarkably, these numbers were achieved despite the track’s late release on Sunday, May 5, after the chart’s tracking week had already begun on May 3.

This debut marks the 1,171st song to claim the No. 1 position in the 65-year history of the Hot 100, and notably, it’s the 79th to accomplish this feat straight out of the gate.

READ MORE: Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” Laps Spotify Record Previously Held by Drake

Additionally, “Not Like Us” ascends to the top spot on the Streaming Songs chart, becoming Kendrick Lamar’s fifth chart-topper in this category. Its 70.9 million streams represent the highest weekly total among R&B/hip-hop tracks since YouTube user-generated content was excluded from chart calculations in 2020. Surpassing the previous record set by Drake’s “Way 2 Sexy,” featuring Future and Young Thug, which garnered 67.3 million streams in its debut week on rankings dated September 18, 2021.

Furthermore, the track dominates the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts right out of the gate, marking Lamar’s fourth No. 1.

In other chart news, “Euphoria” experiences a surge in streams, climbing to 49 million (up from 28.9 million in its initial frame). At the same time, its airplay audience dips slightly to 1.9 million (down from 2.5 million) and sales increase to 7,000 (up from 6,000) during the May 3-9 tracking period.

Completing Lamar’s trio of hits in the Hot 100’s top 10, “Like That” with Future and Metro Boomin rises to No. 6 from its debut atop the chart on April 6. The track gains 22% in streams, reaching 34.2 million during May 3-9, along with a 13% increase in radio reach to 29.4 million and a 76% surge in sales to 3,000 units.

Fan reaction is below:

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Azealia Banks Asks Kendrick Lamar Why He Let 6ix9ine Say The N-Word

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Azealia Banks does not like Kendrick Lamar. She’s been one of the most vocal critics of the Compton rapper during his battle with Drake. She thinks Lamar is wildly overrated, and has repeatedly accused him of being “obsessed” with Drake. The battle between the two rappers came to an end (for now, at least), with many declaring Lamar the winner. This has not stopped Banks from continuing to hate on social media, however. She sent another shot K. Dot’s way on May 20, and it had to do with one of his major Drake critiques.

Lamar attacked Drake’s use of the N-word on his diss, “Euphoria.” The song even ended with the refrain: “We don’t wanna hear you say n**ga no more.” Banks took this talking point and turned it against Lamar by pointing out his unwillingness to gate keep the word from other rappers. Particularly those who aren’t African American, like Six9ine. “Sidebar tho…. deadasss….,” she wrote. “Where was Kendrick when there was a gay Mexican in a rainbow lacefront running around saying n**ga?? Lmao.”

Read More: Azealia Banks Continues To Taunt Beyonce Amid “Cowboy Carter” Controversy

Azealia Banks Calls Kendrick Lamar A Hypocrite

Banks went on to claim that Lamar doesn’t have the number of classic songs that Drake does. “Do Kendrick know he doesn’t have a ‘oh you fancy huh,’ nor a ‘passionfruit,’ or anything but small sneaker rage to give us LOL,” she added. But wait, there was more. In a second tweet, the “212” rapper poked fun at Kendrick Lamar further by claiming he has a crush on Drake. “What’s reallllllllllllly behind the beef??,” she asked. “Who got a crush on who?”

Azealia Banks isn’t the first person to point out 6ix9ine’s frequent use of the N-word. Charlamagne tha God questioned 6ix9ine on the topic during a Breakfast Club interview, and the rapper felt that he had a right to say it because it was part of his upbringing. “It’s the way I talk,” he asserted. “You know what I’m saying? It’s not like oh sh*t I’m not African American, I’m not dark skin I can not say this, I can’t say it… It’s just vocabulary.” Ironically, 6ix9ine has been charged for exhibiting the same predatory behavior that Lamar accused Drake of on “Not Like Us.”

Read More: Azealia Banks Shares Her Surprising Take On Drake And Kendrick Lamar’s Beef

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