Big Sean Raps That He Hasn’t Had the Energy to ‘Compete With Enemies or Y’all So-Called Bigger Three’
It’s not entirely clear what that statement means, but if Sean is already putting a spotlight on the “so-called bigger three” in hip-hop, does this mean his long-simmering pseudo-rivalry with Kendrick could finally boil over?
Their differences started just over a decade ago when Kendrick’s verse stole the show on Big Sean’s “Control (HOF).” The song was released ahead of his sophomore studio album Hall of Fame, but never appeared on the project due to sample clearance issues.
Many wondered if the track was scrapped because “Control (HOF)” did not have the desired effect for Sean, and instead put all of the attention on Kendrick.
Since then, the two have engaged in subliminal messages here and there, but it has never escalated beyond that. Sean drops a bar seemingly about K. Dot under the guise of addressing rappers in general; an unreleased Kendrick song featuring a jab at Sean leaks; the cycle continues.
Another alleged K. Dot song surfaced last year where the Compton native actually mentioned Sean by name. “Big Sean keep sneak dissin’, I let it slide,” he raps in the original version of “Element.” “I think his false confidence got him inspired, I can’t make them respect you baby, it’s not my job.”
While people believed the song was fake, Jay Rock complicated matters by suggesting it was real. Real or not, Big Sean did not interpret the bars as a diss.