Kendrick Lamar’s “Control,” released Tuesday calls out several big names in the world of hip-hop. Some got riled, some called it part of the game.
Lamar says in “Control”: “Jermaine Cole, Big K.R.I.T., Wale, Pusha T, Meek Mill, A$AP Rocky, Drake, Big Sean, Jay Electron, Tyler, Mac Miller, I got love for you all but I’m tryin' to murder you ...” Lamar also calls himself “King of New York.”
Hip-hop rivalries are old news—2-Pac and Biggie Smalls were among the rappers to have take swipes at each other. The west-coast/east-coast rivalry found its way into many rhymes.
Meek Mill, one of Lamar’s targets, told CBS Philly: “It definitely wasn’t insulting. … I don’t think he was trying to insult any of us, you know. We all know each other personally.”
“I like those type of games,” he said. “It was a competition thing. ... I live for competition. Everyone who knows me knows I don’t want to lose in a game of nothing. I don’t want to lose in a game of tic-tac-toe. I’m not going to make a diss record for Kendrick Lamar. But if he wants to get competitive, we’re going to have some fun.”
Pusha T, another target, simply tweeted to Lamar: “I hear you loud and clear.”
Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Control’: Hip-Hop Rivalries All in Good Sport?
8/17/2013
Updated: 7/18/2015
