Mustard has been having one the best years of his career so far. 2024 has mostly been dominated by the Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef, and he was in the thick of it. His biggest contribution came as the mastermind behind the instrumental for “Not Like Us.” It’s viewed as the dagger of the battle, and it’s probably the biggest song of the year. There’s also a great chance it takes home a ton of awards at the 2025 GRAMMYs, as Kendrick did submit for nomination consideration.
In addition to the song itself, Mustard was also involved with its accompanying music video, appearing in a few scenes. But arguably, the California native’s most important piece of involvement came during the Pop Out. The show was truly a uniting moment for the West Coast hip-hop scene, and it may go down as one of the greatest rap shows this century. Yes, it was amplified by Kendrick playing a lot of the diss tracks but seeing all of the Cali MCs support him and one another was truly special.
That is probably something that led to Mustard feeling extremely anxious about the show. According to HipHopDX, a feature with Billboard was recently published and in the interview him and the publication talked about various topics. Some of those included Kendrick’s reaction to the “Not Like Us” beat, advice from Timbaland, and more. One of the conversations surrounded that night at the Pop Out, and he came clean and revealed his true feelings being the opener. “I was nervous as s***. It just didn’t feel real,” he expressed. We can totally see that, especially given the circumstances, but he set the tone for the remainder of the show.
What are your thoughts on Mustard saying that he was really nervous to perform at the Pop Out? How would you feel if you were in the producer’s shoes? Is the Pop Out one of the most important rap concerts ever? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Mustard. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Kendrick Lamar has gotten quite a bit of flack online for not sharing anything on social media about the new album from YG, which is currently suffering from disappointing sales. Of course, this is because he was one of many artists to join K.Dot at “The Pop Out” this June. Also, there are a lot of different ways to look at this argument. Kendrick’s defenders will bring up their past collaborations, the concert itself, and their long history as more than enough support, and will also bring up that he doesn’t even use social media like that for anyone or anything. But others like Adam22 think that he could do more, and don’t understand why we let him be so mysterious even if we don’t know how he could’ve supported his West Coast colleague behind the scenes.
“What did Kendrick do for everybody?” Adam22 asked about Kendrick Lamar amid Wack 100’s complaints that Adam and others are “nitpicking” and don’t really know what’s going on between each other. “Why didn’t he post YG’s album?” Adam went on. “That’s what a lot of people want to know. *laughs* I’m just saying. After the whole L.A. got behind him so hard, does he not owe, you know, a little bit of a look here and there? Maybe do a song with somebody for their project?
“I mean, it doesn’t seem like the biggest ask,” Adam22 continued. “Why does everybody just allow Kendrick to just exist in this mysterious, quiet little box away from everybody? And then it’s like he’s not expected to hop on anybody’s project, to do any normal rapper s**t? I do think it’s a decent question. It would’ve been nice if Kendrick shouted out YG’s project, right? That would’ve been him behaving like a normal person, he’s so mysterious. I bet if he was still cool with Drake, Drake would’ve posted his album. They all showed up out of the goodness of their heart. It’s just kind of weird when you’re doing stuff for somebody who doesn’t want to return the favor, right?
“If Akademiks put out a documentary, and I was all up in the documentary, promoting the documentary, helped him out with the documentary. And then six months later, I put out a documentary… Crickets. Ak doesn’t shout it out, doesn’t post about it,” Adam22 concluded. “It’s pretty easy to post about something. I did a lot for you when you were in the exact same position. And you couldn’t return the favor? That makes me feel like this is kind of a one-sided friendship. Why do we not ask of Kendrick the same things that we would expect of, like, anyone else? I’m just wondering why they didn’t get something in return. It would’ve been nice. Yeah, I just think it’s weird.”
Snoop Dogg is one of Kendrick Lamar’s biggest West Coast elders in the rap game, and he couldn’t be prouder of his “Institutionalized” collaborator. Moreover, during a recent interview with Complex alongside Dr. Dre, he spoke on K.Dot’s recent “The Pop Out” event (which Dre was a special guest performer at) and how it promoted the unity of all of Los Angeles’ gangs. Specifically, Tha Doggfather responded to Vince Staples’ recent comments about how this peace process was in effect well before this Juneteenth show, which took place after Kendrick’s Drake beef. Still, Snoop explained how the former TDE lyricist publicized this solidarity even further.
“What Vince is saying is that a lot of neighborhoods have been uniting for a long time behind closed doors,” Snoop Dogg remarked. “But what Kendrick did was, he united the whole city, based off him being a king. Taking this violent situation, which is a rap beef, and creating peace and giving the homies an opportunity to come on stage, to engage in his video, to be a part of his movement, and to also move like he moves.
Snoop Dogg & Dr. Dre Speak On Kendrick Lamar: Watch Full Complex Interview Below
Their thoughts on K.Dot begin at the 9:50-minute mark.
“Because if you’re going to move with Kendrick, you got to move like Kendrick,” Snoop Dogg continued. “He’s about peace. He’s about love. He ain’t from no gang. He’s from a city full of gangs and he unites cities. So that’s what this was about. It’s a good move for the whole West Coast culture as far as rap is concerned because violence has always been a lead thing for us on our side. So if you can take a violent rap or a violent song and create peace out of it, he should be commended for that.”
“This s**t making me emotional,” Kendrick Lamar expressed while onstage with representatives of many different gangs at “The Pop Out.” “We been f***ed up since Nipsey [Hussle] died. We been f***ed up since Kobe [Bryant] died. This is unity at its finest. We done lost a lot of homies to this music s**t, to this street s**t. For all of us to be together on stage, that s**t is special. Everybody on this stage got fallen soldiers.”
Jay Worthy ensures that his music captures the essence of Compton through his smooth delivery and laidback flow. Though he found a new fanbase following his appearance at Kendrick Lamar’s Pop Out concert in June, the L.A. by way of Vancouver MC has maintained a prolific output over the past few years. His behind-the-scenes work has allowed him to work alongside people like DJ Quik and even Kendrick Lamar while his efforts on wax have turned him into a revered underground legend. LNDN DRGS, for example, merged dreamy soundscapes of boogie and R&B-tinged funk, in ways that felt quintessentially West Coast. But at the same time, his work with people like The Alchemist and Harry Fraud, to name a few, paid homage to his influences outside of West Coast hip-hop.
“Maybe it’s I’m easy to work with or maybe, it’s just that I really love music and I understand what it is and what we’re doing, you know?” Jay Worthy tells HotNewHipHop. Perhaps that’s why he is only the second rapper outside of Snoop Dogg to work on a full collaborative album with the legendary DāM Funk. Together, they joined forces for their excellent new project Magic Hour, an album that delves into the lineage of funk music with DāM Funk in the driver’s seat.
Funk played a pivotal role in shaping Jay Worthy. He fondly recalls his father playing Parliament, S.O.S. Band, and Earth, Wind & Fire throughout his childhood in Vancouver. In that sense, it planted a seed that would grow throughout Jay Worthy’s musical career but his love for funk admittedly didn’t fully materialize until he moved to Compton. His exposure to low-rider culture and radio personalities like the famed Art Leboe developed a passion for its cultural DNA. “Like I said, oldies and funk and all of that have always been in my house. But I really started digging for samples and really, really having a love for it more after being out here on this side. You know, my big homies pulling up on they hogs and slappin’ shit, the low rider culture and all that,” he says, fondly recalling memories of Avalon and El Segundo. At this intersection, his friend’s dad sold CDs outside of the barbershop.
With that said, Magic Hour holds significant weight in Jay Worthy’s catalog. There was a seven-year anticipation for this project, though fans certainly weren’t left empty-handed since collaborative projects alongside Roc Marciano, DJ Muggs, and plenty of others came out within that time. “Not everybody can get on these types of beats, you know what I mean? Or understand what I’m doing here because I always tell people, man, I might rap, but I really look at myself as the funk artist,” he explained, detailing the meticulous process of curating the right features, such as Ty Dolla $ign, DJ Quik, and Channel Tres, and more, for this particular album.
It couldn’t have come at a better time, either. All eyes are on The West Coast right now, and there’s been unity across the city. Jay Worthy has certainly benefited from the renewed attention, too. Magic Hour feels like a crucial piece of the puzzle that traces the West Coast’s musical lineage, specifically the impact that funk had on shaping the L.A. sound as a whole. And with the momentum that Kendrick Lamar, Vince Staples, and Mustard built within the past few months alone, Magic Hour is a necessary addition to the soundtrack for summer ’24.
We recently caught up with Jay Worthy to discuss his latest album and working alongside DāM Funk, sending unreleased music to Kendrick Lamar, his heavily anticipated Griselda album, and why Los Angeles has always been on.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
HotNewHipHop:I read that this album has been in the works for upwards of 7 years but it seems like a perfect time for this album to arrive considering the momentum that the West Coast has. From your end, why did it make sense to release this album right now?
Jay Worthy: You know what, all the stars just aligned, to be honest with you.I feel like when you’re recording, and sometimes you’re in another bag, like, for a minute, the only thing that was inspiring me to rap was just looped samples and stuff with no drums, you know what I mean? So it took me a while to want to get back into that funk bag, you know what I’m saying? It wasn’t coming out of me when I was trying at the time. So I sat on the beat until I was ready to get back on that. And I would slowly go at it. You know, do a few songs here, a few songs there. And then I was like, man, this is a special project. It deserves the proper features on it.
And I also feel like there’s more eyes on me now. I feel like me and DāM Funk, for the world that we come from, it’s really appreciated. I know people were really expecting it and I didn’t want to rush it, you know what I mean? It came out now and it just so happens to be that the West is back on fire so, yeah it’s a good time.
Tell me a bit about the features, whether Ty Dolla $ign or Channel Tres, and how you got them to immerse themselves into this world that you and DāM Funk created.
Well, you know, Ty Dolla is a close friend of mine and so is Channel. A-Trak, you know, that was the first person to sign to Fool’s Gold. Quik, I just did the album with Quik and I wanted Quik a part of this. You know, Quik, and DāM know each other since Safe & Sound days. Of course, Soopafly. I needed representation of Tha Dogg Pound on there. Soopafly, that’s my boy. We’ve been making records together and I felt that he fit the project. A cat named Ray Wright from Warm Brew, who always was a friend of mine, and I always loved his voice. I mean, it reminded me of a Nate Dogg. Speaking of Nate Dogg, I had to grab Nhale and get his son on there.
So, you know, just people that would make sense that I know understand this funk sh*t and what sounds good on it, you know? But, I was honored to get Quik on there, for sure. And Channel, I love what he did. He’s also a fan of DāM. Like I said, again, just people that kind of understand what it is. Not everybody can get on these types of beats, you know what I mean? Or understand what I’m doing here because I always tell people, man, I might rap, but I really look at myself as the funk artist, you know what I’m saying?
Jay Worthy/YouTube
I’ve heard you refer to yourself as such in the past. How would you describe Magic Hour compared to other albums in your catalog? You mentioned that you took your time with this one.
Well, first I’ll say this: you got to think, DāM doesn’t work with a lot of rappers. The only rapper that he’s ever done an album with other than me is Snoop, so I was honored. Like I said, I consider myself a funk artist, and DāM was one of the few people, to me, that was pushing future funk and modern funk. This is way back, you know, I think me and Dame started first talking, I want to say like, ‘06 or something like that. I can’t remember exactly when, but I was always a fan before I started doing rap professionally. But I always knew that that’s where I wanted to take it.
So, you know, what’s different about this album compared to others is there’s no samples. DāM gets to showcase how good of a producer he is. If you notice on the album, I give him a lot of long outros. Or, some songs might just have one verse and a minute of a beat because his beats switch up so much, like, there’s so many different parts of the beat. He’d send me a beat, there’d be like eight minutes in the beat, and in that eight minutes, the beat would change up several times. So yeah, musically, it’s different than anything else I put out. I think it’s more musical, you know, it’s not sample-based. It’s raw. That’s just DāM in there being the one-man band.
What do you think makes Jay Worthy a great collaborator? It seems like you’re very easy to work with.
Maybe it’s I’m easy to work with or maybe, it’s just that I really love music and I understand what it is and what we’re doing, you know? I mean, like whether it’s with Alchemist and I understand what type of producer he is and what he makes him and what I’m gonna sound good on. If you listen to… I don’t know, let me see…. something like, let’s say I rap over somewhere Harry Fraud, and there’s no drums on it, and you hear me really rap-rapping – you know, that might bring that out of me. The funk might bring out some more player, more simple raps, but it’s just a different pocket. The beat is gonna talk to me and tell me what to do, you know what I mean?
But I think I just understand the music, and that’s why it comes out so it goes unspoken. I’ve never gone in a studio and been with anybody and been like, “this is what we’re gonna rap about pr this is what we’re gonna do or this is what the album is gonna be, or –” nah, we just let the music do what it do and it comes out how it comes out.
You’re originally from Vancouver. During your formative years, what was your exposure to funk music? Was that a sound that was prevalent where you grew up?
I mean, my pops, right? He raised me on Parliament, Earth, Wind & Fire, S.O.S. Band, and stuff. So that sh*t was in my house from a kid ‘til an adult. But as far as like finding my love for funk, that was more as a late teenager, you know what I’m saying? Being in LA, and you know, listening to Art Leboe and being in my hood in Compton. One of my homies’ pops – Rest In Peace – he used to sell CDs outside of the barbershop off Avalon & El Segundo.
I would always buy old-school mixes. Like I said, oldies and funk and all of that have always been in my house. But I really started digging for samples and really, really having a love for it more after being out here on this side. You know, my big homies pulling up on they hogs and slappin’ shit, the low rider culture and all that. Now, don’t get me wrong there is that, you know, low rider culture out in Vancouver, as well and record shops and stuff like that. But, you know, I think I fell in love with it out this way, just because this is such a part of our culture out here.
Considering everything that’s been going on, what are your thoughts on the current state of the West Coast and where do you see it heading?
Well, I think this: if we just stay on what we were on when we got together on that stage at the Pop Out with Kendrick, and showing unity, and – you know, we’ve been doing a lot of stuff in our community. Throwing events in the park, concerts, charity events, bringing Kai Cenat, all type of good stuff. It’s bringing people from all different neighborhoods to our specific neighborhood which probably never happened back in the day. I think places like Atlanta where everybody works with each other and supports each other. I think if we can if we can get past the politics that we have out here, and stay on what we’re on right now, I think we can get back on top, for real.
You know, because I hate when people say L.A. ain’t on anymore and I go, ‘What are you talking about? [laughs] Tyler, The Creator’s from L.A., Steve Lacy is from L.A., Billie Eilish is from L.A., Bruno Mars is from L.A., Anderson .Paak is from L.A. These are number one artists, you know what I’m saying? So I always felt that we – Kendrick Lamar, like come on, bro. We’ve been on top to me so sometimes the narrative that is pushed – I don’t understand – [like] we aren’t in a good space. But I feel like as far as the underground goes and the streets, and everybody is on some positive unity shit. So if we just stay on that, I think West Coast hip-hop is going to be in a great place.
How would you describe the Meet The Whoops project at this point of your career? You brought up Kai Cenat pulling up to Compton for the giveaway. Just by looking at the Instagram page, it seems like there’s more of a community-oriented feel to what you guys are doing.
As you can see, I’ve kind of always been a curator, you know? I don’t like to use the word A&R but, you know, I did Quik’s album, I’m working on Terrace [Martin’s] album with him. All the collaborations that you’ve seen, I’ve been hands-on with everything, from the artwork to the sample to who I collaborate with. So I just always wanted to do something with my homies from my hood and showcase the talent and put them on production that they might not have necessarily chosen.
I think we’re standing out because, you know what, you wouldn’t expect Meet The Whoops to rap on an Alchemist beat or a Terrace Martin beat or a classic DJ Quik “Quik’s Groove” that we flip to put on his album, you know? And, I just know the West hasn’t seen a rap group like this – or the world hasn’t seen a rap group like this, to be honest with you, since NWA or Wu-Tang or Dipset. And that’s how I feel. I really feel those dudes that I grabbed, who are my personal friends, are actually some of the best to do it. And I’m excited about what we’re about to do.
Courtesy Of Jay Worthy
What was it like bringing Kai Cenat to Compton?
It was just a positive thing and something that was great to see. The kids enjoyed it, the families enjoyed it, and we’re gonna do a lot more stuff like that. We’ve been doing stuff like that in our community for years. From the Christmas Toy Drive that we do with Kendrick to the Turkey Giveaways that we do with YG, I just think there are a lot more eyes on us now. You know, we get the TMZ looks and people are finding out more about what’s going on.
But you know, we’ve always been about our community and trying to bring things over there and do stuff that’s fun for the youth. And having Kai, I that was a great thing. He came and showed love and a lot of kids who weren’t able to get things like that were given exclusive shoes, and new iPhones and TVs and all types of good stuff.
Have there been any discussions of you joining Kai on his stream?
I don’t know. You know, I would have to tap back again with their team and see what’s up. Me and his agent and manager connected that day, so you never know. I think that’d be cool to see Meet The Whoops and Kai Cenat and bring him back to Compton for a livestream.
You posted a series of photos of you and Kendrick Lamar from over the years. Do you remember the first time you two crossed paths and how has that relationship developed since you first met?
I mean, Dot from our hood. We’re from the same neighborhood, we always crossed paths, you know? He’s always been in my corner. I produced a documentary called NoiseyBompton for Viceland TV which he starred in. You know, we’ve been pushing for years, that’s my brother.
You know, people don’t know, but it’s like when I dropped new music, I only send it to a few people, and he’s one of them, you know? I might send it to him, I might send it to Westside Gunn, I might send it to Terrace. So there’s only a few people that really get to hear my unreleased music that I want to really [hear] their opinion. [Kendrick Lamar] is really my brother and just a good friend. You know, it’s regular, though. That’s really just our homie, you know what I’m saying? I know, to the world, he’s the biggest thing in the world but to me and the homies, that’s just our bro.
What’s been the energy of Los Angeles since “Not Like Us,” The Pop Out, and the video shoot? I know you mentioned it before but if you could get a bit more in-depth.
It’s been a lot of unity, man. Just brought the city together. And that’s like what I was saying, man. Like, you know, it’s bigger than just – I know the lyrics and like, you know, behind it is a diss song but a message is – you know, just whatever it did, it brought L.A. together. I’m gonna just say that. You know, I’ve been feeling comfortable going to certain neighborhoods and places that I might never have gone to, you know what I’m saying? And vice versa. People are like, “yo, let’s work together. Let’s do this. Let’s do that.” Like, it’s been great. It had a very positive effect on the streets of L.A. and Compton.
When I interviewed Westside Gunn last year, he mentioned how he was working on your Griselda album. What could you tell me about that project and working with Gunn, in general?
Gunn and me, man. That’s my brother, man. He’ll tell you this: he likes to curate but, you got to understand, I curate and I know what I’m doing with my own sound and stuff and he respects that. So he kind of let me just do what I do and we’re gonna come together on this Griselda sh*t and it’s gonna sound crazy.
Is there a release date on this yet?
We just released this DāM Funk album so as soon as I’m done rolling out all of this, I’m gonna get into that Griselda stuff and start dropping singles on people and it’s gonna f*ck their heads up.
Final question: what else do you have on your bucket list outside of music?
Well, I’ve been behind the scenes, like I said. I do curation, I consult now, I’m working with all the people that — you know, it’s crazy when you wake up and you could call Mack 10 or Quik or you know, any of the greats, bro. Really, all the legends are a phone call away. I love what I’m doing with them, kind of bridging the new with the old just how I do in my own music so I’m just helping them do stuff. I’m consulting for different labels.
You know, I’ve always had my hand in the streetwear and skateboard world, doing collaborations with different clothing lines and all of that stuff. So, man, it’s a lot of stuff. Film stuff. There’s so much, man. Music is just one part of it. I’m a businessman at the end of the day. You’re gonna see Worthy executive producing more people’s albums; you’re gonna see my name pop up as an A&R on certain things. You’re gonna see more clothing collaborations, you’re gonna see more documentaries. It’s all about to happen man.
DeMar DeRozan spoke at length about his relationship with both Drake and Kendrick Lamar during an interview with The Sacramento Bee published on Wednesday. The Compton native, who spent years in Toronto playing for the Raptors, returned to his hometown for Lamar’s The Pop Out – Ken & Friends, last month. The appearance quickly sparked rumors that he and Drake had a falling out. He’s since clarified this isn’t the case. Instead, he says the concert was far more important than just the beef.
“It was fun to be a part of (‘Not Like Us’),” he said. “For that moment, it was so much bigger than what people look at it as a beef between (Lamar) and Drake. It brought our whole city together in a different type of light where there wasn’t no issues, no violence. Everybody was coming together in a peaceful manner and that was the beauty out of those moments.”
Kendrick Lamar Performs At “The Pop Out – Ken & Friends”
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 19: Kendrick Lamar performs onstage during The Pop Out – Ken & Friends Presented by pgLang and Free Lunch at The Kia Forum on June 19, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Timothy Norris/Getty Images for pgLang, Amazon Music, & Free Lunch)
As for his feelings towards Drake, he added: “Drake’s still my man, still my man, none of it changed. It’s so easy to get overlooked and look at it for what it looks like, but at the end of the day it’s music, entertainment. Two of the biggest rappers in the world went at it from a competitive standpoint and they battled it out. That’s what you want to see as a fan: Kobe (Bryant) playing (Michael) Jordan 1-on-1 and see who wins, see the trash talking, and whoever wins out of that, you’re still going to have the debate, so that’s all that is.”
DeRozan joined the Sacramento Kings after a sign-and-trade deal that also involved the San Antonio Spurs, earlier this month. He’ll be turning 35 years old in August. Be on the lookout for further updates on DeMar DeRozan as well as Drake and Kendrick Lamar on HotNewHipHop.
Everybody from the West Coast was at Kendrick Lamar’s “The Pop Out” show, but Wack 100, who manages another legend who wasn’t there, The Game. Speaking with Vlad TV, Wack revealed why he wasn’t in attendance.
“I’m one of those where if you not on me about it, I’ll forget,” Wack 100 said. “I was in my studio, reconstructing my studio, stressing out over one of my podcast stands. I go looking for the guy and he told me the show was over at 8 o’clock sharp. I totally forgot, that’s when I hit Game.”
He would state The Game was at home with his lady as she was pregnant.
After talking a whole lot about Kendrick Lamar’s “The Pop Out” concert in Los Angeles on Juneteenth, Wack 100 finally revealed why he didn’t attend during a recent interview with DJ Vlad on VladTV. Moreover, he first clarified that he’s got a close relationship with K.Dot and TDE, and that his absence wasn’t because of any beef. Apparently, previous scheduling and commitments, such as rebuilding a podcast studio and tech issues the day of the show, prevented the music executive from showing up. In fact, he said that he only remembered the concert was going down once a friend texted him after it ended. Finally, Wack said that he doesn’t feel the need to attend every one of Kendrick’s events due to their strong connections and his respect and appreciation for the Compton native’s music.
Previously, Wack 100 explained why his client The Game wasn’t at Kendrick Lamar’s “The Pop Out” either. “If Kendrick or anybody from that camp needed Game, he would’ve been there,” he remarked, adding that his appearance would’ve taken away from the spotlight on more current and young acts. Of course, a lot of fans instead presumed that there were issues between Game and Kendrick’s camp given some previous alleged rifts and the former’s relationship with Drake. But it seems like things are still not as clear.
Wack 100 Explains Why He Didn’t “Pop Out” At Kendrick Lamar’s Juneteenth L.A. Show
“I don’t think Kendrick set out to unite the Crips and Bloods,” Wack 100 said of Kendrick Lamar’s “monumental” Juneteenth performance. “That wasn’t his angle. I think Kendrick set out to pull up those up-and-coming, underground artists of greater L.A. I don’t think Kendrick’s whole thing was to unite the Crips and Bloods. His whole thing was to show unity amongst all. And, guess what? If you one of those that’s been hustling and been getting it, and you just so happen to be a Crip, or Blood, or whatever you may be, it’s, ‘Come on. We welcoming all with open arms.’”
Meanwhile, Wack 100 probably has bigger fish to fry right now. A judge blocked his attempt to bail Keefe D out of prison, and it’s unclear how that Tupac murder case will progress. Still, we’re sure we will get some sort of update sooner rather than later. Let’s see what future statements will shed more light on that debacle or on the West Coast dynamics of “The Pop Out.”
Wack 100, The Game’s longtime manager, recently appeared on DJ Vlad’s YouTube channel to talk about a variety of things. Of course, one of the topics that came up was The Game not appearing at Kendrick Lamar’s Pop Out show on Juneteenth. Fans have theorized about it for weeks. Some have theorized that Lamar and crew snubbed The Game because of Game’s longstanding friendship with chief Lamar rival Drake. Wack 100 denied any friction between the two artists.
“If Kendrick or anybody from that camp needed Game, he would’ve been there,” said Wack 100. He also asserted that Game performing at The Pop Out would have taken time away from more underground acts, as the curfew was 8PM PST and Game is an established artist nearly two decades into his career. The choice was about supporting new talent rather than overshadowing them, ensuring that emerging artists had their moment. The Game is a West Coast legend, but the night was primarily about the present.
Wack 100 Speaks On The Game Missing The Pop Out
The Game and Kendrick Lamar’s relationship goes back over ten years. One of the first tours Lamar went on was for Game’s R.E.D. Album. Game was one of the rappers who passed the “West Coast Torch” to Lamar in 2011, shortly before he signed to Interscope Records and grew into a star. They also did the tracks “The City,” and “On Me” together, released in 2011 and 2015, respectively.
The Game also did a track with Drake in 2015 called “100,” which was released on The Documentary 2. The track resulted in the two shooting a music video in Compton. Fans have since interpreted as a subtle diss by Drake towards Lamar. Wack 100 alleges that Drake had to be convinced to leave the car for them to shoot that video. Game being at The Pop Out would have been a significant moment. He and Kendrick Lamar have not worked together in close to ten years. But Wack 100 is adamant that if Game was needed, he would have been invited. Maybe the two of them will reunite on a song, as Lamar has a new album rumored to release this year.
DJ Akademiks has a question for all the West Coast artists that supported Kendrick Lamar publicly for The Pop Out, the “Not Like Us” music video, and his beef with Drake in general. Moreover, he seems to think that these artists should be demanding features from K.Dot, and insinuated that they aren’t happy with him just having them dance in his content instead of supporting their careers as well. While Ak didn’t name any artists in particular, it’s clear that he spoke generally of artists like YG, Roddy Ricch, Tyler, The Creator, and others. Regardless of whether you agree with this metric, folks got a heavy streaming boost from The Pop Out, so what’s the real issue here?
“If anything, let’s talk about this,” DJ Akademiks began his latest rant. “For everybody that was at The Pop Out or at the cookout or at the f***ing ‘Not Like Us’ video, when are y’all n***as gon’ get y’all goddamn Kendrick features? Don’t tell me y’all n***as is just extras in the music video or just on stage to be on stage. When are y’all getting y’all Kendrick features? That’s what we should talk about. When?
“Drake gon’ be good,” DJ Akademiks continued. “When are y’all getting y’all features? Because it’s only so long y’all can hold the pom-poms for Kendrick without realizing you’re an artist, too! He brought you up there to dance, n***a, this s**t ain’t gon’ get your bank account filled. All this… When are you getting your features? Oh, you not getting your features. Oh, it’s not happening. He gave you the look in the music video. That’s it? Oh! Oh, he’s back in New York? Oh!
“When are y’all gon’ get y’all cash out for showing up on stage and dancing like a bunch of motherf***ing clowns up there, doing all this s**t?” DJ Akademiks concluded. “When are y’all gon’ get the features that gon’ help y’all s**t? I just want to know!” With all the new music rumors going around about both Kendrick Lamar and Drake, it’s very possible that this issue Ak is presenting will not age very well.
Jay Worthy and the rest of Meet The Whoops have shared a new music video that they recorded at Kendrick Lamar’s The Pop Out – Ken & Friends concert in Los Angeles, last month. On the track, they show love to their West Coast roots while flipping through several quick verses from all of the members. The music video shows them performing on stage at the event as well as meeting with YG and more. In the comments section, fans have been stoked about the release. “Hearing the West Coast get busy is a breath of fresh air! Rap needed this!” one top response reads, “Shout out from NYC!!!” Another adds: “This how you capitalize. Impeccable timing. Banging track… Ppl take notes.”
Meet The Whoops isn’t the only project Worthy has been hard at work on in recent weeks. Last month, he dropped the single, “105 West,” with another artist that was present at The Pop Out, Ty Dolla Sign. That track features also DaM-FunK, A-Trak, Channel Tres, and DJ Quik. The Pop Out was a star-studded event with numerous other West Coast icons in attendance as well. Dr. Dre even came on stage to introduce Lamar’s climactic performance of “Not Like Us.” Check out “Whoop Whoop” on YouTube below. Be on the lookout for further updates on Jay Worthy and Meet The Whoops on HotNewHipHop.
