Wale on Kid Cudi: “This is why you gotta keep your circle small.”

Despite Kid Cudi public disparaging him as a “wack” emcee, Wale is choosing not to flame the potential beef with similar inflammatory comments.

Wale, who last weekend celebrated his 26th birthday in his native D.C., defended the use of Cudi’s name in his “Thank You Freestyle”. The line was not intended as a diss, and Wale is dumbfounded as to why his former friend took offense.

“It’s rap music. There wasn’t no malice it in,” Wale explained on DJ Drama’s Shade 45 show. “It is what it is. It’s a line! That’s what rappers do…nine out of 10 rappers wouldn’t take that as a diss…As I’m growing as a man and an artist I’m seeing what you have to do and how you have to carry yourself. [This is why] you gotta keep your circle small.”

In his Complex magazine interview, Cudi implied that Wale is angry at his G.O.O.D. Music family because Kanye West allegedly refused to give him beats. Wale countered that he’s not pressed for an all-star production lineup because of his Roc Nation deal.

“I don’t recall making too much of an effort to work with anybody,” Wale said. “I’m signed to Roc Nation. There’s great producers [there] like Science. I  got my guys from D.C., BKS. It ain’t really all that deep. This ain’t 2001 where the producer was the end-all, be-all. People know I’m a hothead, I’ve been a hothead before. But it’s a change of scenery now. It’s the new D.C.”

In 2008 and 2009, Wale and Kid Cudi were very close friends. The reason behind their falling out has never been disclosed by either emcee.

At press time, neither man has spoken directly with each other. 

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I met Wale back in 2008, right after he had signed his deal with Interscope. He was very approachable and open about his career. I don’t have a bad word to say about the man. I haven’t had the opportunity to meet Cudi yet.

Even so, I find it very amusing for Cudi of all people to refer to another emcee as a “simple ass rapper.” I know some people swear by his debut Man on the Moon. But for me it was a difficult listen to get through because Cudi doesn’t stand out lyrically as an emcee, nor is he a good singer. That Complex interview leads me to believe that by running with Kanye, he’s gotten way too cocky and arrogant. Or, as Wale said on his Twitter, it could have just been the cocaine talking.

Either way, Wale’s move to ignore Cudi makes sense. I’m usually for an emcee responding lyrically to any disputes, especially one that challenges his or her merits as an artist. But does anyone really want to hear a Wale-Cudi batttle?

Didn’t think so.