Isaiah Rashad recently released one of the year’s best albums in The House Is Burning. With Lil Sunny’s Awesome Vacation Tour set to kick off this fall, Zay came through to catch up with The Breakfast Club, speaking on a variety of interesting topics.
While themes of the album are discussed at length, many will likely take interest in the moment where Charlamagne inquires about one of Rashad’s particular tweets that inadvertently led some to conclude he was dissing his labelmate Kendrick Lamar.
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The tweet in question, issued shortly after Kendrick Lamar announced his retirement from Top Dawg Entertainment, read as follows: “everybody emotional. u not that special. quit embarrassing us.”
Given the timing, it didn’t take long for people to be concerned that a rift had grown between the collaborators. Luckily, Rashad clarified that the whole thing was a simple misunderstanding. “I found out [Kendrick was leaving TDE] after n***as said I was dissing him,” he explains. “I was on the way to my kid’s birthday party and me and her mom had a verbal whatever. I couldn’t say what I wanted to say, so I said it on Twitter for a second.”
“I’m forgetting that n***as is watching me,” he continues. “So that’s why I deleted it. Not about him, but I’m like damn, she’s actually going to see this and it’s kinda mean.” Charlamagne has a hearty laugh at his expense, seeing the obvious connection between Zay’s words and Kendrick’s heartfelt message. “We are at a point in our relationship where when we do stuff, people look at us. Now I’m embarrassed.” Clearly, there’s no bad blood between Zay and Kendrick, who is set to part ways with TDE following the release of his new album.
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In addition to the drama that never was, Zay also draws an interesting distinction between “lyrical miracle” rappers and snapping, citing Pimp C as a perfect example. “Snapping is almost a lyrical miracle,“ he explains. “N***as be snapping, but they don’t try fit in six different haikus and goddamn triple entendres.” When asked about who he believes to be “lyrical miracle” rappers, Isaiah names Lupe Fiasco, Ab-Soul, and Kendrick Lamar — sometimes.
“[Kendrick] and Wayne be snapping, and he’s snapping so hard with the delivery and wordplay that you think they’re lyrical miracle, but they’re really just snapping,” says Rashad. He also adds that the lyrical miracle tag can be “disrespectful” under certain circumstances, emphasizing the importance of being able to snap. “You think Lupe can snap on ‘Knuck If You Buck?'” he asks. “And you want to listen to it? No disrespect.”
Check out Isaiah Rashad’s full interview with The Breakfast Club below.
WATCH: Isaiah Rashad hits The Breakfast Club