Joey BADASS kicked off 2025 with a lyrical molotov cocktail, and Hip Hop hasn’t stopped buzzing since. What began as a few veiled bars aimed at the West Coast quickly snowballed into a full-on coast-to-coast cipher war with the Brooklyn emcee at the center, trading disses with everyone from Ray Vaughn to Daylyt to REASON. Each side brought backup, with Pro Era soldiers like CJ Fly and Nyck Caution riding alongside Joey, while a rotating cast of West Coast voices came to Ray's defense.
And through it all, Kendrick Lamar’s name has loomed large. Despite never responding directly, he’s been the clear target of Joey’s most pointed shots. At one point, Compton’s own Glasses Malone even tweeted, “Joey know sure as s**t bars [from Kendrick] are coming his way.” Meanwhile, Ab-Soul — who sparred with Joey during a well-received cypher — later admitted he choreographed the moment, calling it “a sibling rivalry” and a celebration of pure competition.
With nearly 30 records traded in under six months, this might be the most eventful lyrical back-and-forth since the blog era (or, you know, that whole Kendrick and Drake beef). Here’s a full timeline of every track that’s dropped in the ongoing saga.
Jan. 1: The Ruler’s Back – Joey BADASS
Joey BADASS started 2025 with his gloves off. On “The Ruler’s Back,” he revived a classic sample and came for the entire West Coast in one swing. The Brooklyn MC questioned the aftermath of Kendrick Lamar’s win over Drake, taking jabs at the industry’s sudden Cali-heavy bias. “Too much West Coast d**k lickin’, I’m hearin’ n**gas throwin’ rocks, really ain’t s**t stickin’,” he rapped. But the most important line? “Your arms too short to box the Elohim.” It didn’t name Kendrick directly, but everyone knew who Joey meant.
Jan. 7: HIYU – Daylyt
Daylyt stepped in early with “HYU,” issuing a lyrical warning cloaked in respect. “STEEZ on my arm, we came for capital,” he rapped — a clear nod to the late Pro Era member — before making it clear that the West was watching. He didn’t diss directly, but the tone was unmistakable: if Joey kept talking reckless, the response wouldn’t stay this polite.
Jan. 8: Crashout Heritage – Ray Vaughn
Ray Vaughn wasted no time turning Daylyt’s warning into a full-blown attack. On “Crashout Heritage,” he dismissed Joey’s name entirely over a sample of Kendrick’s “heart pt. 6”: “The only badass the world was recognizin’ is Boosie.” He questioned Joey’s street credibility — “Please don’t get confused with shootin’ the movies, we really shootin’” — and accused him of sneak-dissing to stir hype (Tory Lanez and DDG were name-dropped as well).
Jan. 20: Sorry Not Sorry – Joey BADASS
Two weeks after Ray Vaughn’s diss, Joey returned with “Sorry Not Sorry” — a sharp, swagger-heavy rebuttal over a soulful Conductor Williams beat. He led with intention: “F**k it, I want all the smoke, put my credit on the line,” immediately framing himself as a fearless competitor. Then came the heavy punchline: “Haunted by the ghost of Biggie and Pac, I’m them combined.”
Jan. 28: HIYU Freestyle – CJ Fly
CJ Fly jumped in to defend Pro Era with a freestyle over the same beat Daylyt used for “HIYU.” He flipped his opponent’s name with lines like, “Tell son he need to lighten up, because we’ve seen more brighter rays.” “If we talking bars, we got a wide array,” he continued, asserting Brooklyn’s lyrical dominance.
Feb. 3: YHRR – Daylyt
Daylyt fired back at CJ Fly and Joey with sarcasm and venom. “All we get is typing in these comment sections,” he rapped, accusing them of online bravado over real bars. The knockout punch? “One of my lines your whole album!”
Feb. 8: Impossible Patty – Ray Vaughn
Ray Vaughn returned with “Impossible Patty,” a record aimed at calling out Joey’s hesitation to get fully personal. “Rappers turned actors, got the nerve of bein’ indirect,” he spit, taking shots at Joey’s film career while demanding he stop dancing around his disses. The standout moment came with: “Spent a band to make ’em twitch like DJ Akademiks,” mixing insult with internet-era trolling.
Feb. 18: Pardon Me – Joey BADASS
“It’s a 20 v. one-man army,” Joey clapped back on “Pardon Me,” a smooth yet barbed response that cleverly referred to the Drake-Kendrick war that preceded him. “Better check your mate, I’m playing chess with you, not checkers,” he rapped, positioning himself as a tactician among pawns. He called out the West’s efforts as amateur, suggesting the shots so far hadn’t even earned his best material: “They mind struck, tell ’em step them rhymes up, slime.”
May 7: Justin Credible Freestyle – Ray Vaughn
After a brief pause in the beef, Ray Vaughn reignited things with a freestyle on Power 106’s “L.A. Leakers.” This time, he came directly for Joey’s discography and relevance: “Ain’t had a hit since like 19… 99, what happened to the vibes?” The jab implied Joey was stuck in his blog-era bag, failing to evolve or chart hits. Ray framed himself as the fresher, more dangerous MC — ready to battle, but also ready to belittle.
May 13: Red Bull Spiral Freestyle – Joey BADASS and Ab-Soul
Joey re-entered the fray during a high-profile Red Bull cypher alongside Big Sean and Ab-Soul. “I just think that I’m the best — as a matter fact, I know,” he declared while taking fresh shots at Daylyt, Ray Vaughn and even Top Dawg. Even Kendrick and his “Control” verse got a mention, a move made even funnier with Sean’s inclusion. Ab-Soul used the moment to address the tension as well, rapping, “Joey, you put me in a sticky predicament,” before later telling VIBE he choreographed the moment as a “sibling rivalry.” Joey, however, didn’t sound like he was playing.
May 14: Hoe Era – Ray Vaughn
Ray Vaughn fired off “Hoe Era” less than 24 hours after Joey’s cypher appearance, going for the throat with what many called his most direct diss yet. “Run, Joey, run, we gon’ aim it at your backpack,” he rapped — mocking Joey’s signature image while questioning his toughness. The pettiness peaked with: “Every verse a**, what that BBL cost?” Ray also threw shade at Joey’s co-sign from Ab-Soul, suggesting that standing next to Soul didn’t equal being able to save his own.
May 15: The Finals – Joey BADASS
Joey went in on “The Finals,” a searing diss that named names, rattled labels and turned Twitter fingers into legal filings. “You’re the next n**ga gettin’ dropped off the Top roster, and I’ma be the REASON,” he rapped. Elsewhere, he blasted Ray for idolizing Kendrick: “The way you let Dot d**k sit in your mouth… Y’all crash out over n**as who won’t even let you in they house.”
But the biggest twist came off wax. That same day, Joey posted a screenshot of an alleged trademark filing for “TDEast LLC” (which he threatened to create on the track), captioning it “Get Top on the phoneeeee.” A website also accompanied the supposed new label announcement.
May 16: The Dead Apple – REASON
REASON responded to Joey’s name-drop with “The Dead Apple,” delivering one of the most introspective tracks of the battle. “Dear Joey Joe, ain’t expect my name to be spoken, that s**t really hurt my heart, I can truly say that it’s broken,” he rapped, addressing the disappointment of being dragged into a feud by someone he once admired. He dismissed Joey’s bar as petty, then flipped the narrative: “It’s a coast jealousy that you n**gas thought we ain’t noticed.”
May 19: What Would You Do? – AZ Chike
AZ Chike entered the feud with a quick jab on “What Would You Do?” The “Peekabo” star called out Joey’s lack of mainstream hits, stating, “How you a pro from your era, still ain’t make a hit song?” It wasn’t a deep diss, but it added to the West Coast chorus questioning Joey’s relevance — and made it clear they weren’t done tagging in reinforcements.
May 19: WRD2MIMVA – Daylyt
Daylyt returned with “WRD2MIMVA,” a dense, esoteric entry laced with metaphors and sarcasm. His most memorable jab mocked Joey’s aspirations to get in the rind with K. Dot. “You couldn’t kill Kenny with ‘South Park’ — that’s a hood story,” Daylyt quipped.
May 19: STINGray – CJ Fly
CJ Fly circled back with “STINGray,” a pointed reply to both Ray Vaughn and Daylyt. “Said that you could use the clout, that’s why you chose us as your muse,” he rapped, framing the battle as opportunistic. He also warned, “You still food, since it’s beef you want... Well done, you getting chewed.”
May 19: Knicks In 6 – Kai Cash
Brooklyn’s Kai Cash joined the fray with “Knicks in 6,” bringing controversial wordplay to the battlefield. “We could turn Ray Vaughn to Trayvon and go without conviction,” he rapped. Though brief, the track captured New York’s frustration and reinforced the growing narrative that the West was throwing light punches while the East was putting numbers on the board.
May 19: Bobby Mercer – Really Jaewon
Jadakiss’ son, Jaewon, stepped into the war with “Bobby Mercer,” named after the vengeful cop from Four Brothers. “Dot is only hot, rest of y’all just bench warm,” he declared, dismissing the West’s supporting cast. He also referenced his legendary lineage — “I could do this without Jason” — while delivering slick threats with New York grit.
May 19: My Town – Joey BADASS and Loaded Lux
Joey BADASS teamed up with battle rap legend Loaded Lux for “My Town,” turning the lyrical feud into a heavyweight exhibition. Over a dramatic beat, Joey declared, “Get the general, I’m killing his troops... I’m the real boogeyman, y’all n**gas should be afraid,” taking clear aim at Kendrick and anyone defending him. He mocked Ray Vaughn directly by calling him “so last week” before clowning AZ Chike: “Now I’m hearing s**t about some n**ga named A** Cheek.”
May 19: Golden Eye – Ray Vaughn
If you haven’t figured it out by now, May 19 was one heck of a day for Hip Hop. Ray Vaughn answered “My Town” with “Golden Eye,” diving deeper into personal attacks. He called Joey out for clout-chasing Kendrick and dubbed him “Sloppy Joe” over a classic 50 Cent instrumental. Ray also clowned Joey’s willingness to be in the same rooms as people who wouldn’t claim him publicly and mentioned his opponent’s past beef with Troy Ave.
May 20: Ayo – Daylyt
Daylyt re-entered with “Ayo” and addressed the inclusion of another professional battle rapper in the fray. “Brought my opp and it’s savage, body Lux in Times Square, go get a Doctor Manhattan,” he rapped, directly referencing Loaded Lux’s appearance on “My Town.”
May 20: Crash Dummy – Joey BADASS
Joey BADASS went full 2Pac mode on “Crash Dummy,” unleashing a scorched-earth verse over a flip of “Hit ’Em Up.” With laser focus on Ray Vaughn, he rapped, “When I’m done with you, Top won’t let you drop like KARRAHBOOO,” comparing Ray’s fate to a shelved artist. Joey also used “Crash Dummy” to taunt Kendrick again, saying: “Thank you for making it clear that Dot scared.”
May 20: The Last Supper – Hitta J3
Hitta J3 made his first appearance in the feud with “The Last Supper,” a brief diss over Kendrick’s “Rigamortus” beat. Though light on direct shots, the track served more as a warm-up than a war cry. His presence signaled that newer voices from the West were still eager to jump in.
May 21: Headshot – Hitta J3
Hitta J3 upped the ante a day later with “HEADSHOT,” a six-minute lyrical barrage over Nas’ “Got Ur Self a Gun.” He went straight for Joey’s credibility, spitting: “Shakur left the East for the West, gotta love Pac, you call for Joey murder, I'll be smiling in my mug shot.” The track lacked widespread impact but showed J3 was taking the feud more seriously and trying to earn his spot in the West’s rotation.
May 22: End Credits – Daylyt
Grand closing? On “End Credits,” Daylyt bowed out of the battle with unexpected grace. Over Nas instrumentals, he offered flowers to Joey: “The Ruler's back, oh, you the man... today I crown you the King of New York for taking that stand... you really took the fade with all of us, a brave man, NY-made man.” While he still dropped a few minor disses, the tone was reflective. He also delivered a shoutout to the late Capital STEEZ, seemingly closing his arc with respect and maturity.