Big Sean x Kendrick Lamar + Jay Electronica – “Control (HOF)” aka Kendrick Lamar Bodies The World

UPDATE: We were so inspired by Kendrick‘s body-the-world verse on this track that we made a t-shirt out of it…cop your own “Kendrick >” tee here, while the iron is hot.

Big Sean teams with Kendrick Lamar and Jay Electronica for his track “Control (HOF)”, which Kendrick Lamar smashes to pieces in a set of game changing bars that have officially lit a fire under the asses of everyone in hip-hop, from armchair critics to certified MCs. The track produced by No I.D., which will not make Big Sean’s forthcoming sophomore LP Hall Of Fame, has seen the light of day courtesy of the bomb dropper himself, Funkmaster Flex. Big Sean opens the track with a verse that plays with legitimate flow but does nothing to set him up to survive the second MC to hit the beat. It is unfortunate that this is Big Sean’s track when you consider that there are more than a few Detroit MCs that wouldn’t have thought twice about coming off or standing tall enough to stand against what would come next. The truth is that no one could have predicted what Kendrick was about to spit. Given the outcome, Big Sean has been a good sport about it. Kendrick Lamar officially resurrects the dead and the nation’s respect for the west with a verse that starts near a whisper and grows to a crescendo of carnage as he guts the entire game, giving an ironic credence to a line from Big Sean somewhere in the first verse: “No matter how far I get I always feel behind in my mind.” K. Dot insists he’s got love for his fellow MCs before confirming he’s trying to murder them all. By the time he’s proclaimed himself the king of New York – a move that prompted a response from Joey Bada$$ – and called out the biggest names in the game, his performance should leave no doubt that he’s serious:

“I’m Makaveli’s offspring/ I’m the king of New York/ King of the coasts/ One hand I juggle them both.

I’m usually homeboys with the same ni**as I’m rhymin’ with/ But this is hip-hop and them ni**as should know what time it is. And that goes for Jermaine Cole, Big K.R.I.T, Wale, Pusha T, Meek Mill, A$AP Rocky, Drake, Big Sean, Jay Electron, Tyler, Mac Miller/ I got love for you all, but I’m tryna murder you ni**as/ Tryna make sure your core fans never heard of you ni**as/ They don’t wanna hear not one more noun or verb from you ni**as.”

Jay Electronica, though solid, is decidedly lost in the shuffle as the dust settles and people break their necks to replay Kendrick’s treatise. If nothing else, it is fitting that hip-hop celebrates its 40th anniversary by finally getting back to the real. Check the track below to witness the crime scene for yourself. Scroll down for a few reactions to Big Sean’s “Control (HOF)” from rap’s brightest, with responses ranging from hit-dog to heated and a few notes floating into the ether on carefully worded language that indicates a bunch of folks probably won’t respond. The moral of the story? Hip-hop is not dead.

This one that didn’t make the album cuz of the sample BUT IT IS NOT no radio shit.. Straight rap… I’m talking 7min shit… Grimey shit.

— Big Sean (@BigSean) August 13, 2013

 

Kendrick Lamar ain’t let Nas down.

— Nigel D. (@Nigel_D) August 13, 2013

 

this isn’t East Coast vs. West Coast. this is @KendrickLamar vs. ALL OF YOU.

— Mal (@inf) August 13, 2013

 

Damn, @kendricklamar just made Compton the capitol of hip hop again #ControlHOF

— scott vener (@brokemogul) August 13, 2013

 

Kendrick put on Snoop’s Chucks and kicked the buildings over again.

— Maurice Garland (@Maurice_Garland) August 13, 2013

 

When Big Sean was sayin he could outrap anybody in the game he musta said it before Kendrick lyrically tore his arm off n beat him wit it

— HANDS OF ZEUS (@BigGhostFASE) August 13, 2013

 

Do not put out a song w cats who are better than you. If you can’t step it up and at least play ball on the joint shelve that shit.

— Shoes. (@HouseShoes) August 13, 2013

 

I never really tweet about music. But good lord.. @kendricklamar just like.. Bodied everyones entire year’s worth of raps lol.

— Just Blaze (@JustBlaze) August 13, 2013

 

How can yall think I’m hating on Kendrick right now? Much respect to him for bodying everybody. This day marks a new rap game kno dat. Haha

— oG $wank. (@joeyBADASS_) August 13, 2013

 

Best part about this K Dot verse tho, it’s gonna inspire MCs to DO BETTER. the weak ones just gonna tweet about it

— Rob Markman (@RobMarkman) August 13, 2013

 

yo @S_C_. i know you just put out MCHG, and you have nothing to prove but like…@kendricklamar just said he king of new york.

— Kazeem Famuyide (@RealLifeKaz) August 13, 2013

 

@kendricklamar so mad on that song, ha ha… Sheesh @JayElectronica on there like a scientist! Thanks u rappin ass niggas

— Big Sean (@BigSean) August 13, 2013