Joey Bada$$ has joined with Mountain Drew to release “Victory,” a new track that will be performed live during the NBA All-Star weekend in New Orleans. The song also serves as the first hint at the nature of The Courtside Project, an NBA partnership which aims at showcasing basketball from a cultural angle. Joey’s sophomore album, ABBA, is rumored to drop before the summer.
Produced by Adam Pallin and Kirk Knight, Joey Bada$$ reflects on his and America’s political future on “Land of the Free.” Note the Tupac-like inflections on the chorus. The track serves as a lead-in for Joey’s forthcoming sophomore project ABBA.
Joey Bada$$ is celebrating success on his new single “Devastated.” Drawing on his pre-fame tribulations, Joey details how it lead him to success. The song marks his directorial debut and also features Joey’s extended Pro Era family.
Joey Bada$$ – I desTROY AVErage rappers…
The beef between Joey Bada$$ and Troy Ave got extremely personal earlier this month when the latter made a diss record disparaging the suicide of Pro Era’s Capitol Steez. Joey remained quiet about making a response until his appearance today on Sway In the Morning. The timing couldn’t be better as Troy Ave continued the disrespect by dropping a video today for his “Badass” diss.
From a lyrical standpoint, you’d be hard-pressed to rule in Troy’s favor. Over some classic beats, Joey was quick and vicious in dismissing Troy’s merits as an emcee.
The drama won’t let up
You reap what you sow
Men lie, women lie, numbers sure don’t
Got the whole Beast Coast coming for your skull
The karma gon’ catch up
The album sales wont…
He took a leap of faith and it only brightened his light
you took a cheap shot at hating and it only shortened your life
Difference between you and him is he live forever
you be the first to die who nobody ever remembers
cuz they city never needed you ever
you committed career suicide and made new York betterI gave you one line
You made a whole song
Here’s some more lines
You’ll be working year-long…
Aside from lyrics, I liked the subliminal shots they both took in their presentation. Troy, despite the awkward intro disclaimer, was definitely making a statement by shooting his video on a roof, as Steez ended his life by jumping off one. And Joey made it clear who’s more skilled by leaving his phone face down, something Troy infamously couldn’t do while on Sway’s show.
Joey takes this round 10-8 on my card.
**********************************
Joey Bada$$ is repping for the borough that raised him on the Statik Selektah-produced “Brooklyn’s Own.” This laidback, jazzy tune will throw people off, as some were undoubtedly expecting the next Bada$$ record to address Troy Ave’s recent diss. Instead, Joey lyrically focuses on survival, love of BK, and incorporating a chorus that flips the Mary Jane Girls’ “All Night Long.” Is it just me, or do the melodic portions of his flow reminiscent of early Pharcyde?
Kirk Knight and Joey Bada$$ are on the run in the latest video off Knight’s Late Knight Special project. Directed by Slick Jackson and produced by Guy Blelloch, Kirk and Joey are able to survive being hunted by relying on each other.
The disrespect knows no bounds on Troy Ave’s new record “Badass,” which takes aim at Pro Era captain Joey Badass. Troy and Joey had been taking little swipes at each other in interviews, but Joey recently took it on wax last week with the Statik Selektah produced “Ready.”
60K first week for the Bada$$
200K to this day I know you niggass mad
With the 80-20 split my n**** do the math
My nigga Kirk just outsold Troy Ave
For his retort, Troy Ave gets personal in bringing up Joey’s close friend Capital Steez, who committed suicide in 2012.
Don’t get suicidal like your friend
It’s a casket
Steez burning in hell
My burners on my belt
I’m really killing sh*t
You n*ggas killing yourself
F*cking weirdos
Off the roof, ‘Steer clear yo!
This n*gga tryna fly, he think he a superhero’
Splat, man
F*ck you and that man
And all three labels you signed to, they wack man
Did Troy go too far? Hip-Hop’s history is well documented with battle bars that exceed most definitions of basic decency and respect. The problem here is Troy’s mission to humiliate his rival has him belittling a topic that’s affected many people in suicide. That alone might cause a backlash he didn’t factor in.
Joey had the below response on Twitter. Should he respond on wax, or has this now gone beyond Hip-Hop battle records?
