S. Samuel
While Drake and Jadakiss have already said they want nothing to do with Young Money's Lil Wayne firing shots at rap mogul Jay-Z on their "I'm Good" collaboration, Cash Money's Bow Wow says let the battle begin.
Not viewing a verbal exchange as beef, Bow Wow believes diss tracks at one another could help elevate Weezy and Jay’s game.
“From the fans’ perspective, I look at it as this is something they want,” Bow explained. “Why not? Battle rapping has been going on in hip-hop since it was created. This is something that’s been in our sport for years…[Boxing champion] Floyd Mayweather is the best but they say he ain’t the best until he fights [Manny] Pacquiao. Sometimes you might have to man up and go for the gold. We see the Patriots going at the Giants. We seen two good teams always go at each other, so how come two great rappers [can’t] go at each other? You have two giants going at each other. To me it’s all competitive, it’s a form of art, it’s rap, it’s something we seen before. But, if you’re gonna do it, then, do it.” (XXL Mag)
Music marketing pioneer Steve Stoute recently explained why Jay is not taking Wayne’s shots seriously.
“For Jay-Z to do anything that resembles moving backwards right now would be insane,” Stoute explained in an interview. “And a Jay-Z beef is moving backwards. Jay is so much bigger than rap at this point. He’s a movement. And that’s where his head is at. That’s where his focus is. And no one is on his level, even worthy of him battling with. No one. So you probably won’t see that happen.” (You Heard That New)
A few days ago, Weezy came clean about his subliminal Hov shots.
“I know there won’t be any repercussions behind what I did,” says a confident Wayne when asked if he had second thoughts about recording his acidic verse for ‘It ‘s Good.’ “I know for a fact music is about perception. You can’t do anything but perceive what you hear. I know that for a fact. So I can’t ever be upset about someone’s reaction.” Wayne added that while he understands the intrigue and buzz behind the record, it’s just another song. “I’m not going to say I don’t know what would happen before I even say [something on record],” he explains. “I do know what will happen. I’m aware of it. But it is what it is.” (VIBE)
On “I’m Good,” Wayne is heard responding to Jay’s “H.A.M.” record, where Hov drops the now-infamous double entendre, “Baby Money.”
“Talkin’ ’bout baby money, I gotcha baby money,” Wayne raps. “Kidnap your b*tch get that how much you love your lady money / I know you fake, n*gga / Press your brakes, n*gga / I’ll take you out, that’s a date, n*gga / I’m a grown a** blood, stop playing with me / Play a**hole, and get an a** whippin’ / I think you pussycat, hello kitty.” (“It’s Good”)
Check out Lil Wayne’s “I’m Good” below:
