NEWS
Today, AzChike dropped off his new track "Whatx2," and already, it's managed to get fans talking. At the end of the video, he appears to hit back at Joey Badass in what seems to be a new snippet. Some speculate that the New York MC went after Kendrick Lamar and the West Coast as a whole on his song "The Ruler's Back" last month. “Too much West Coast dick lickin' / I'm hearin' n***as throwin' rocks, really ain't sh*t stickin' / 'Cause if we talkin' bar-for-bar, really it's slim pickings / I rap like I draw pentagrams and kill chickens, n***a,” he spits.
From the sound of things, AzChike took this personally, and fired back on behalf of the Compton performer. "Keep the coast out your mouth/You ain't as unique as you think in this house," he raps in the snippet. "You gon' respect the Duckworth once I'm done with this hunt." Of course, the apparent jab has earned a variety of reactions from listeners online.
"Man cold as hell," on Twitter user writes. "Clout chasing lol," another claims. It looks like AzChike isn't the only artist to have fired back at Joey Badass, as just days after he released "The Ruler's Back," Ray Vaughn appeared appeared to issue his own response. He dropped a freestyle over Kendrick's “The Heart Pt. 6" called “Crashout Heritage," seemingly taking aim at Badass. “What's with the sneak dissin'? Takin' shots at us, then hide the Uzi / 'Cause the only badass the world was recognizin' is Boosie / Please don't get confused with shootin' the movies, we really shootin' / Was on Soul album, so if you ask me, you look like a goofy," he rhymes.
Earlier this month, Ray Vaughn also appeared to take yet another shot at Badass on his song "Impossible Patty." He even taunted the artist on Instagram when sharing the song on the platform. “We tired of the impossible patties. @joeybadass," he captioned the post.
Busta Rhymes is honoring his late friend D’Angelo in a truly moving way. The rapper released a heartfelt tribute track titled “Magic,” marking one of his most emotional releases in years. The song celebrates the neo-soul legend D’Angelo, who sadly passed away earlier this month after a private battle with cancer. Over the smooth, soulful backdrop of D’Angelo’s “One Mo’ Gin” from his 2000 classic Voodoo, Busta reflects deeply, sharing raw and powerful emotions through his storytelling.
Throughout the seven-minute piece, Busta takes listeners on a journey through his 34-year friendship with D’Angelo. He recalls their early sessions with A Tribe Called Quest and describes the lasting connection they built over the decades. Instead of simply celebrating the music, Busta pays homage to the person behind it. He describes D’Angelo as a rare, once-in-a-generation artist who “never needed a co-sign” and “touched the souls of the people and everything between.”
During an interview with Okayplayer, Busta called D’Angelo “a godsend,” reflecting on his influence across R&B and hip-hop. “The Earth shifted when D came to do music,” he said, a statement that perfectly sums up D’Angelo’s impact. Anyone familiar with Brown Sugar, Voodoo, or Black Messiah knows his legacy speaks volumes.
“Magic” feels like a conversation between two lifelong friends. Busta Rhymes gives fans an intimate look at a bond that helped shape decades of soul-infused hip-hop. The tributes pouring in since D’Angelo’s passing highlight not only his extraordinary artistry but also the love and respect he inspired among peers. Lauryn Hill expressed it beautifully, writing, “Thank you for being a beacon of light to a generation and beyond who had no remembrance of the legacy that preceded us.”
