Hit-Boy has taken a page out of Kendrick Lamar’s “Control” playbook by calling out the competition on wax — specifically, his fellow producers.
In a video shared on Instagram by Rory & Mal podcast co-host Rory Farrell on Wednesday (March 8), the multi-platinum producer can be heard taking aim at Metro Boomin, Southside, Mustard and other contemporary hitmakers on a new song being played in the studio.
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“Unfortunately I’m the mutual friend thats instigating the beef rather than fixing it lol … it’s on you @hitmaka .. and a few more [eyes emoji],” Rory wrote in his caption.
Hit-Boy — who was crowned HipHopDX’s Producer of the Year in 2022 thanks to his King’s Disease 3 collaboration with Nas, among other work — begins his campaign in Atlanta, throwing shade at trap titans Metro Boomin and Southside for their purportedly one-dimensional sound.
“I’m usually homeboys with producers I get compared to, but on this one I want to say I’m stretched out, extra leg room/ I don’t really know dude, he seem like a cool cat/ But I never once heard Metro Boomin do boom bap/ I never heard a Southside beat without an 808 in it/ HB in drunk-driver mode, I swerve in every lane with it,” he raps over a soulful, piano-laced beat.
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The “Backseat Freestyle” hitmaker then sets his sights on fellow California native Mustard, wondering aloud whether the 10 Summers boss is also just a one-trick pony.
“I fuck with Mustard, he can make that ratchet shit with his eyes closed/ But now I’m starting to wonder can that n-gga chop soul?” his verse continues.
The most vicious bars, however, are reserved for Hitmaka (formerly known as Yung Berg), who earlier this week claimed to be a better producer than Hit-Boy because he has more songs on the radio.
“See, but I’m on the radio; Hit-Boy’s not on the radio,” Hitmaka said during an interview on Hot 97 after Ebro Darden brought up the similarity between their names. “Nah, I love Hit-Boy. Hit-Boy’s a legendary producer, he’s been doing it way longer than me, he’s a great guy.
“But I’m keeping it a B, though: if you play the soundtrack to your life for the last four or five years on radio, I know it’s gotta be frustrating for him because my name is so similar, my brother. But Hitmaka.”
In response, Hit-Boy invokes notorious Detroit rapper Trick Trick, who has been known to hold sway over who can and who can’t step foot in the Motor City (ask Rick Ross), while threatening to “snatch” the “Hit” out of Hitmaka’s name.
“I just seen Yung Berg spoke on the wave, I should do him like Trick Trick and snatch Hit out his name/ I had decoded the game, I had the coldest of days/ I’m like Bieber on his cruise, how you got no credits without co-producers?” he raps.
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It didn’t take long for Hitmaka to respond as the “Down Bad” producer fired back in the comments section of Rory’s Instagram post.
“@hitboy I really just listened…. is this your like attempt to do whatever Kendrick did on that big Sean record for producers?? [laughing face emojis],” he wrote. “U ARE A TERRIBLE ARTIST. SEND ME BEATS PLS [laughing face emojis].”
TDE rapper Reason also reacted with: “This crazy,” while Sy Ari Da Kid left three shocked face emojis. Metro Boomin, Southside or Mustard, however, have yet to respond.
Hit-Boy’s provocative bars arrive during what’s shaping up to be another prolific year for the Grammy-winning producer. So far in 2023, he’s dropped “2 LIVE” with Offset, shared the first single from his and Musiq Soulchild’s upcoming album Victims & Villains (out March 10) and picked up credits on Don Toliver’s Love Sick and the Dreamville-curated Creed III soundtrack.
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There’s plenty more in store, too, including a joint project with Benny The Butcher called Everybody Can’t Go (which will serve as the follow-up to 2020’s Burden of Proof) and a fourth installment in Nas and Hit-Boy’s King’s Disease series, reportedly boasting a rare feature from 50 Cent.
