Joey Bada$$ and Ab-Soul got the opportunity to exchange bars face to face over an allegedly new East Coast-West Coast beef.

Appearing on Red Bull’s new Spiral Freestyle series alongside Big Sean, the two MC’s went head to head over Joey’s apparent issues with the West Coast which previously led to him being called out by Soul’s TDE stablemate Rey Vaughn earlier this year.

Ab-Soul spat during the cypher: “Lyt was heavy and Ray definitely stepped / But this is Hip Hop, you know we still on that / It was healthy for the sport, sticking to the roots, keeping it competitive / Just be lucky that Soul ain’t stepping in.”

The Pro Era star then aired his views on the situation in a meticulous verse: “They don’t want the war with the Martian, they sendin’ they troops / At the general, but I’m the one who Ab salute / They obsolete, can’t compete ’cause I’m too elite / Tryna spark a match but they simply lackin’ the heat / Blasphemy, I don’t need no one to blast for me / Charge into the game, call that shit a catastrophe.”

Joey added: “First off, I could never hate the West Coast / But since n-ggas comin’ for Joe, fuck it then, let’s go / N-ggas must’ve forgot what Dot said on ‘Control’ / There’s still a buncha sensitive rappers in they pyjama clothes. I guess, this ain’t no East versus West / I just think that I’m the best, as a matter fact, I know / These bars could put bad boys on death row / Kinda crazy how Suge and Puff in jail, though (Damn) (Woah) / Yo, I was at the party but I never seen a freak off (Woah) / Instead a battle rapper on stage showing his cheeks off (Ayo).”

He concluded with pointed references at Vaughn, Daylyt and TDE boss Top Dawg: “I ain’t gotta lose no sleep to break Daylyt (Chill) / Shouldn’t give you n-ggas time of day / But fuck it, shine a light on ’em, I’mma light Ray / Now how can I say this all in a nice way? / If you need the attention, tell Top he gotta pay / Look, I said what’s a lil’ pup to a K9, it’s game time.”

The apparent issues between Joey and the West Coast first came to the forefront on his single “The Ruler’s Back” where he played down the success California rap has had over the last year.

Havoc recently sat down with Complex to reflect on his contributions to Kanye West’s landmark 2016 album The Life Of Pablo, which celebrates its tenth anniversary today, Friday, February 14. During the interview, he revisited his involvement in “Famous” featuring Rihanna and “Real Friends” with Ty Dolla $ign. In the middle of the discussion, however, the Mobb Deep icon also hinted that Ye could currently be putting together a joint album with Travis Scott.

Kanye reached out to Havoc for assistance with TLOP, and while they were in California, they revisited several older beats Havoc had previously sent over before zeroing in on “Famous.” The producer and rapper admitted he would not have approached the record the same way West did, but said the creative direction ended up inspiring him in his own work. He also applauded the Yeezy mogul for the way he pulled everything together. “He’s very selective,” he explained to the outlet. “When I was there, even though he had already chosen what was going to make the album, he still had me working on other records because you never know with him, he might come back to it five years later. Recently, I worked on something. I do not want to speak too much on it in case it never drops. But I will say, I think he is putting together a project with Travis Scott, and a few of my records have been selected so far.”

Kanye West & Travis Scott Collabs

Travis Scott has long been viewed as one of Kanye’s protégés, so the possibility of a full collaboration does not seem far fetched, even if plenty of fans remain skeptical. Hearing it from Havoc gives some supporters hope, though he made it clear that nothing is guaranteed and that people should not jump to conclusions. It is also possible that listeners are reading too much into his remarks.

The dynamic between Kanye West and Travis Scott appears to be in a better place now compared to the tension Ye seemed to express toward him earlier in 2025. Travis recently brought Kanye out during a show in Japan, signaling that any past issues may have been resolved.

The two have already built an extensive catalog together, including “Piss On Your Grave,” “Watch,” “Wash Us In The Blood,” “PABLO,” “Praise God,” and “Championships,” among others.

At the moment, both artists are focusing on their own separate releases rather than officially announcing a joint effort. Kanye West is preparing to drop his upcoming album BULLY in the coming weeks, while Travis Scott has been previewing fresh material of his own.

 
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