Jay-Z on Drake vs. Kendrick, Stan Culture, and the Future of Hip-Hop Battles
In a recent interview, Jay-Z reflects on the Drake-Kendrick Lamar beef, the impact of stan culture, and questions the relevance of battling in hip-hop today.
In a rare and wide-ranging interview with GQ, Jay-Z discussed his career, business ventures, and the current state of hip-hop as he prepares for his return to the stage this summer. The conversation touched on everything from rap beefs to the evolution of hip-hop culture.
After praising Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 Super Bowl halftime show performance, Jay-Z delved into the feud between Drake and Lamar, framing it within the context of the “four pillars of hip-hop”: breakdancing, graffiti, DJing, and battling. He observed that these elements have shifted from the core of hip-hop. According to Jay-Z, breakdancing is now an Olympic sport, graffiti's role has changed, and DJs, once central figures like Jazzy Jeff and Eric B., are often overlooked. He noted, "You don’t even know the DJ for half of the artists anymore."
He expressed concern over how stan culture forces fans to take sides, creating a toxic environment. "Now, people that like Kendrick hate Drake, no matter what he makes. It’s like an attack on his character." He argued that the absence of social media in the past allowed for battles to be fun and transient, but now, the content of diss tracks and the surrounding discourse have become excessively negative, especially when children and personal lives are targeted.
Jay-Z addressed the perceived issues between himself and former Roc Nation artist J. Cole, emphasizing that the conflict between Kendrick and Drake fans has created a counterproductive atmosphere in rap. "I love the idea that we got so much music in such a short period of time,” he said. “Just everything around it was like, ‘Man, this is taking us a couple steps back.’"
This led him to question whether battling should remain a pillar of hip-hop. "We’ve just grown so much that—I guess I’m going to say it—I don’t know if battling needs to be part of the culture anymore... Now the last pillar is battling, and these are all the things that come with it. I hate that I have this point of view on it. I do. Because I know what it sounds like. It’s just how I feel about it."
In a separate message, Jay-Z linked antagonistic stan culture to the rise of the far-right, stating, "There is clearly an agenda to silence voices in our community, a heavy right wing agenda... And the culture is happily playing along in the name of this insane thirst of Stan culture to have something on the other side." Reflecting on his past beef with Nas, he admitted regret, acknowledging the hypocrisy given his history of battles. "I actually regret that because I really like Nas,” he said.
Jay-Z also addressed personal matters, reiterating his denial of the accusations in a 2024 lawsuit regarding allegations of drugging and raping a woman in the 1990s with Diddy. He also defended his 2019 NFL deal, explaining it as an opportunity to promote Black music. He cited Bad Bunny’s halftime show as a step towards inclusivity, showcasing the world’s number one streamed artist.
Regarding new music, Jay-Z remains undecided, having passed on contributing to the Clipse comeback album. However, his business ventures continue to thrive. When asked about the negative perception of billionaires, he responded, "I got to give you the honest answer: There’s no tension. I don’t give a fuck what you say. [Laughs.] You can believe what you want to believe."
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