Kendrick Lamar Calls Out Rappers on ‘Control’ – Today in Hip-Hop
XXL celebrates 50 years of hip-hop with this moment:
Aug. 12, 2013: Kendrick Lamar had the rap game shook with his blistering verse on Big Sean’s song “Control,” which was released on this day in 2013.
Ten years ago, Hot 97 personality Funkmaster Flex premiered Big Sean‘s new track “Control,” which featured Kendrick and Jay Electronica, on his radio show and it went viral. On the song, K-Dot made a bold declaration that he is the “King of New York” which raised many eyebrows that evening and was the chatter on social media.
“I’m in a destruction mode if the gold exists/I’m important like the Pope, I’m a Muslim on pork/I’m Makaveli’s offspring, I’m the king of New York/King of the Coast/One hand, I juggle them both,” he rapped on the No I.D.-produced track.
Furthermore, Kendrick targeted his rap peers and warned them that he would dismantle their entire careers.
“I’m usually homeboys with the same n***as I’m rhymin’ with/But this is hip-hop, and them n***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 [The Creator], Mac Miller/I got love for you all, but I’m tryna murder you n***as/Tryna make sure your core fans never heard of you n***as/They don’t wanna hear not one more noun or verb from you n***as,” he seethed.
The immediate reaction to Kenny’s lines on “Control” was both rapid and continuous, with some rappers questioning the West Coast rhymer’s proclamation that he’s the king of New York, while others challenged Kung-Fu Kenny.
“[U] gon let a n***a from compton claim they the king of NY or nah? ~what is this nonsense u talk?” Fabolous questioned on Twitter.
Bun B compared K-Dot’s verse to his legendary verse from UGK‘s “Murder.”
“Every rapper is supposed to feel like Kendrick feels as far as wanting to murder n***as on the mic. That’s why I wrote my “Murder” verse,” he tweeted.
Meanwhile, Trinidad James felt that Kendrick wasn’t dissing anybody and was just being braggadocios.
“I don’t feel like @kendricklamar dissed anybody. He just has moved up to another level. Y’all late overly dedicated n***a! Bruh been fire!!!” he wrote.
Other rappers released response tracks to Kendrick’s boastful rhymes. Former Slaughterhouse member Joel Ortiz was the first one to drop a response song called “Outta Control.” Listen below.
Other artists dropping response tracks include Papoose, Lupe Fiasco, Mysonne, Uncle Murda and more.
In the end, Kendrick Lamar‘s self-assured hubris rattled the rap industry for several months. He came, he rapped and he conquered.