JAŸ-Z Thinks Drake and Kendrick Lamar Beef Went Too Far
The rap icon, criticized the role social media plays in fanbases taking sides in rap beefs, and said he was “heartbroken” over the lawsuit filed against him in 2024.
Screenshot from "Exclusive: Jay-Z Breaks His Silence - 'We Played Enough Defense, 2026 is All Offense," GQ, YouTube.
JAŸ-Z is sharing his thoughts on the Drake/Kendrick Lamar feud from last year. The rap icon, in an extensive interview with GQ , revealed that he believes the beef took a negative turn and addressed the role of social media in contemporary rap rivalries.
“We love the excitement and I love the sparring, but in this day and age, there’s so much negative stuff that comes with it that you almost wish it didn’t happen,” said JAŸ. “Now, people that like Kendrick hate Drake, no matter what he makes. It’s like an attack on his character. I don’t know if I love that. I don’t know if it’s helpful to our growth where the fallout lands, especially on social media… It’s too far. It’s bringing people’s kids in it. I don’t like that.”
JAŸ acknowledged that he may sound out of touch, but stood on the idea that he wouldn’t be into rap beefs with the technology of today.
“I could stand it before because there was no social media,” he explained, “You had the battle and it was fun and then you moved on. Right now, I don’t know if it could stand it with the technology that we have.”
The rap icon also addressed the sexual assault accusations he faced in 2024. He says he was left “heartbroken” over the since-dismissed lawsuit filed against him by an anonymous accuser. He also added that he “would die” if he settled that lawsuit.
"It was hard,” he says. “Really hard. I was heartbroken. Like, I was really heartbroken by everything that occurred. We’re in a space now where it’s almost like consequence is not thought about enough. Because everything is so instant, you know what I’m saying? That whole [lawsuit thing], that s**t took a lot out of me. I was angry. I haven’t been that angry in a long time, uncontrollable anger. You don’t put that on someone — that’s a thing that you better be super sure. It used to be like that. You had to be super sure before you put those kind of things on a person. Especially a person like me. Even when we were doing the worst things, we had those kind of rules. There was a line: no women, no kids. You hear those sayings, but those are the things that I took from the street. We lived and died by that. So it’s strict for me, like it meant a lot to me."
