Jay-Z is concerned about technology and “negativity” ruining the fun of rap battles, especially the highly publicized feud between Kendrick Lamar and Drake.
The 99 Problems host admitted that he loves the “excitement” and “sparring” that comes with rap beefs, but now there are so many negative elements attached to them that he “wishes it never happened.”
“People who like Kendrick don’t like anything Drake makes,” Jay (real name Shawn Carter) told GQ in a newly published cover story. “It’s like an attack on his character. I don’t know if I like it. I don’t know if it helps us grow, especially where the influence is on social media.”
The 25-time Grammy winner believes the “Stance Army” helped make the beef between rappers a bigger issue.
Jay said, “It’s too far. I’ll have to bring other people’s children with me. I don’t like that.”
“I know it sounds like an old man wagging his finger, but when it comes to sparring with music, I think we can accomplish the same thing by collaborating rather than trying to break everything apart,” added the 56-year-old “Empire State of Mind” host.
“It used to be bearable because we didn’t have social media. We had fights and it was fun, so we moved on. At this point, I don’t know if it’s bearable with the technology we have.”
The billionaire hip-hop mogul said social media has helped destroy people’s lives with rap battles and may not need to be part of the culture anymore.
“I don’t know if it’s worth it at this point. I really like the idea that we’ve gotten so much music in such a short amount of time,” he told GQ.
“Everything around us was like, ‘Hey, this is setting us back a few steps.’ We’ve grown so much that I think we’re going to say, I don’t know if fighting needs to be part of the culture anymore,” Jay added.
“We grew out of breakdancing. We love graffiti. Before, the MC’s job was to draw attention to the DJ…We want to hear what the rappers are saying. Now the last pillar is fighting, and these are all the things that come with it. I hate to have this perspective. I do, because I know what it sounds like. That’s just how I feel about it.”
Jay also denied allegations that he was part of a “conspiracy to undermine” Drake by choosing Lamar to headline last year’s Super Bowl halftime show.
“I picked a guy who was having a monster year, and I think it was the right choice. Who cares if two guys are fighting? What does that have to do with me? Good luck,” he said.
“I think they’re bringing everyone in, like we’re all in on this conspiracy to undermine Drake. But what the heck? I’m the king of Jay-Z! (laughs). Respect to him. I’m the king of hob. Respect. That doesn’t make sense,” he added.
Lamar, 38, and Aubrey Graham, aka Drake, stole the headlines in 2024 with their rap beef.
The feud had been slowly brewing for years, but the “Humble” rapper reignited the drama when he disparaged the “Hotline Bling” hitmaker, 39, and J. Cole on Future and Metro Boomin’s hit “Like That.”
“Damn, I secretly despise first-person shooters/I wish they came with three Switches,” he raps, before adding, “Motherf, big three/No, it’s just me being big.” (Cole, 41, referred to himself, Lamar and Drake as the “big three” in his October 2023 song “First Person Shooter”).
Lamar also threw some shade at Drake’s “For All the Dogs” project, rapping, “For all your dogs to be buried/This is a K with all nines, he’s gonna watch ‘Pet Cemetery.'”
The “Degrassi” alum and Lamar exchanged words over several diss tracks.
On “Family Matters,” Drake accused the California native of hitting his longtime fiancée Whitney Alford, sleeping with other women, and being a fake activist.
Meanwhile, Lamar fired back with “Not Like Us,” perhaps the biggest song of 2024.
On the track, the “All the Stars” rapper accused Drake of being a “pedophile” who preys on young girls. (Drake denied the claim.)
“Tell me, Drake, you seem to like young / You better never go to that block of cells / To the bitches who talk to him and make love / Just keep your sister hidden from him.” (Drake was rumored to be dating Brooklyn Nicole, 22, sister of rapper Rat, in 2024).
“Not Like Us” dominated the 2025 Grammy Awards, taking home the coveted awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video.
Drake has filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), accusing him of defamation by suggesting that he had sexual relations with minors and used bots to spread the song. (In October 2025, a judge ruled that the song’s lyrics were non-litigious opinions and dismissed the lawsuit.)
To put the nail in the coffin, Lamar took to the stage during halftime of the 2025 Super Bowl and performed a mashup of his hits, including “Squabble Up,” “Humble,” “DNA,” “Euphoria” and “Not Like Us.”
“I’d love to play their favorite song, but you know they like lawsuits,” Lamar joked before launching into the Mustard-produced diss track.
In January 2026, Drake’s lawyers appealed the ruling, arguing that it set a dangerous precedent for interpreting rap lyrics as protected opinions rather than potentially defamatory.
