Joey Bada$$ Leads Wave of East-West Rap Diss Tracks

In 2025, a fierce rap feud erupted between East Coast's Joey Bada$$ and West Coast's Ray Vaughn, sparked by Joey's New Year's Day release, "The Ruler's Back," which criticized the West Coast's impact on hip-hop, echoing Jay-Z's line about "too much West Coast dick licking." This sparked a series of diss tracks between the two and their affiliates, including Daylyt, Reason, AZ Chike, CJ Fly, and Loaded Lux, escalating into a complex multi-artist battle that has drawn in numerous rappers from both coasts. Joey Bada$$ called out Kendrick Lamar to join the conflict, but K-Dot has remained silent, focused on his tour. While some view the feud as less culturally significant than the 2024 Kendrick-Drake rivalry, it has nonetheless provided an entertaining display of lyrical prowess and coast-based allegiances. The ongoing battle features sharp wordplay and references to previous hip-hop rivalries, with Joey asserting his dominance and the West Coast rappers responding with a mix of measured and aggressive diss tracks. Despite the heated exchanges, there is an understanding that this remains a competitive and performative aspect of the rap game rather than a personal or violent conflict.