A Recent History of Rappers Hating On Their Own Music

Lately, lots of MCs have been willing to admit that their work isn't always up to par.

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Complex Original

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Not everything your a celebrated rapper does is going to be praised as their best work, especially in the Internet age. Records leak, artists tweet, and overall they’re more vocal about the creative process, or lack thereof. Remember when N.O.R.E. rapped,  "Melvin Flynt drop, my whole collasso stop/I can't believe I fucked up and made a half-ass album/My excuse is, my pops just died"?

N.O.R.E. once explained the logic behind that line for us, saying, "It was just about being honest. You throw out a product that you’re not proud of...you have a job to try and sell it. But deep down inside you wasn’t 100% feeling it." 

Today, more and more rappers are willing to criticize on their own music. Complex has compiled a list of recent notable moments when rappers have showed a disdain for their own records. Some are debut albums that didn’t capture the full scope of the artist's vision. Others were influenced by the perniciously guided hand of a label exec. This is A Recent History of Rappers Hating On Their Own Music.

Written by Edwin Ortiz (@iTunesEra)

RELATED: How Much Do Your Favorite Rappers Actually Rap?
RELATED: The 20 Most Humiliating Hip-Hop Apologies 

Jay-Z Says He "Messed Up" In My Lifetime, Vol. 1

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What They Dissed: In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 (1997)

What They Said: "If you look back on In My Lifetime, there were songs on there that was brilliant. By the way, I don't listen to that album because I think I messed it up. There's so many incredible records on there that I think I missed having two classics in a row by trying to get on the radio." - Jay-Z 

We know exactly what records Jay should have cut. He should have cut "City Is Mine" because of its awful hook. (Jigga is the "man of the night"? Is he Batman?) And second, he should have never even made "I Know What Girls Like" a.k.a. The Absolute Worst Song in Jay's Catalog.

Drake Wasn't Happy With Thank Me Later

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What They Dissed: Thank Me Later (2010)

What They Said: "To be 100% honest...I wasn't necessarily happy with Thank Me Later. People loved it [but] I just knew what I was capable of with a little more time. I'm very confident in Take Care. I definitely made the exact album that I wanted. I'm very happy with [Take Care]. More so than I've ever been with a project." - Drake

With a breakout year in 2009, the pressure was on for Drake to release an undeniable debut in Thank Me Later. In between stories of late night theatrics, crossover rap ballads, and the occasional heartbreak narrative, the Toronto MC came through with an album that highlighted his best musical assets, along with a high profile list of collaborators that other newcomers could only salivate over. However, the overall direction of the album felt incomplete and rushed, an issue that Drake focused on refining when creating the follow-up, Take Care.

Lupe Fiasco Says He Hates His Own Album

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What They Dissed: Lasers (2010)

What They Said: "One thing I try to stress about this project is, I love and hate this album. I listen to it and I'll like some of the songs. But when I think about what it took to actually get the record together and everything that I went through on this record-which is something I can't separate—I hate this album." - Lupe Fiasco

The saga of Lupe Fiasco's third studio album will go down in history as one of the prime examples of why artists should be weary when a label wants to interfere with their creative process. After dropping the critically acclaimed and commercially successful The Cool, Lupe jumped back in the studio to work on his new album Lasers. After hearing the finished product, Atlantic sent Lupe back to the drawing board with handpicked records that they felt would be more commercially viable. A not-so-pleasant back and forth occurred between the artist and label, with Lupe Fiasco eventually surrendering his manifesto for a project that sold well but was panned by his hardcore fan base. 

Eminem Disses Relapse Multiple Times

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What They Dissed: Relapse (2009)


What They Said: "Let's be honest, that last Relapse CD was 'ehhh'/Perhaps I ran them accents into the ground" - "Not Afraid"

When Eminem made his return to music in 2009 with Relapse, fans could have cared less that Slim Shady was let loose on another rampage as long as the Detroit MC was filling their ear drums with the same intense lyricism of his earlier days. A year later, in a more sobering and mature tone, Em provided some clarity to his decision to conjure up his colorful persona. He would admit Relapse's shortcomings on Recovery's first single, and then diss it again (as well as his fourth album, Encore) on "Talkin 2 Myself" by saying, "Them last two albums didn't count/Encore I was on drugs, Relapse I was flushing em out."

Lil Wayne Calls His "Yuck" Verse "Wack As Hell"

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What They Dissed: "Yuck" (2012)

What They Said: "I'm very upset about that, just so everybody knows. [2 Chainz] put me on there, I sound wack as hell. He did not tell me that was gonna be the first song on his album. We [were] just in the studio, and I just did that. I was just in there messing around." - Lil Wanye

Known for his incomparable work ethic in the studio, it's reasonable to believe that not every Lil Wayne verse is made with greatness in mind. Hell, he probably takes a few sessions off just to get his creative juices flowing. Such would be the case on "Yuck," his verse for 2 Chainz's debut album Based on a T.R.U. Story. With Wayne seemingly rambling on through a stream of consciousness, you would think it was his first take. It's not like the record is buried somewhere on the project; it's the opening track. Weezy was none too proud when he found out 2 Chainz kept the verse as is.

Raekwon Says 8 Diagrams Was Rushed

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What They Dissed: 8 Diagrams (2007)

What They Said: "When we listened to the finals of the finals, we was like, 'Nah, this album is rushed. It's not it. It's not where we want it to be'...It's just not what we want to present coming after six years." - Raekwon

After a six-year hiatus as a group, the Wu-Tang Clan jumped back in the studio together to record their fifth album 8 Diagrams. De facto ring leader RZA took it upon himself to carve out the project's blueprint, and rightfully so considering his track record. His decision, though, to experiment with other elements of music didn't necessarily fly with the rest of the group, and Raekwon publicly announced his disapproval.

Wiz Khalifa Concedes He Could Have Done Better on Rolling Papers

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What They Dissed: Rolling Papers (2011)

What They Said: "The album did great numbers, but creatively wasn't my best work." - Wiz Khalifa

Wiz Khalifa was at the tipping point of stardom in 2010, and once he released the chart-topping "Black & Yellow," all bets were off. Appropriately, Atlantic Records scurried to capitalize on his newfound success. Better known for exuberantly hazy cuts that put the listener in a certain mood, Rolling Papers came off as sluggish, and the Pittsburgh rapper likewise traded in his brand of rap for a pop aesthetic that even his most dedicated fans challenged.

Ghostface Killah Admits His Work Between Supreme Clientele and Fishscale Was Uninspired

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What They Dissed: Bulletproof Wallets, The Pretty Toney Album

What They Said: "He's an animal, he's hungry. You ain't been hungry since Supreme Clientele!" - "The Champ"

The rap game is a competitive sport and no MC wants to ever admit that they "lost it." Four solo albums in, and not to mention his ongoing run with Wu-Tang Clan, Ghostface Killah somehow found himself faced with the notion that he was falling off. The Staten Island MC was held to a higher standard, and his latest releases Bulletproof Wallets and The Pretty Toney Album were nitpicked by critics, fans, and Ghostface himself. Set to a playful yet raw demeanor, "The Champ" off Fishscale was his return to razor sharp lyricism.

Juvenile Says He Was Physically and Mentally Burnt Out During Tha G-Code

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What They Dissed: Tha G-Code (1999)

What They Said: "I could've did way better. I actually think that 'U Understand' was one of the more creative songs on that album, but again it was a spinoff of 'Ha.' I shouldn't have ever did a song like that. You get exhausted man...I was like, 'Man, I can't run 24/7, two to three years in a row.' I needed a break." - Juvenile

Juvenile came out the gate as a teen in 1995 with a fire in his belly. With vivid lyricism to match his quick wit and a magnetic southern drawl, people quickly gravitated toward him, and his third album 400 Degreez eventually turned him into a household name across the country. Extensive touring, numerous video shoots, and constant requests to be everywhere, the New Orleans rapper soon found himself struggling to finish his follow-up project Tha G-Code a year later. As he puts it, we can only do so much as humans.

Big Sean Wasn't Comfortable With His Work on Finally Famous

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What They Dissed: Finally Famous (2011)

What They Said: "I ain't really like it that much. On the first album I wasn't really in love with every single one. I just think it was a timing thing, I just started getting into the groove I was starting to feel comfortable right when it was due. Really when it was past due, and it kind of fucked me up." - Big Sean

After sitting on Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music imprint before it was all trendy (what up Pusha T!), Detroit native Big Sean finally got the call to showcase his talents in 2011 with Finally Famous. Spawning a mixtape series by the same name, Big Sean was determined to hit the ground running on his debut, and records like "My Last" and "Dance (A$$)" solidified him as an artist with commercial appeal. A year later and at work on his sophomore set Hall of Fame, Big Sean explained that his comfort level during the recording process of Finally Famous was not up to snuff.

Method Man Feels He Went the Wrong Direction With Tical 0: The Prequel

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What They Dissed: Tical 0: The Prequel (2004)

What They Said: "I wasn't true to myself [on The Prequel] for the simple fact that, look at who I was working with...I'm not trying to take nothing way from Puff, he's the biggest artist on Bad Boy. But Puff with Meth don't mesh. We don't party the same way." - Method Man

Along with Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, Method Man has been one of the most visible members of Wu-Tang. However, in 2004 he decided to take a more loose approach to his music, calling in various producers to bring a different dynamic to Tical 0: The Prequel. What transpired was a product that couldn't find any traction from a street or commercial standpoint, and Meth saw the writings on the wall immediately.

Gucci Mane Prefers "It's Alive" Over "Gucci Time"

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What They Dissed: "Gucci Time" (2010)

What They Said: In an interview with The Breakfast Club, Gucci called "Gucci Time" the worst song of his career. 

It's understandable that a rapper would prefer some songs over others in their catalog. For Gucci Mane, that happened to be a few choice cuts from his 2010 sophomore album The Appeal: Georgia's Most Wanted. When asked about his favorite song, Gucci described a personal choice while also condemning another without skipping a beat. We apprecaite Gucci's honestly, but that dude has made a lot of decisions way worse than recording "Gucci Time."

Machine Gun Kelly Despises The Process of "Invincible"

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What They Dissed: "Invincible" (2012)

What They Said: "First off, I hated the song when I first did it because it was brought to me by corporate America. So basically Jimmy Iovine was like hey, first off they didn't even come to me with the song, it was like a contest between the Interscope rappers like Yelawolf, Kendrick Lamar and myself, which I found out. It sucked and I hated it." - Machine Gun Kelly

Cleveland rapper Machine Gun Kelly definitely owned up to his "wild boy" persona early on, with the handcuff scars to prove it. So when it came time to pick out the first single to lead his Interscope debut Laced Up, naturally his label went with a pop record about personal perseverance backed by vocals from a singer better known for her work with Chris Brown. Okay. In retrospect, the record itself wasn't that bad, but MGK was also aware of the backdoor discussions that were occurring.

Game Cops a Plea About L.A.X.'s Modest Reception

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What They Dissed: L.A.X. (2008)

What They Said: "I gave you The Documentary, shit was a classic/Gave you Doctor's Advocate, you ripped it out the package/Came with L.A.X., since critics said it was average/I was stressed the fuck out torn between Aftermath and Geffen." - "The City"

Aside from the vexing task of navigating through limitless name drops, Game has always been pretty bi-polar honest. His debut The Documentary is a classic, while his follow-up was an admirable project that proved he could survive without Dr. Dre or 50 Cent by his side. When it came to L.A.X. though, the Compton rapper lacked the demeanor that made him a figurehead for gangster rap's revival. Never one to leave a stone unturned, Game acknowledged this on the Kendrick Lamar-assisted record "The City."

Redman Says Drugs Stop Him From Revisiting Dare Iz a Darkside

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What They Dissed: Dare Iz a Darkside (1994)

What They Said: "I was doing a lot of drugs on Dare Iz A Darkside...I swear, I have not played Dare Iz A Darkside damn near since I did it. Seriously! I was so lost, I was so fucked up during that album." - Redman 

There's many reasons a rapper can use to explain why a record didn't come out the way they intended it. For Redman's sophomore album Dare Iz a Darkside, that reason happened to be drugs, and lots of them at that. Considering his relationship with Mary Jane, this shouldn't come as a surprise.

Lil Wayne Denounces "Dear Anne"

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A$AP Rocky Says He Didn't Have Enough Involvement In Lord$ Never Worry

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