Jay-Z apparently took the chance to address Drake and the artist formerly known as Kanye West during a new freestyle performed at the Roots Picnic in Philadelphia on Saturday (May 30).
While on stage, and debuting a new afro, Jay-Z performed a fresh freestyle that appeared to be directed at the two artists who’ve had words for him in recent years.
One line seemed to call out Drake, who seemingly dissed him on his recently released album, Iceman.
“A rapper can’t be my opp,” Jay-Z rapped. “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.”
Jay-Z also addressed Ye, who previously made derogatory remarks about the Roc Nation founder’s children.
“You ever heard of wunderkind? My children are some of them/Have you n***as have no shame/You really wanna get under my skin? I’ll really get under ya skin (stab)/ask Un how I’m playing,” Hov rapped.
Jay-Z’s apparent disses came for good reason. Jay-Z is a popular topic for Drake, who addressed him on the track “Janice STFU” on Iceman.
On that song, Drake rapped, “You boys got big on my name, that’s big enough/We know how you OGs rocking already my n***a, the jig is up.”
On another track on the project, Drake seemingly went at Jay-Z again, rapping, “I’ll take $500K, not the dinner/I never could learn shit from none of y’all.”
The line hinted at the popular social media debate over whether someone would accept a large amount of money instead of going to dinner with Jay-Z and learning about his business mindset.
As for why he’d diss Ye, Jay-Z has good reason. In a post last year, Ye, in the midst of a rant, referred to Jay-Z’s twins, Rumi and Sir, with the R-word before making a separate joke about Down syndrome. Ye later apologized for the post.
