
JAY-Z ONCE RAPPED, It's funny how once verse can f*ck up the game. That bar arrived during the aftermath of Biggie & 2Pac's deaths as he was attempting to assert his claim for the throne. Case closed. Fast forward to the top of this year and another Brooklyn rapper, Joey Bada$$, boldly issued a challenge by way of a brazen line on "Ruler's Back": "too much West Coast d*cklicking." To discuss the shot/aftermath, I spoke with journalist William Ketchum (Vibe, RollingStone). He and I initially had a hearty DM discourse going about Joey and his 2025 releases. However, as more artists entered the fray, our conversation enlarged to include wider themes. I thought it reached a point where it was time to bring the chat to IRL. Cancel that other episode you were gonna listen to, you won't need another one.