Big Sean Shuts Down Theory He Dissed Kendrick Lamar in New Freestyle, Fans Speculate Ye Is Intended Target
Big Sean is on quite the run lately, though confusion has abounded over some choice lines from a new freestyle.
Big Sean has tapped into a whole new energy in recent days, including in his just-released freestyle recorded at On the Radar studios.
As you’ve no doubt seen in subsequent hours, the freestyle, rapped over Aaliyah’s "If Your Girl Only Knew," boasts a few choice lines that some were quick to try and connect to Kendrick Lamar. Namely, the author of the upcoming Go Higher: Five Practices for Purpose, Success, and Inner Peace gave listeners an update on his current state of mind, with would-be beefs having no place in his life at this point:
I had to switch the home team 'cause they committed treason
Eliantte how the piece hit
I'm feeling seasick
N***as looking for engagment like they got their knee bent
I got better things to do than find someone to beef with
Or else I'm off the deep end
The Kendrick speculation was swift, especially in light of his and Drake’s recent back-and-forth, not to mention his and Sean’s own issues in connection with the classic "Control" verse from 2013. But linking the latest freestyle to Kendrick misses a key development in the Seaniverse circa Detroit 2 in 2020, as the six-time Grammy nominee rapped on "Deep Reverence," featuring the late Nipsey Hussle, that his and Kendrick’s perceived issues were never "real" and could instead be attributed to sheer "lack of communication." Sean elaborated further on where he and Kendrick stood during a Sway interview that same year.
"The mutual respect me and him have for each other is that of like kings and brothers. We respect each other to the fullest," Sean said at the time.
DJ Hed, who’s worked with Kendrick in the past, has since said that he spoke with Sean about the freestyle, claiming that the line getting so much traction on X and beyond was actually intended for "a different Gemini." While the Bigger Picture panelist didn’t specifically name which Gemini, it wasn’t hard for fans to peg this description on none other than the artist formerly known as Kanye West, who is (quite famously) an important figure in Sean's earliest musical breakthroughs.
While Sean was at one point a star of Ye's GOOD Music roster, the Vultures artist said in a 2021 Drink Champs interview that signing him to his label was "the worst thing" he's ever done. Despite this, Sean and Ye were photographed together mere months later, seemingly suggesting, at least at the time, that any ensuing issues didn't stick.
Worth pointing out here is that Sean himself cautioned against the "many narratives" being presented via a since-deleted tweet on Tuesday.
In screenshots captured by TMZ, Sean is seen commenting under the @djakademikstv account on Instagram. Sean wrote, "Jack Reacher. You my n***a AK, but u reaching on this one."
Still, the Ye speculation has persisted, even despite Sean having also recently previewed an unreleased collaboration with Ye that may or may not end up making its way to a potential Vultures continuation.
See what fans are saying below, including a mention of additional lines from Sean's freestyle, one of which has been interpreted as a possible reference to the matching tattoos Ye got with Lil Uzi Vert and Steve Lacy in 2022.
As for the Kendrick chatter, some have been quick to call that out as a reach, including Rob Markman. Big Sean also agreed with Rob's take.
