Overview
- Jay‑Z, in a rare GQ cover interview published Tuesday, said modern rap battles cause too much damage in the social‑media era and that he now wonders if battling should remain part of hip‑hop.
- He rejected claims he booked Kendrick Lamar for the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show to slight Drake, saying he chose Kendrick because he was having a “monster year.”
- He criticized stan culture for forcing hard fan allegiances that attack character and even involve families, arguing that the online fallout now overwhelms the music.
- He acknowledged regret over past beefs, citing his clash with Nas, and called his new stance a product of growth even if it sounds hypocritical.
- He linked antagonistic stan dynamics to a “heavy right‑wing agenda,” and the broader context includes Kendrick’s “Not Like Us” becoming a chart‑topping, Grammy‑winning diss as Drake’s defamation case was dismissed with an appeal pending.