Key Takeaways
- A$AP Rocky described Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” as the “kill switch” during his appearance on “The Jason Lee Show.”
- He said Drake will “be fine” and suggested listeners are taking the rap battle too seriously.
- Rocky praised Kendrick as one of his favorite artists and reflected on their 2012 collaboration on “F**kin’ Problems.”
A$AP Rocky shared his perspective on Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s explosive rap battle during a wide-ranging appearance on “The Jason Lee Show.” As REVOLT previously reported, the months-long exchange produced multiple diss records from both rappers (and several other entrants) before “Not Like Us” emerged as its defining release.
While discussing the two Hip Hop heavyweights, Rocky described Kendrick’s chart-topping “Not Like Us” as the battle’s “kill switch.” However, the Harlem rapper did not see the feud as something that would permanently derail Drake’s career.
“I feel like even Drake could continue to make music. He gonna be fine,” Rocky said. “It was a battle. N**gas taking this s**t too serious.”
The conversation arrived after host Jason Lee asked Rocky to choose who was the bigger “problem” between Kendrick and Drake. Rocky declined to pick one, telling Lee that he would have to ask the two rappers directly. The A$AP Mob frontman also questioned whether the exchange should be characterized as genuine beef rather than a competitive clash between artists. “I don’t know if that’s beef,” he said. “Them n**gas did a rap battle.”
Rocky was less dismissive when Lee turned the conversation toward his own apparent issues with Drake. In addition to speaking on a theoretical boxing match against his Canadian counterpart, the Harlem star avoided identifying the subject of “Stole Your Flow,” answering, “Whoever he is,” when Lee pressed him about the song’s pointed lyrics.
A$AP Rocky calls Kendrick Lamar one of his favorite rappers
Elsewhere in the interview, Rocky reflected on working with Kendrick, Drake, and 2 Chainz on his 2012 single “F**kin’ Problems.” Despite the divisions that now exist between some of the collaborators, Rocky praised Kendrick’s artistry.
“K. Dot is, like, a phenomenal artist, man,” he said. “That man is just one of my favorite rappers.”
Rocky also revisited the era surrounding the song’s release, crediting Drake and 2 Chainz’s teams with helping assemble the record before it reached him. He said the collaboration aligned with his creative direction and inspired him to direct its music video.
The rapper then argued that Kendrick, Drake, 2 Chainz, and himself were overlooked during the subsequent awards cycle. Rocky specifically criticized Macklemore’s success at the Grammys, saying Kendrick and the other “F**kin’ Problems” collaborators were denied recognition because of industry politics rather than the quality of their work.