Latest news with #RayVaughn
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kendrick Lamar Gave Ray Vaughn This Advice For His Battle With Joey Bada$$
Rising West Coast lyricist Ray Vaughn has shed light on the behind-the-scenes guidance he's received from Kendrick Lamar amid his lyrical clash with Brooklyn rapper Joey Bada$$—a battle that has sparked renewed tensions between East and West Coast rap camps. In a recent interview with Bootleg Kev, Vaughn opened up about Lamar's mentorship and strategic input throughout the feud, revealing that he's been in close contact with the Compton legend during critical moments of the lyrical back-and-forth. 'I'm on the phone with him when I'm going at Joey. 'Hey, do you f**k with this?'' Vaughn shared, reflecting on his exchanges with Kendrick while crafting his responses. He continued, 'I always get feedback. Sh*t still don't come out just like [that]. It's still got a protocol.' Though Kendrick has stayed out of the fray publicly, Vaughn noted that Lamar's influence can be felt through the lyrical polish he's urged on his protégés. 'If anything, it's like, take something out,' Vaughn said, noting that Kendrick's advice often centers around editing and tightening bars to sharpen the message. While Kendrick hasn't dropped a track in this specific skirmish, his name looms large. The conflict first ignited when Joey Bada$$ fired shots at Lamar and the broader West Coast on 'The Ruler's Back,' criticizing Dot's perceived dismissal of the East Coast in his recent victory lap following last year's widely publicized beef with Drake. Ray Vaughn quickly entered the fray with a response track, 'Crashout Heritage,' defending Kendrick and the West, which prompted Joey to unleash a new barrage of disses. On 'The Finals,' Joey calls out Vaughn's allegiance to Kendrick, rhyming: 'I salute you Kenny, but I know you well aware / You lookin' for some competition? Then just know that I'll be right here.' Joey didn't stop there, mocking Vaughn's relationship with Lamar with particularly pointed bars. 'The way you let Dot d**k sit in your mouth/ This that same d**k linkin' I was talkin' about/ You ni**as would do anything for the clout/ Crash out over ni**as who won't even let you in they house/ I bet you ain't even got his number/ It's funny how the thirst is bein' disguised as hunger.' Despite the biting shots, Vaughn remains undeterred, choosing to lean on Lamar's coaching as he sharpens his craft amid the heat. While Kendrick watches from the sidelines—for now—his legacy and influence remain front and center in the ongoing coast-to-coast lyrical chess match. Watch Ray Vaughn's Bootleg Kev interview below. More from Kendrick & SZA's Grand National Tour Cements How They're Two Sides Of The Same Coin Keith Sweat Stands Behind "Entitled" Women Remarks With A Little Help From Kendrick Lamar SiR Claims Drake, Kendrick Lamar Beef Resulted In Toronto Concert Cancellation
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Here's What Advice Kendrick Lamar Gave Ray Vaughn During His Battle With Joey Bada$$
When you have a cerebral rap savant like Kendrick Lamar in your Rolodex, who wouldn't take advantage of that? Ray Vaughn revealed that he sought out Kendrick's guidance on certain tracks during his battle with Joey Bada$$. The Top Dawg Entertainment rapper stopped by The Bootleg Kev Podcast on Friday (June 6), where he opened up about what advice he received from Lamar. More from Billboard BRIT Awards 2026 to Be Held Outside London for First Time Mariah Carey's 'Type Dangerous' Tops This Week's Favorite New Music Poll Wayne Lewis, Atlantic Starr Singer and Founder Member, Dies at 68 'I can call him,' he said of Lamar. 'I'm on the phone when I'm going at Joey [Bada$$], 'Ay, do you f–k with this?' I always get feedback. It still got a protocol.' Vaughn said some of the advice he got from Lamar was that less is more at times, as suggested he remove ad-libs from tracks. 'If anything, it's take something out. Like ad-libs, take some ad-libs about,' he continued. 'Or if it's not, it didn't come out… It's still the way we run TDE, it's still the same thing. You've got to go down the line. When they post it, it's going on TDE's page. N—a, you speaking and it's coming from our side, come correct.' The Long Beach rapper also confirmed that he received advice from TDE's Ab-Soul, but stated that he 'couldn't go too far' due to the nature of Soul's relationship with Joey. Joey Bada$$ continued to bait Kendrick Lamar by taking swipes at the Compton MC, but Lamar never ended up issuing an official response. After a series of jabs earlier this year, Ray Vaughn lit the fuse with his 'Justin Credible Freestyle' in May, which sparked over a dozen diss tracks being heaved back-and-forth with drops from Bada$$, Daylyt, Ray Vaughn, Reason, Az Chike, Kai Ca$h and even Ab-Soul and YG. Vaughn contributed plenty of fuel to the fire with 'Crashout Heritage,' 'Impossible Patty,' 'Hoe Era' and 'Golden Eye.' He clarified to Bootleg Kev that there's 'no real beef' with Joey and claimed, 'It's good for the sport.' 'We got all the podcasters [and] hip-hop media talking about hip-hop. Not who's texting who, not who's f—ing who,' he added. 'We pushed hip-hop to the forefront again.' Watch Ray Vaughn speak about Kendrick Lamar below. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Black America Web
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
Hip-Hop Wired Presents: CRT FRSH (Certified Fresh) Playlist 5.23.25
CRT FRSH, Hip-Hop Wired's playlist where we showcase music that we believe is 'Certified Fresh,' is back with the newness! With our latest update this week, we're gonna focus on Joey BadA$$ and his feud with what seems like the entire West Coast before sharing new heat. I want to explain how I approach curating the CRT FRSH playlist. Most importantly, I don't segregate my Hip-Hop. Every form of music from the main cultural tree deserves a listen and a look. When I construct the playlist, I want to include all regions across the States and, when applicable, across the globe. I also want to entertain every fan of Hip-Hop, not just those who enjoy one segment of it. Now that we've got that out of the way, let's get to it. The CRT FRSH playlist is a labor of love. We don't take payments, nor do we do favors. We only add joints to our playlist that fit the theme and vision we're going for and don't seek to waste the listener's time. Further, we don't stick to one lane of Hip-Hop. We believe that all aspects of the music should get some light, whether it's young lions in the trenches or those hoping for that one shot to blow up to grizzled veterans puffing out their chests with lots more to say. — D.L. Chandler, Lead Curator, CRT FRSH Like I said, I'm opening up this week's update with all the joints I could find from Joey BadA$$, Ray Vaughn, Daylyt, and anyone else who hopped in the ring, including some of Badmon's Pro Era team like CJ Fly. Not every song is on DSPs, so what we've amassed here is all we got unless folks can clear samples and production to get it up on streamers. I'm not picking any sides in the battle. I'm just enjoying good rapping, and that it's all being kept to recordings and not spilling into nonsense in real life. If rapping is a sport, then battling is one of the ways to show and prove one's mettle. One super impressive thing is that in the back and forth between coasts, folks are working quickly and addressing bars head-on instead of ducking from any smoke. If I missed a joint you feel like should've been added, let me know and I'll adjust. This playlist is live for two weeks, so we'll probably have plenty of time to update this. And, from what I'm hearing online, there are over 90 songs recorded by several artists since Joey took the first swipe at the West Coast on his Conductor Williams-produced track, 'The Ruler's Back.' I'm not going to break down every joint. Instead, check out the collection of songs we did find, search out the rest online, and just enjoy the collection of new heat I tacked on at the end of the disses. Salute to Joey BadA$$, Daylyt, Ray Vaughn, AZ Chike, REASON, CJ Fly, Kai Ca$h, Hitta J3, YG, Shoreline Mafia, IDK, Joey Valence, Brae, DRAM, Ellis Quinn, Chance The Rapper, Erick The Architect, Joyce Wrice, Smoke DZA, Dave East, Mike & Keys, Niontay, Sideshow, MAVI, Troy Ave, Boldy James, Your Boy Posca, Mike Shabb, CRIMEAPPLE, DJ Skizz, Estee Nack, ETO, Grafh, Benny The Butcher, NYC Rap Star, Ransom, Jay Electronica, Numbz, Larrin, Defcee, Paralell Thought, Lukah, Statik Selektah, Larry June, Cardo Got Wings. We'll be back with an update in two more weeks. Check out the CRT FRSH update below. — Photo: Peter Carruthers / Getty SEE ALSO Hip-Hop Wired Presents: CRT FRSH (Certified Fresh) Playlist 5.23.25 was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Joey Bada$$ Takes Aim at Kendrick Lamar, Ray Vaughn & More on Fiery ‘My Town' Diss Track: Listen
Update: Joey Bada$$ continues to empty the clip as he returns fire with 'Crash Dummy,' which finds him rhyming over 2Pac's 'Hit Em Up' instrumental. Joey Bada$$'s war of the words with the West Coast is heating up. The Brooklyn rapper returned fire on what was a busy Monday night (May 19) in hip-hop as Joey directed his attention at Ray Vaughn, Kendrick Lamar and more on his scintillating 'My Town' diss track. More from Billboard Carín León Nabs Fourth No. 1 on Latin Airplay Chart With 'Ahí Estabas Tú' Here's What Drake Has to Say About the Dreaded 'Drake Curse' in Sports Here's What 50 Cent Has to Say About People Allegedly Wearing 'Free Diddy' Shirts for $20/Hour Outside Court 'I'm the real boogeyman, y'all n—-s should be afraid/ Get the general, I'm killing his troops,' he raps while teasing Lamar. 'Don't make me Pulitzer, better be wise because/ I'm dottin T's and cross your eyes like Whitaker.' Joey had plenty of smoke for TDE's Ray Vaughn and sniped at AzChike, who threw his hat into the ring on Monday with his 'What Would You Do' diss track. 'Look, Ray Vaughn was so last week/ Now, I'm hearing s–t about some nigga named 'Ass Cheek'/ Who wanna be the next victim/ How many Top Dawgs will it take to sick 'em,' Joey spews. The 30-year-old pays homage to Cam'ron's 'Welcome to New York City' with his own spin on the Big Apple staple to close out the outro. Kendrick has yet to address Joey's shots, as the Brooklyn native previously taunted the Compton legend on 'The Finals' earlier in May. Ray Vaughn didn't waste any time in returning fire on Monday with 'Golden Eye,' which finds him rapping over 50 Cent's classic 'Back Down' instrumental. 'Vaughn Wick' jabbed at Joey Bada$$'s relationship with Diddy and claims that there's a video implicating Joey in crimes with the disgraced Bad Boy mogul. 'If you're standin' next to Diddy, then you shouldn't mention dick/ 'Cause if they ever show that footage, you gon' have to plead the fifth,' he raps. The explosives are still seemingly dropping out of the sky every hour as Daylyt returned on Tuesday (May 20), going after Joey on 'Ayo.' The Joey Bada$$ versus the West Coast battle began on New Year's Day when Joey gritted his teeth on 'The Ruler's Back.' He appeared to reignite the flame last week during the 'Red Bull Spiral Freestyle' alongside Ab-Soul and Big Sean. Monday brought about a barrage of lyrical missiles fired as AzChike, Daylyt, CJ Fly, Kai Ca$h, JaeWon, Joey Bada$$ and Ray Vaughn all exchanged diss tracks. Find a timeline to keep up with the entire battle below. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Joey Bada$$ Taps Loaded Lux For 'My Town' Diss As Rap Spar Against The West Continues
Joey Bada$$ continued the war of rhymes against West Coast emcees with the release of 'My Town' and declared 'real bars is back in style.' Dropped on Monday (May 19), the diss followed a handful of tracks from all sides, firing shots at each other's skill level and star power. In 'My Town,' the Brooklyn rapper tagged in Loaded Lux for a Harlem-Brooklyn linkup to deliver a flow of insults against Daylyt, AZ Chike, and Ray Vaughn. The track samples Cam'ron's 2002 'Welcome To New York City,' which features Jay-Z and Juelz Santana. The track followed tracks from the aforementioned trio, however, Joey Bada$$ continued to bait Kendrick Lamar, who has not responded to any of the jabs since the lyrical sparring began. 'I'm really the truth, y'all better callin' a truce/better yet, get the general, I'm killing his troops.' He continued to boast, 'Look, Ray Vaughn was so last week/ Now, I'm hearing sh*t about some ni**a named 'A** Cheek'/ Who wanna be the next victim/ How many Top Dawgs will it take to sick 'em/Trynna take a bite out he apple is just forbidden/I'ma break 'em down to the atom then split em/When i hit em. With the finisher/ Eyes on the prize, hand on my fire, dont make me pull it sir.' The valiant effort did not slow down responses. Later that evening, Ray Vaughn dropped 'Golden Eye' in response to 'My Town.' In the diss, the California native dubbed himself 'Vaughn Wick' and a 'D1 Crash Out,' punching at Joey Bada$$ for rapping for decades and never being considered in the 'big three.' 'I was signed for 5 years and got blocked by Covid, you was signed for like 20 and still ain't got motion/ you had legends in your corner and still turned out boneless, just a Forbes list miss with a Bad Boy bonus.' Daylyt also wasted no time responding to 'My Town.' Released on Tuesday morning, the Watts-bred battle rapper dropped 'Ayo' firing back at Joey Bada$$ and Loaded Lux. 'All it took for Joe is a cup of coffee/Hard luck, one cup of coffee will get a star buck/ Oh, you sweet, for instance, that freak you mentioned, you was in daddy studio taking beat submissions/Piggyback, trust, you ain't really that tough/ Pokémon lover, your favorite one was Jigglypuff.' The coastal battle began with Joey Bada$$'s 'The Ruler's Back' released on New Year's day. Official responses came from Daylyt in 'HIYU' and Ray Vaughn's 'Crashout Heritage' within a week. Earlier this month, the feud boiled over with the release of a Red Bull Spiral Freestyle with Joey Bada$$, Ab-Soul, and Big Sean. Filmed earlier this year, Joey used the opportunity to keep the beef fresh, boldly taking aim at his West Coast opponents on the same stage as their TDE labelmate. 'Joey! You put me in a sticky predicament, I had to show solidarity to my syndicate,' rhymed Ab-Soul. 'Lyt was heavy and Ray definitely stepped/ But this is hip-hop, you know we still on that/ It was healthy for the sport, sticking to the roots, keeping it competitive/ Just be lucky that Soul ain't stepping in.' As the musical feud continued through the spring, CJ Fly, Reason, Kai Ca$h, and Really JaeWon have all hopped in, putting on for their respective cities. More from Joey Bada$$, Ab-Soul Trade Bars Amid Coastal Rhyme War With Ray Vaughn AZ Chike Wants To Collect "West Coast Infinity Stones" Joey Bada$$ Shares Fatherhood Advice He Would Give Himself
