Ab-Soul Demands Fans Stop “Pretending” To Overlook His Talent

Ab-Soul is a great rapper. Anybody who has listened to a single verse from the TDE veteran can attest to it. Soul has struggled to attain the icon status of Kendrick Lamar, however, or even the crossover success of fellow Black Hippy members Jay Rock and ScHoolboy Q. He’s the odd man out, and he’s tired of being nice about it. Ab-Soul took to Twitter on December 16 and stakes his claim to be taken seriously as an artist. He urged fans to give his talent, and his latest album, the attention they deserve.

Ab-Soul is nothing if not articulate, and he knew his statement was going to come off as arrogant to many. “This may be distasteful for me to say to say on my own,” he posited. “Given the insatiable state of social media.” The rapper then let followers and onlookers have it. “F*cc it,” he wrote. “Soul Burger is a phenomenal body of work. I put it all on the table.” The statement then switched from the album to his perception as an artist in general. “Stop pretending to overlook me,” he demanded. “It’s unbecoming of the culture.”

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Ab-Soul Previously Dubbed Himself The “B.O.A.T.”

Some fans may be taken aback by Ab-Soul’s bold claim, but the rapper has always been confident in his abilities. Soul received arguably the most flattering shoutout of any Black Hippy member on the Kendrick Lamar “heart pt. 6.” Lamar claimed that he honed his rhyming style by trying to copy Ab-Soul, and was blown away by the Carson City rapper’s wordplay. Soulo went on Instagram Live to address his feelings on the song and his impact. He gave props to Lamar and admitted he learned from Lamar as much as K. Dot learned from him.

Ab-Soul did, however, claim that he was the better rapper. Not only better than Kendrick Lamar, but any other person walking the planet. “I am the B.O.A.T,” Ab-Soul explained. “I am the best rapper, that’s it. Ask anyone.” The rapper assured fans that he’s not just talking to talk. Soul genuinely feels he can take out anybody who dares challenge him. “I say that humbly,” the rapper concluded. “It’s not from a place of arrogance. I really do this.”

Read More: Ice Cube Opens Up About His New Album “Man Down,” Legacy, And The Future Of West Coast Hip-Hop

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Snoop Dogg Says He ‘Called And Apologized’ To Kendrick Lamar After Recklessly Reposting Drake’s Diss Song

Snoop Dogg dropped by The Bootleg Kev podcast to discuss is latest collaborative album, Missionary with Dr. Dre. However, another recording artist’s music sneakily became the topic of conversation.

Bootleg Kev did not waste anytime in asking Snoop Dogg about inserting himself in Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s rap beef when he reposted Drake diss “Taylor Made Freestyle.”

Snoop Dogg confessed that he “called and apologized” to Kendrick Lamar for giving the diss track a co-sign without listening to the full song that featured an AI-generated verse of his likeness and the late Tupac. On “Wacced Out Murals,” Kendrick called Snoop out for going against the home team (California) and he’s ok with that.

“That’s my nephew, man,” Snoop Dogg said. “He’s a rapper, man. He’s supposed to speak his mind and tell his truth. That’s the way he felt. You know what I’m saying? He has the right to say that. I’m his big homeboy, so I have to take what’s given to me from his perspective because he’s speaking truth. And the truth shouldn’t hurt you. It should make you better.”

Snoop then went on to try and explain away the misstep claiming he only reposted that song because it referenced his song “Gin and Juice” and adult beverage company.

“What happened was, I did a collaborative post with someone [on Instagram]. So when I post it, I’m thinking I’m posting Gin and Juice,” he said. “I don’t know what song this is. I’m not hip to everybody’s music. Then I get the word, ‘Nephew didn’t like what you did.’‘What did I do?’‘You played some music’. ‘What music?’ Then I had to go look at it. I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s cuz… damn.’ So then I deleted it, called nephew, left him a message ’cause he ain’t pick up. He was working on his sh*t. I left him a message. ‘I apologize. I was f*cked up, my bad.’”

However, users online are not buying Snoop’s explanation. “Very mature of him. But he’s def lying about now knowing about the song lol,” wrote one user.

Well, if it was good enough for Kendrick that is all Snoop cares about.

Watch the full episode of Snoop Dogg on The Bootleg Kev podcast above. Missionary is out now via Death Row/Aftermath/Interscope Records. Find more information here.

Lil Wayne Reveals What He Said To Kendrick Lamar About The 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show

Lil Wayne was devastated when Kendrick Lamar, and therefore not himself, was chosen to perform the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show. It seemed like maybe there was a bit of beef between the two, and now Wayne has addressed it.

Speaking about his general feelings on the situation on The Skip Bayless Show, Wayne said:

“For whatever reason, I believe that it’s over my head, meaning I don’t know why, period. Personally, the person I am, I straight look at it like, ‘You ain’t there, you ain’t there, you gotta get there.’ […] It is what it is. […] I want to get to the point where I’m undeniable. I want them to walk in there and have ten other choices and whoever’s in charge says, ‘No, you have to go with him.’”

Wayne then talked about his interpretation of Lamar’s lyrics about him on GNX‘s “Wacced Out Murals” (“I used to bump Tha Carter III, I held my Rollie chain proud / Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down”). Wayne also revealed he’s spoken to Lamar about the situation, saying, “He saw how much it meant to me, I think that’s all he means. Obviously, he can’t control that, you know? So he didn’t let me down. It ain’t like he can control it or nothing. And also, I’ve spoken to him and I wished him all the best and told him he better kill it.”

Check out the interview above.

Lil Wayne Breaks Silence On Kendrick Lamar’s “Wacced Out Murals” Reference

The Lil Wayne and Kendrick Lamar conflict has been a fascinating addendum to the Drake and Lamar battle. Lamar has made it clear that he does not respect the 6 God in any regard. Lil Wayne, on the other hand, is someone he grew up listening to. He even rapped about the irony of letting Weezy down on the first song of his new album, GNX. Fans have gone back and forth as to whether the reference was meant to be a diss towards Wayne or a tacit acknowledgment of the fact that he will be playing the Super Bowl Halftime Show in Lil Wayne’s hometown. Well, Weezy has finally given his two cents on the matter.

Lil Wayne went on The Skip Bayless Show to explain what transpired between him and Kendrick Lamar. He absolved the Compton rapper of any fault in the upcoming Super Bowl Halftime Show. He did not feel slighted by the fact that Dot referenced him by name on “wacced out murals.” “Used to bump Tha Carter III, I held my Rollie chain proud,” Lamar spits. “Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down.” Lil Wayne clarified that he had not actually heard the song prior to the Bayless interview. Upon having the lyrics read to him, however, he took it as a sign of mutual respect.

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Lil Wayne Took Kendrick Lamar’s Lyrics In Good Faith

“He’s a fan like I’m a fan,” the rapper stated. “He saw like everybody else, he saw how much it meant to me. I think that’s all he mean.” Lil Wayne went to say that he understood what Lamar meant, especially with regard to his hard work. “I understand those words,” Weezy assured the host. “He made it there… His hard work is the reason he made it there.” Wayne’s good faith read of the song makes a lot of sense given that Kendrick Lamar dubbed him the “greatest” in a 2022 interview with The Coveteur.

The Compton rapper, who worked with Wayne on 2018’s “Mona Lisa,” told the outlet that Weezy’s impact on hip hop culture is immeasurable. “We was just huge, still to this day, huge Lil Wayne fans,” he explained. “Lil Wayne is the greatest. Not only because of his music but also because of the culture he put behind it. It was a big part of what he was talking about, so we always hold Wayne in high regards.” Wayne responded to the interview by calling Lamar a “real one” on Twitter.

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Lil Wayne Squashes Super Bowl Beef With Kendrick Lamar After Phone Call

Lil Wayne and Kendrick Lamar have always had respect for one another. Lamar grew up idolizing and emulating Weezy. The latter, meanwhile, tapped Lamar for a guest verse on his 2018 song “Mona Lisa.” Tensions arose, however, when Lamar was announced as the performer at the upcoming Super Bowl Halftime Show in Lil Wayne’s hometown of New Orleans. The Young Money titan voiced his frustration with the situation repeatedly via social media. In a new interview, however, Wayne confirms that he’s on good terms with Kendrick Lamar following a phone conversation.

Lil Wayne discussed the Halftime Show controversy on The Skip Bayless Show. He acknowledged that Lamar had no control of the situation, and that he does not hold the rapper accountable for his anger. “Obviously, he can’t control that,” Weezy stated. “He didn’t let me down, it ain’t like he can control it.” Weezy then revealed that he recently made a call to Kendrick Lamar to smooth things out. “I spoken to him, and I wished him all the best,” the rapper noted. “[I] told him he better kill it.” Skip Bayless went on to inquire about the reference Lamar made on his new song “wacced out murals.”

Read More: Lil Wayne’s AI Kendrick Lamar Diss Track Goes Viral And Causes Confusion

Lil Wayne Claims He Wished Kendrick Lamar “The Best”

On the GNX opener, K. Dot addressed the tension between him and Lil Wayne. “Used to bump Tha Carter III, I held my Rollie chain proud,” he rapped. “Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down.” Skip Bayless asked whether Weezy had gotten a chance to discuss the intentionally behind these lyrics. The rapper felt no explanation was needed. He also, surprisingly, claimed that he had never heard the lyrics to “wacced out murals” before the host brought them to his intention. “That was my first time hearing,” he claimed. “I understand those words.”

Lil Wayne has changed his tune drastically in a month. The rapper said that he was tired of the criticism that he’d gotten regarding the Super Bowl drama. Weezy warned people to not mistake his kindness for weakness, and “let this giant sleep.” He also claimed that he’d “destroy” if disturbed. We’re happy to see this potential conflict between Wayne and Lamar come to a peaceful conclusion. We didn’t need a repeat of the Drake and Lamar situation.

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Wack 100 Claps Back At Lefty Gunplay By Roasting His Kendrick Lamar Feature & Poor Album Sales

For almost the last year, talent manager Wack 100, and California rapper Lefty Gunplay, have been going at one another. If you want to get a gist of what’s been going on, check out the Bootleg Kev and No Jumper interviews below. Near the beginning of 2024, not many had heard of the latter. But in the last month, he’s become a MC that people are keeping their eyes on. His feature on the now viral Kendrick Lamar GNX hit “tv off” has garnered him some buzz and has led to listeners tapping in more frequently to his catalog. Still, what some may not know is that on November 22, the day that K. Dot’s album dropped; Lefty’s Most Valuable Gangbanger also made landfall. But despite the uptick in traffic, the tape didn’t do so hot.

In fact, it didn’t even hit four digits, as it sold just “no thousand 500” equivalent units. This was a fact that Wack 100 made sure to hammer home in a recent interview with Vlad TV. He did so by using Lefty’s own feature on “tv off” against in him in the process. “Now let me tell you what I think that is: Crazy, scary, spooky, hilarious.” Speaking of those lyrics, Wack 100 also dismissed how much of feature it really was.

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The Beef Between Wack 100 & Lefty Gunplay Continues

“Is it true to say that maybe everybody (Wallie the Sensei, AzChike, etc.) was called in, and he’s the only one whose verse didn’t stand up and they took something to make something just because it was like an amnesty situation?” Vlad then came to the defense of Lefty Gunplay saying how big of a deal it is to be on a Kendrick album in 2024. Wack did agree with that, but he feels he wasn’t actually on the record. “You cannot identify what these four words represent,” he began.

More Backstory On Their History

“It’s not a hook, it’s not a bridge, it’s not a verse. We’re gonna call it what it is, four words.” Wack 100 then went on to pose to Vlad if he thinks Lamar would have been fine laying down something similar to what Lefty did on a Dr. Dre tape. He thinks so, but Wack completely disagreed. He did give the rising Cali artist his props, but it’s clear that the animosity is still there.

Read More: Steve-O Says Kendrick Lamar Won The Battle Against Drake Because He’s Cooler

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Steve-O Says Kendrick Lamar Won The Battle Against Drake Because He’s Cooler

Steve-O believes Kendrick Lamar embodies a level of cool that Drake simply doesn’t possess. During a conversation with country artist Hardy on his Wild Ride podcast, the Jackass star delved into his favorite rappers, including André 3000 and Lamar. Around the 45-minute mark of the episode, Steve-O shared his admiration for the Outkast legend. “André 3000 just exudes cool,” he remarked. “Kendrick has that same essence. It’s a kind of coolness you can’t define.” Unprompted, he contrasted their presence with Drake’s. “Drake doesn’t have it,” Steve-O declared.

Elsewhere in the discussion, Steve-O praised Lamar’s latest album, GNX. “It’s incredible,” he said, admitting he isn’t a hip-hop aficionado. “I was into 50 Cent and G-Unit back in the day, but I haven’t kept up. Then I played Kendrick’s new album and thought, ‘Wow, even my 81-year-old dad would find this amazing.’” Steve-O’s comments about Drake may stem from the widely perceived loss Drake took to Lamar in their lyrical feud earlier this year. Public opinion leaned heavily in Lamar’s favor, leaving some to question Drake’s standing.

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Steve-O Picks Kendrick Lamar Over Drake In The Beef Based On “Coolness”

However, comedian Marlon Wayans offered a different perspective during his appearance on Big Boy’s Neighborhood. Wayans emphasized that the rivalry elevated both artists. “It was a phenomenal battle. Neither should feel bad,” he said. “What they gave us was unforgettable—like a Super Bowl Halftime show for hip-hop fans.” Wayans went on to compare the clash to an epic movie scene. “It was like Drake was Thanos, and all the Avengers came after him,” he quipped, referencing Kendrick, Future, and Metro Boomin.

Despite Drake holding his own, Wayans admitted Lamar’s approach was devastatingly unique. “Kendrick hit him from a soul level. It was like therapy. You can’t fight that. Kendrick is different—special.” While debates over their “cool factor” may persist, both artists have undeniably left a mark on the culture, shaping hip-hop’s evolving narrative. Drake and Kendrick Lamar have not shared Steve-O’s commentary at this time.

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Wack 100 Claims To Have A Flash Drive That Can End Drake’s Career

Wack 100 claimed he possessed a flash drive with information that could end Drake‘s career. Flaunting a thumb drive on the latest episode of he and Adam22’s popular podcast, Wack spoke on receiving damaging content on the 6God. Wack claims not releasing the information out of respect for the superstar. But, the manager/podcaster connects the information to a Drake affiliate, Top5.

“I see you got Top5 up there … Drake needs to get away from Top5,” Wack 100 said as he revealed a flash drive. “This is how much respect I have for you, Drake. I’m telling you. Somebody, listen. Drake hit me. No troll. On Piru, you need to get away from that dude [Top5]. This has been in existence for 90 days, and I have made sure … and it hasn’t went anywhere, personally. I think you know what I’m talking about. That dude, with his mouth and the things he says. It does not support your career and how far you’ve come.”

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Wack 100 Alleges Possession of a Drake Career-Ending Flash Drive & Toronto’s Top 5 Is Connected

In the beef, Kendrick Lamar, Wack 100 advised Drake not to add the involvement of street culture. Drake would mention known gangster rappers YG and The Game in lyrics dissing Lamar on “Family Matters.” Wack 100 admitted that Kendrick Lamar beat Drake in the beef with the massive hit “Not Like Us.” Last week, Wack claimed that Drake’s lawsuit against Universal could have an ulterior motive. He claimed the lawsuit could drive the company’s stock down to be brought by a third party.

Wack 100 addressed Top5 and his viral antics over the weekend. In an interview with DJ Vlad, Wack claimed Top5 is “irrelevant.” “You ain’t nobody, bro,” he told DJ Vlad about the Toronto influencer. “We watched this same dude get mushed in the face and kicked in the a**.” Wack ridiculed the artist further, questioning both his toughness and his credibility. “I don’t know where you come from, bro,” he continued. “We’re off the porch at 12. Dude just does a lot of talking.”

Read more: Wack 100 Ridicules Top5 For Repeatedly Threatening Kendrick Lamar

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Kendrick Lamar Is The (Financial) Winner In His Feud With Drake

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In case it wasn’t already clear by the accolades, the Google searches, and the Super Bowl halftime show performance, Kendrick Lamar should be considered the winner in the Kendrick vs. Drake feud. Especially financially.

Billboard reports that of the six tracks in the feud, Lamar’s “Not Like Us” has easily made the most revenue, with $4.97 million in streaming and download and $2.66 million in publishing. It’s unclear how much of that money goes to Lamar directly, but it’s presumably a good chunk of change.

“Not Like Us” is followed by Future, Metro Boomin, and Lamar’s “Like That” with $3.42 million and $1.2 million, respectively. In third place is Drake’s “Family Matters” ($981.3K total) then “Push Ups” ($969.4K). “Meet The Grahams” ($791.5K) and “Euphoria” ($441.3K), both by Lamar, round out the list.

Don’t feel too bad for Drake, however: “He remains among the top 10 highest grossing artists globally, based on his catalog’s gross from 2023. Through Nov. 21, his catalog has generated 6.8 million equivalent album units in the U.S. in 2024, according to Luminate. Lamar’s catalog has generated 3.5 million consumption units so far this year.”

Drake seemingly commented on the feud — and the release of Lamar’s new album, GNX — on a recent livestream. “I’m here, as you can see, fully intact,” he said. “Mind, body, and soul. In case you are wondering, right? You need facts to take me out. Fairy tales won’t do it.”

GloRilla Was The Secret Special Guest For The TDE Christmas Concert

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For the 11th year, Top Dawg Entertainment gave back to the community of its founder’s origin with the TDE Christmas Concert in Watts, California. Originally billed to include the label’s roster of artists which includes Ab-Soul, Doechii, Isaiah Rashad, Jay Rock, Ray Vaughn, Schoolboy Q, SiR, SZA, and Zacari, the label announced just days before the concert that former TDE member and forever family Kendrick Lamar would also take the stage, along with some special guests. The secret special guest in question turned out to be GloRilla, the other breakout rapper of the year, who performed her smash “TGIF.”

Another surprise guest was Lefty Gunplay, the mega-affiliated rising Compton who had his star turn this year on Kendrick Lamar’s surprise album GNX‘s meme-spawning fan favorite, “TV Off.” He’s the guy yelling “crazy, scary, spooky, hilarious” at the end of the song. He yelled his way through his set, too, proving how raw he really is. Hopefully, with the right polish on his performance, he can truly capitalize on the moment, because the fans in attendance seemed very enthused by his presence.

During Kendrick’s set — during which he performed 2017 hit “Humble,” and new hit “Squabble Up” — he was joined onstage by a small army of local kids, who danced to the latter. SZA, meanwhile, played “Kill Bill” and “Snooze,” Doechii performed “Boom Bap,” “Nissan Altima,” and “What It Is.” You can check out some fan footage below.