Kanye West is stirring up hip-hop conversations once again—this time by admitting he’s not a fan of Kendrick Lamar’s music. Despite acknowledging Kendrick’s skill as a rapper, Ye took to X on Friday night to express his disappointment with the Compton lyricist’s feature on Playboi Carti’s latest album, I Am Music.
Kanye’s Take on Kendrick: Talent vs. Preference
In his now-viral post, Kanye bluntly stated:
“I don’t like Kendrick Lamar’s music. He raps very good, but I didn’t need to hear him on Carti’s album.”
The comment immediately sparked heated debates among fans and industry insiders, as both Kanye and Kendrick are regarded as hip-hop titans. While Kanye has previously praised artists for pushing the culture forward, this statement suggests that his issue with Kendrick is purely a matter of personal taste rather than a critique of his abilities.
Kanye vs. J. Cole: The Apology Controversy
Ye’s remarks about Kendrick come on the heels of his criticism of J. Cole. The Dreamville rapper recently apologized to Kendrick for dissing him in response to shots fired on Future and Metro Boomin’s track Like That. During his Dreamville Festival 2024 performance, Cole called his own diss track the “lamest sht”* he had ever recorded.
However, Kanye was not impressed with Cole’s decision to backtrack. Ye made it clear that he believes in standing by artistic choices, no matter how controversial.
Hip-Hop’s Latest Debate: Do Artists Owe Apologies?
With Kanye challenging both Kendrick’s music and J. Cole’s apology, fans are now debating:
• Should artists always stand by their work, even if they regret it later?
• Is Kanye’s dislike of Kendrick purely personal, or does it reflect a deeper divide in hip-hop styles?
• Will Kendrick respond, or will he let Ye’s opinion slide?
For now, the hip-hop world is watching closely to see if Kendrick or J. Cole will address Kanye’s comments—or if Ye will double down on his stance.
