Kanye West has never been one to hold back, and during his recent string of provocations, he’s now turned his attention to Kendrick Lamar—again. The latest barb comes as Ye continues to question not only Kendrick’s stature in hip-hop, but also his broader influence on pop culture.
In a cryptic but targeted post, West referenced Kendrick’s past collaboration with Taylor Swift, suggesting the Compton rapper compromised his integrity by aligning with mainstream pop aesthetics. “I know that Kendrick did not like Taylor Swift dancing to the A minor line,” West wrote. “How is that ‘culture’?”
The comment appears to reference Swift’s choreography during one of her performances, perhaps aimed at the revamped version of “Bad Blood.” Kendrick originally appeared on the 2015 remix of the song, which helped cement Swift’s crossover into hip-hop-adjacent pop. He later re-recorded his vocals for Swift’s re-release as part of her ongoing battle for control of her masters.
West’s dig is twofold: it questions Lamar’s place as a so-called defender of the culture while revisiting his own long-standing feud with Swift, a saga dating back to the 2009 MTV VMAs. But it’s also personal. Both Lamar and Swift represent distinct industry paths that Ye has clashed with—one steeped in artistic restraint, the other in pop supremacy.
Drake entered the fray last year, referencing Kendrick’s loyalty to Swift during their high-profile feud. On his diss track “Push Ups,” Drake mocked Lamar’s rumored rush to record vocals for Swift’s re-release:
“Then we need a verse for the Swifties / Top say drop, you better drop and give ‘em 50.” The line frames Kendrick as a pawn of his label boss, Top Dawg, and hints that Swift’s fandom holds more sway over Lamar’s moves than the streets.
Kanye’s latest remarks play into a broader narrative he’s been pushing—one where Kendrick is positioned as a polished, industry-anointed figure rather than a rebellious voice of the people. While Kendrick remains largely silent, West continues to fire shots, stoking tensions not just between artists, but between clashing visions of Black artistry, authenticity, and commercial power.
As usual, Ye’s criticism reveals more about his own worldview than the artists he targets. But in choosing to question Lamar’s credibility through his link to Taylor Swift, Kanye has once again stirred the pot—blurring the lines between personal grievance and public critique.
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