Lil Wayne has reportedly recorded a response track to Kendrick Lamar after he namedropped him on his latest album GNX.
Speaking on his eponymous podcast, Joe Budden claimed that Weezy had tried to get in touch with Kendrick Lamar to iron out their issues, but after his attempt was unsuccessful, he chose a different course of action â one, seemingly, less amicable.
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âIâm hearing that somebody picked up the phone, tried to call and see what the energy was. Iâm hearing that Kendrick didnât answer,â the former Slaughterhouse rapper said.
Co-host Lamar âIceâ Burney then interjected to point out that Kendrick is known to âgo months without a phone,â as he revealed in a 2021 letter prior to the release of Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, which might explain why he allegedly didnât pick up.
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âYeah but if Iâm calling you, rapper to rapper, and you donât answer, itâs like what Mark [Lamont Hill] told fucking [Queenz] Flip when they had their shit,â Budden said. âNow, Iâm going in the booth. You have until I get in that booth to hit me back.â
When asked if he was talking about Wayne, Budden replied: âYes,â adding: âIâm hearing that Wayne went in the booth.â
Lil Wayne allegedly tried calling Kendrick Lamar after being name-dropped on 'GNX' but got no answer, so he went in the booth to respond đ
(via The Joe Budden Podcast) pic.twitter.com/dCqsxodWzT
â Kurrco (@Kurrco) November 27, 2024
The claim comes after Kendrick Lamar publicly addressed Lil Wayne â who heâs long cited as one of his favorite rappers â on âwacced out murals,â the thunderous opening song from GNX.
Responding to the rap legendâs comments about not being selected to perform at next yearâs Super Bowl in his hometown of New Orleans â a gig that was given to Kendrick â he rapped: âUsed to bump âTha Carter III,â I held my Rollie chain proud / Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down.â
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He also spit: âWon the Super Bowl and Nas the only one congratulate me / All these n-ggas agitated, Iâm just glad they showed they faces / Quite frankly, plenty artists but they outdated / Old-ass flows, tryna convince me that you they favorite.â
The Young Money founder didnât take kindly to the track, hitting back on X (formerly Twitter) soon after: âMan wtf I do?! I just be chillin & dey still kome 4 my head. Letâs not take kindness for weakness. Let this giant sleep. I beg u all. No one really wants destruction,not even me but I shall destroy if disturbed. On me. Love.â
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Months earlier, Lil Wayne posted a somber video on Instagram expressing his disappointment at being overlooked for the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show, a slot he had openly coveted.
âThat hurt. It hurt a lot,â he said in part. âI thought there was nothing better than that spot and that stage and that platform in my city.â
He added: âIt broke me and Iâm just trying to put me back together.â
While he didnât mention (or congratulate) Kendrick in the video, it only fueled outrage over the NFLâs decision to book the Compton rapstar instead of the New Orleans native.
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Shortly before, a number of Wayneâs rap peers including Nicki Minaj, Birdman, Juvenile and Camâron angrily spoke out against the perceived snub.
Much of this frustration was aimed at JAY-Z, who has helped organize the Super Bowl halftime show since 2020 as a partner of the NFL.
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âItâs one person whoâs stopping this. Itâs not really a secret,â Cam said on his sports talk show It Is What It Is. âLil Wayne had a problem with somebody before whoâs kinda part of the organization running it. This is payback. Whoâs Lil Wayneâs artist? Drake. This is crazy, bro. Itâs ridiculous.â