Music

Bobby Shmurda Rips Jay-Z Over Roots Picnic Freestyle: ‘Sit Down Old Head'

Bobby Shmurda took aim at Jay-Z's Roots Picnic freestyle, mocking the rap icon on Instagram and comparing his performance to Shakespeare.

Bobby Shmurda smiling in a green cap and black jacket; on the right, Jay-Z with glasses and a beanie.
(Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images), (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

Bobby Shmurda isn't feeling Jay-Z's latest lyrical performance.

The Brooklyn rapper took aim at the Roc Nation founder on Instagram after clips from Jay-Z's freestyle performance at the Roots Picnic began circulating online. In the footage, Jay delivered a lengthy spoken-word style verse that touched on several high-profile figures, including Drake, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Tory Lanez, and Dame Dash.

Bobby made it clear he wasn't impressed.

"Now niccas NWA lmaooo," he wrote on his Instagram Story while sharing a post about the freestyle.

In a second post, Shmurda mocked Jay-Z's age and artistic direction.

"Niccas be 56 years old going through identity christ [sic]. Lmaooo. Like who you going be next fronting ass nicca. lol nicca too old for that shit go sit down old head," he added.

Bobby didn't stop there. Sharing another image referencing the Roots Picnic performance, he compared Jay's delivery to classical theater.

"This nicca doing Shakespeare," he wrote.

Bobby's comments come after he blasted the Roc Nation founder during a livestream in April after being asked whether Hov runs hip-hop.

"Man, fuck them n***as," Shmurda said before dismissing the idea that Jay-Z controls the culture. He later referred to Roc Nation as "Opp Nation," a nickname he has used on multiple occasions.

The tension is notable given Shmurda's history with Roc Nation. In 2021, shortly after his release from prison, he signed a management deal with the company. The partnership eventually ended, and Shmurda has since become increasingly vocal about his frustrations with both Roc Nation and certain figures within the music business.

Meanwhile, Jay-Z's freestyle became one of the most talked-about moments from Roots Picnic after the rap icon appeared to address several longtime rivals and industry figures in the performance. Most notably he appeared to respond to Drake, who seemingly took aim at Hov on Iceman.

“A rapper can’t be my opp,” Jay-Z rapped over the weekend. “The jig is up/N***a I’m up 10/ Wrong chart, champ, you gotta look up again/N****s look up to HOV/I never looked up to them.”

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