Joey Bada$$ decided to kick off 2025 with more than just a champagne toast—he pulled up with bars, shade, and what sounded a lot like East Coast elitism on his New Year’s Day drop, “The Ruler’s Back.” It wasn’t just a flex—it was a warning shot aimed squarely at the West Coast rap scene.
“Too much West Coast dick lickin’, I’m hearin’ n***as throwin’ rocks, really ain’t shit stickin’, ‘Cause if we talkin’ bar for bar, really it’s slim pickings…” Bada$$ raps on the track.
Not exactly a warm holiday greeting. While Bada$$ didn’t name names, fans started squinting at the lyrics like, “Is that a Kendrick sub?” Given that Bada$$ eventually would call out K. Dot by name on the May track “The Finals,” the math was mathing.
Joey Bada$$ sparks East vs. West Coast battle
Lamar kept his cool and his bars tucked away — but not everyone was down to play silent observer.
Enter Ray Vaughn, TDE’s next-up and apparent defender of West Coast honor. On January 8, he fired back with “Crashout Heritage,” a freestyle that didn’t mince words. Joey went subliminal—Ray went for the jugular.
“What’s with the sneak dissin’? Takin’ shots at us, then hide the Uzi, ‘Cause the only badass the world was recognizin’ is Boosie, Please don’t get confused with shootin’ the movies, we really shootin’…” Vaughn states on his own diss record.
The back-and-forth quickly picked up steam. Dada$$ dropped “Sorry Not Sorry” (basically a “don’t come for me unless I send for you” type beat), Ray followed with “Impossible Patty” (which is, objectively, a hilarious name for a diss track), and then… silence. Radio silence. Joey dropped “Pardon Me” in February, brushing off his critics by telling them, “I’m worth y’all time, but y’all just ain’t worth mine.”
Just when it seemed like things had cooled off for good, Ray Vaughn pulled a Uno Reverse with his “Justin Credible Freestyle” on May 7 and lit the spark back up.
Now, Vaughn is recapping what’s gone down so far on the June 6th episode of The Bootleg Kevin Podcast and sharing how TDE’s very own K. Dot has helped him out when it comes to trading bars.
K. Dot’s in his mentor bag
Vaughn revealed that he often calls K. Dot and gets advice from him.
“I’m on the phone when I’m going at Joey [Bada$$], ‘Ay, do you f–k with this?’ I always get feedback. It still got a protocol,” he said.
Apparently, that “protocol” includes heavy editing. Kendrick’s top-tier advice? Less is more.
“If anything, it’s [to] take something out. Like ad-libs, take some ad-libs about…Or if it’s not, it didn’t come out… It’s still the way we run TDE, it’s still the same thing. You’ve got to go down the line. When they post it, it’s going on TDE’s page. N***a, you speaking and it’s coming from our side, come correct,” he said.
Despite the name-drops, the jabs, and the occasional lyrical drive-by, Vaughn made it clear there’s no real animosity. Just good ol’-fashioned rap competitiveness.
“It’s not even no real beef…It’s good for the sport. We got all the podcasters, hip hop media talking about hip-hop. Not who’s texting who, not who’s f****** who…We pushed hip-hop to the forefront again,” he said.
For those wondering what’s next? Vaughn also confirmed that the long-teased TDE compilation album is officially on the way and it’s “fire.” So while the Joey smoke may or may not continue, one thing’s certain: the West Coast has more than enough firepower lined up.
