Drake speaks on His Part in Lil Wayne vs. Jay-Z feud and being dissed by Pusha T

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

In the days before Tha Carter IV was released, fans were floored by "It's Good." The track features Jadakiss and Drake rapping tough-guy lyrics. After their verses, Lil Wayne closes the song. His verse contains disses aimed at Jay-Z in response to his "baby money" diss aimed at Birdman on "H.A.M."

During his interview with Funkmaster Flex, Drake discussed the song, in-depth. Previously, Drake stated he had no parts in the diss on Jay-Z. But, with Flex, Drake admitted he heard the song before it leaked. However, he said all he did was rap his verse over the beat and then Lil Wayne did his verse.

Drake went on to say he is a soldier for Lil Wayne and respects his comments about him. Speaking on the "It's Good track," he said Lil Wayne did what he had to do. Still, Drake said he has nothing but love and respect for Jay-Z. Drake discussed how "H.A.M." was directed at Birdman, and credited Jay-Z as his mentor and Wayne as his brother, separating himself from the situation.

There is a potential situation between Drake and Pusha T. Recently, Pusha T mentioned Drake on his new track, "Don't Fuck with Me." Many feel Pusha T dissed Drake on the song. After listening to the song, several times, Drake said he could not find the diss. Because he has never met Pusha T, Drake said if he did diss him, it is an internal problem with Pusha and not his problem. Drake went on to say he is a fan of The Clipse and said if Pusha T was calling him out, he should make it more direct next time.

While Drake says he is up for whatever, he was not offended by the track.

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J. Cole talks Lil Wayne vs. Jay-Z, who is better

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Before he was a famous rapper, with a number one album, J. Cole was a fan. Among the rappers he admired, growing up, was Jay-Z and he now records for his label. Despite this, J. Cole is still a fan of the rap game.

Evidenced in the title of his album, J. Cole has been on the sidelines, watching the rap game. J. Cole was watching when Jay-Z dropped the "baby money" line in "H.A.M." Like the rest of the world, he was shocked when Lil Wayne hit back on "It's Good."

While the beef was still brewing, J. Cole downplayed the barbs between Lil Wayne and Jay-Z. Days later, both Lil Wayne and Jay-Z denied any beef going on. Both rappers are known for their subliminal lines.

Once again, J. Cole discussed Lil Wayne vs. Jay-Z, but this time the focus was not on the beef. DJ Absolut spoke with the Fayetteville rapper, asking him how he felt was the better rapper. Staying out of the line of fire, J. Cole said both rappers are great. J. Cole also said it is not about who is the better emcee, as he does not think that matters.

J. Cole has also already started working on his sophomore album, which should be released sometime next year.

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Will Lil Wayne respond to 50 Cent this time?

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Last week, 50 Cent took shots at Lil Wayne and Game on his new song, "Love, Hate." This is not the first time 50 Cent has decided to go after Lil Wayne. 50 Cent was used to being the focal point of the hip hop scene. However, by 2007 his popularity had waned and the people wanted more of Lil Wayne.

Angry because he was losing his grip with the fans, 50 Cent was no fan of Lil Wayne. Adding insult to injury, Lil Wayne was also friends with many of 50 Cent's rivals. Lil Wayne performed the hook on the popular Fat Joe single, "Make it Rain." Ja Rule even turned to Wayne for a verse on his comeback single, "Uhh Ohhh!"

Lil Wayne's popularity and choice of friends gave 50 Cent the ammo to go after him. Despite the disses from 50 Cent, Lil Wayne refused to give him a response. Wanting an Eminem collaboration, Lil Wayne said he may start a feud with Em if he did not reply to his messages. However, each time 50 Cent said something, Lil Wayne chose to ignore it.

In 2008, it turned out Lil Wayne had intentions of dissing 50 Cent. A freestyle called "Louisianimal" leaked to the internet and it was obviously Lil Wayne taking shots at 50 Cent. Nearly a month after the song came out, 50 Cent questioned why Lil Wayne dissed him. In response, Lil Wayne's team said the song was recorded in 2007, while 50 Cent was dissing him. By 2008, Lil Wayne and 50 Cent had almost become friends, shaking hands at the 2008 BET Awards.

Early in 2009, 50 Cent made plans for a major feud with Lil Wayne. However, a diss from Rick Ross entirely changed the dynamics. 50 Cent shifted his focus to Rick Ross, nearly forgetting all about Wayne. In the time since then, Lil Wayne has released more albums and has continued to dominate the radio waves and the charts. Rick Ross has also experienced much success, with fans and fellow hip hop artists giving him props as the biggest rapper in the game.

Now, 50 Cent is releasing new music in hopes of getting his spot back. On his "Love, Hate" song, 50 Cent responds to Game's frequent disses and takes aim at Lil Wayne. With Lil Wayne holding the top spot in the game, will he respond to 50 Cent's disses. Usually non-confrontational, Lil Wayne has already decided to go after Jay-Z, with his "It's Good" track. Will Lil Wayne now refocus his energy on 50 Cent, the hip hop bully, and come out with more lyrical ammo.

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Lil Wayne explains feud with Jay-Z

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Before his career reached its current level, Lil Wayne tried to challenge Jay-Z. During the 2006-2007 period, Lil Wayne released several Jay-Z diss songs. All of these tracks were ignored by Jay-Z and he invited Lil Wayne to record on "Hello Brooklyn 2.0."

Lil Wayne returned the favor on "Mr. Carter," featuring Jay-Z, and sampling his line from "Lucky Me." In 2009, Jay-Z released his comeback, The Blueprint 3. He featured Drake, who had recently signed with Young Money.

Birdman had many negative things to say about Jay-Z, following the release of his comeback album. Among the things he said, Birdman continued to claim his camp had more money than Jay-Z. A response finally came from Jay-Z on "H.A.M." with his "baby money" diss.

Nearly nine months went by, without an official response from the Cash Money camp. Lil Wayne teamed up with Jadakiss and Drake for his "It's Good" track. On the song, all three rappers are talking about hardships and how they overcome them. Lil Wayne has the final verse on the song and he uses it as an outlet to respond to Jay-Z's "baby money" diss.

The diss turned heads and everyone has had something to say about it. Most rappers, including those signed to Cash Money, have said they want to see the beef. The reason many want the beef is because hip hop was established on competition. Recently, Lil Wayne fully addressed the Jay-Z diss and how he feels about the comments by outsiders.

Lil Wayne said there is no competition with rappers. According to the Young Money CEO, the gangsta rappers, skateboard rappers, and white rappers are all happy. Competition in hip hop died a long time ago, as Lil Wayne feels. Lil Wayne went on to say competition died with "them old ass rappers." Now, says the ever-popular rapper, everyone is focused on making money and good music.

When asked about dissing Jay-Z, Lil Wayne said it is all in how a person interprets what he said. Wayne said he knows he will never be upset by a person's reaction to anything he says. Because of this, Lil Wayne says what he wants to. Lil Wayne said every man has to face the consequences of what they do and he also said he knows there will not be any for his "It's Good" song.

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J. Cole speaks on issues between Lil Wayne and Jay-Z

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Today marks the official release of J. Cole's debut album, Cole World: The Sideline Story. With his album out, J. Cole has been making his promotional rounds. J. Cole spoke with Hot 97 about a number of topics. After talking about his album, the conversation shifted to the "feud" between Jay-Z and Lil Wayne.

Ever since 2009, Birdman has been challenging Jay-Z over both money and music. Birdman recently joined the $100 million club as Jay-Z is closing in on billionaire status. Jay-Z poked fun at Birdman's claims on "H.A.M.," with the infamous "baby money" diss. Lil Wayne hit back on his "It's Good" song.

J. Cole said he does not think things between Lil Wayne and Jay-Z are serious. He acknowledged the two are trading subliminal shots, but he said rappers do this all the time. J. Cole said Lil Wayne recently hit back at a jab Jay-Z made earlier. Because of how bluntly he said it, without saying names, fans automatically knew who Lil Wayne was talking about.

When two rappers are taking subliminal shots and he knows it, J. Cole said he gets very excited. Shifting things back to himself, J. Cole said he also likes to take shots to see who will respond. On his album, Cole does take a shot at Drake, the jab takes place on "Dollar and a Dream III."

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Jay-Z is still Hip Hop's most influential Rapper

By The Voice
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

This summer, Jay-Z made a brief return to the rap game and quickly became the focal point. He was one half of Watch the Throne with Kanye West. While the duo, as The Throne, set an iTunes record, they were quickly replaced by Lil Wayne.

There had been several rumors about Watch the Throne's release date. Many felt the album had been shelved. Right when fans had given up, "Otis" was released. Within hours, the song had been sampled by Game, who dissed Jay-Z.

Following Game, several rappers began freestyling over the "Otis" track. Both veteran rappers, current stars, and newcomers flowed over the track. Once Watch the Throne was released, rappers began freestyling over the other tracks.

The biggest hip hop release of the year was Lil Wayne's Tha Carter IV. However, "It's Good" has been the most-publicized track off the album. "It's Good" sticks out because Lil Wayne disses Jay-Z in his verse on the song. His diss stems from Birdman's frequent Jay-Z insults, which led to a Jay-Z swipe on "H.A.M." It does not matter if Jay-Z is in his office, or promoting an album, he is always being targeted.

Rappers of all type either want to be like him or want to diss him, or both. The biggest rapper in the game and several other big names cannot stop with the Jay-Z disses. Other rappers are not dissing Jay-Z, they are freestyling over his beats. The rappers who refrain from dissing and sampling Jay-Z are borrowing his rhyming styles and ad-libs, or simply sampling his voice.

No rapper is having a bigger influence on the game than Jay-Z.

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DJ Whoo Kid supports Lil Wayne/Jay-Z feud, says it will be Good for Hip Hop

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Years have passed since hip hop has had a true lyrical war. The last high-profile hip hop feud took place in 2009. Out of nowhere, Rick Ross decided to take on 50 Cent. The feud was highly publicized, as it also led to 50 Cent's vendetta against the ever-popular WorldStarHipHop.com.

Before the success of Tha Carter III, Lil Wayne tried taking on Jay-Z. But, following the release of his album, Wayne changed his style. After Jay-Z released The Blueprint 3, Birdman began making statements about Lil Wayne being better than Jay-Z.

50 Cent's DJ, Whoo Kid, spoke on the recent battle between Lil Wayne and Jay-Z. After nearly two years of slick comments from Cash Money, Jay-Z subliminally dissed the crew on "H.A.M." The line on the song has become known by many as the "baby money" line. Lil Wayne responded to this line on his song, "It's Good," which is featured on his Tha Carter IV.

DJ Whoo Kid says a feud between two of rap's central figures would be good, if they keep the battle over records. A lot of time has passed since the last feud and Whoo Kid thinks the ideal battle would be between the Carters.

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Bow Wow wants Jay-Z to respond to Lil Wayne

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

When Lil Wayne dissed Jay-Z on "It's Good," it shocked several artists. The ones shocked included the rappers who shared the track. Jadakiss immediately denied any involvement in the diss, as did Drake. Most artists associated with Lil Wayne have tried to stay away from the situation.

Bow Wow, however, gave his opinion on the feud. For two years, Bow Wow has been signed to Cash Money Records. Unlike everyone else, Bow Wow does not see the situation between Lil Wayne and Jay-Z as a beef. Instead, Bow Wow feels it is a verbal exchange.

As a fan, Bow Wow said a Lil Wayne/Jay-Z exchange would benefit hip hop and the artists involved.  With Lil Wayne and Jay-Z being considered two of the best, Bow Wow feels a challenge will elevate both rappers' lyrical game. Since battle rap has been around just as long as hip hop, Bow Wow does not see why Lil Wayne and Jay-Z should not go at it.

Bow Wow went on to compare their possible feud to sports.

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Why Jay-Z will not Respond to Lil Wayne

By The Voice
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

The last time Jay-Z openly feuded was 2001, when he fired shots at Nas and Prodigy. Jay-Z's feud with Nas was viewed as one of the best in hip hop. At the end of the day, no blood was shed and hip hop now has a powerful duo. But, since that time, Jay-Z has not called anyone else out.

Two years following the epic Jay-Z vs. Nas feud, Jay-Z was offered the CEO position at Def Jam. At this point, he officially became the president of rap. While he helped build the Roc-A-Fella Records camp, he was taking over an already-established company.

Jay-Z only stepped down from his Def Jam position to take on another position with Live Nation. Through his deal with the promotions company, Jay-Z was granted Roc Nation. It has only been a three year run with Roc Nation and many of the biggest artists in the game are either signed to, or managed by the company.

Now, with a large stake in the overall entertainment industry, Jay-Z only raps for fun. Lil Wayne attempted to diss Jay-Z a few years ago, also. In 2006, Jay-Z claimed he returned to the rap game to save it. Wayne felt the rap game did not need saving and if it did, he would be the one. Teaming up with Jim Jones and Dipset, one of Jay-Z's biggest rivals, Lil Wayne created an anti-Jay-Z wave. As beef was brewing, Jay-Z shockingly invited Lil Wayne to provide the hook and a verse on "Hello Brooklyn 2.0" off American Gangster.

Lil Wayne returned the favor and invited Jay-Z on "Mr. Carter." On the song, Jay-Z passed the torch down to Lil Wayne. Despite mending the fences, Birdman continued to take shots at Jay-Z. When he released his comeback, The Blueprint 3, Birdman said the album was not as good as Tha Carter III. Birdman said the album did not deserve the acclaim it received. It did not stop there, as Birdman called Jay-Z out over money, claiming to have more.

Each time Birdman mentioned Jay-Z, in 2010, he claimed to have more money than him. Jay-Z, having had corporate money for nearly a decade, laughed this off and mentioned "baby money" in "H.A.M." Nearly seven months later, Lil Wayne took the response upon himself and called Jay-Z out. His verse took aim at both Jay-Z and mother-to-be, Beyonce. The timing could not have been much worse, as Beyonce revealed her pregnancy the next day.

There are a number of reasons why Jay-Z will not even entertain Lil Wayne's latest diss. First off, Jay-Z is the head of one of the biggest entertainment companies in the world. Jay-Z left his gangster phase in the 1990s and has not appeared even slightly "urban" since his 2003 "retirement." As the head of several other companies, with stakes in others, Jay-Z now entertains for royalty and he would not jeopardize his good standing for a petty rap war.

The most important reason Jay-Z will not step into a battle with Lil Wayne is because of the child recently announced to the world. While Lil Wayne has several children, he is a young father. At an older age, Jay-Z is expecting his first child and he holds himself in a different manner because of this fact.

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DJ Khaled speaks on Unity in Hip Hop

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

DJ Khaled is known for bringing several artists together on the same track. In 2007, DJ Khaled was involved in a minor feud with Young Buck. At the time, Buck was still in good graces with 50 Cent. When he tried to diss DJ Khaled, Khaled said he was about unity instead of beef.

Throughout his career, DJ Khaled has tried to stop beefs from happening. In 2008, he helped end the "cold war" between his partner, Fat Joe, and Jay-Z. With Khaled's help, the two rappers took the stage together. However, not all of Khaled's efforts have been successful.

Recently, Lil Wayne, a frequent Khaled collaborator, decided to diss Jay-Z. Rick Ross and Young Jeezy re-ignited their feud after DJ Khaled promised it had ended. Just yesterday, Jim Jones, a frequent collaborator of Lil Wayne's, decided to diss him. Still, DJ Khaled is focused on mending fences in the game.

At the 2011 BMI Awards, DJ Khaled said it was very important for artists to stick together. Khaled said unity is what helps artists last longer in the game. Aside from lasting longer, it also brings a positive message to the overall community. At the end of the day, DJ Khaled said entertainers should remember there are people from all walks of life who look up to them.

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Steve Stoute talks Lil Wayne/Jay-Z feud

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Ten years ago, Jay-Z was involved in one of the biggest feuds of all-time. His longtime rivalry with fellow New York rapper, Nas, had hit its breaking point. No longer could Jay-Z hide his animosity and a feud began.

However, by 2004, the rappers were on good terms and Jay-Z was the head of Def Jam. Soon, Jay-Z began separating himself from rap music and expanded into general business. Now, Jay-Z is viewed as a businessman who raps. Recently, he returned to rap for a collaborative album.

But, Jay-Z is currently more focused on his business ventures, as opposed to making music. Lil Wayne, on the other hand, has replaced Jay-Z as the most-popular rapper. The two have been butting heads for nearly five years. Jay-Z stopped a feud from taking place when he contacted Lil Wayne about providing a verse on his American Gangster album on the song, "Hello Brooklyn 2.0." Lil Wayne returned the favor and Jay-Z "passed the torch" on Tha Carter III's "Mr. Carter."

The slick comments in between time have taken their toll and Jay-Z decided to strike with a diss. The promotional single for his collaborative album was called "H.A.M." and Jay-Z takes small shots at Birdman and Lil Wayne. Recently, Lil Wayne decided to strike back with his own reply on "It's Good," where he threatens Jay-Z and Beyonce. The timing of the diss could not have been worse as Beyonce revealed she was pregnant with Jay-Z's first child.

Steve Stoute, Jay-Z's business partner, recently spoke on the situation. He said Jay-Z will not respond to the diss because he is too big to. Right now, with everything Jay-Z has going on, it would be foolish for him to engage in a rap war. Stoute said Jay-Z is so much bigger than rap and no one is even on his level to attempt to battle with him.

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Drake also unaware of Lil Wayne's Jay-Z diss on "It's Good"

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Lil Wayne captured the attention of fans and critics, when he used his verse on "It's Good" to go after Jay-Z. Despite collaborating with Jay-Z several times, tension has existed between Lil Wayne and Jay-Z. Birdman claimed to have more money than Jay-Z, which led to the "baby money" diss.

Nearly eight months after the fact, Lil Wayne responds to the cheap shot with a more direct hit. The "It's Good" track also features Jadakiss and Drake. Jadakiss was once a rival to Jay-Z and was also signed by Jay-Z. Last week, he said he had nothing to do with the diss song.

Drake, who was featured on The Blueprint 3 and also had a verse from Jay-Z on Thank Me Later, spoke on the diss. He said he had no idea Lil Wayne was going to go after Jay-Z. It seems as if Drake was in the dark, as he said he recorded over a beat and then he sent it back. Drake made it clear he had nothing to do with the diss, as he would like to have Jay-Z on Take Care.

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Lil Wayne talks "It's Good" Jay-Z diss

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Yesterday, Lil Wayne grabbed the attention of hip hop listeners when he went after Jay-Z on "It's Good." During Jay-Z's "retirement" phase, Lil Wayne took several shots at Jay-Z. Not much came from these disses. Changing the situation, Jay-Z invited Wayne to collaborate on "Hello Brooklyn 2.0."

In turn, Lil Wayne recruited Jay-Z for a verse on his "Mr. Carter" track. In the song, Jay-Z seemingly passed the torch down from himself to Lil Wayne. However, following the release of Jay-Z's comeback album, The Blueprint 3, Birdman began taking shots at Jay-Z.

Each time Jay-Z made a move, Birdman had something to say about it. For the most part, Birdman felt Lil Wayne should receive the same treatment as Jay-Z. However, when he claimed to have more money than Jay-Z, Jay-Z responded on "H.A.M.," with his infamous "baby money" diss. Over the past few months, people have wondered if Cash Money would deliver a solid response.

Nearly nine months after the diss, Lil Wayne responded on "It's Good." Without calling Jay-Z out by name, the Young Money CEO threatened him and Beyonce. Speaking on the situation, Lil Wayne said he knows nothing will come from his disses. Wayne explained how music is only how it is perceived and many people perceive his line as a diss towards Jay-Z. But, with no names called, it is not clear who Lil Wayne was actually talking about, even though everyone in hip hop has a good idea.

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Jadakiss staying out of Lil Wayne/Jay-Z beef

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Having been away from the game for a little while, Jadakiss finds himself in the middle of hip hop's biggest headline. The Yonkers rapper recently provided a verse on Lil Wayne's "It's Good." The song was recorded for Tha Carter IV. In the song, all the rappers talked tough, but Lil Wayne went as far as dissing Jay-Z.

Ever since the release of The Blueprint 3, Birdman has been trying to challenge Jay-Z. When talking about Hov, Birdman often tries comparing him to Lil Wayne. After topping the Forbes list, Birdman stated he had more money than Jay-Z. As one of the original "money rappers," Jay-Z took shots at the Cash Money crew.

While Jadakiss was featured on Lil Wayne's diss record, he is making it clear he has nothing to do with it. On Twitter, Jadakiss angrily denied having any involvement in the feud. Jadakiss said the people need to stop it because he has no issues with Jay-Z. In 2007, Jay-Z signed him to Roc-A-Fella Records, however two years passed before he released an album with the label.

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Lil Wayne goes after Jay-Z on "It's Good" track [AUDIO]

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

In less than a week, Tha Carter IV will be here and it will not be a repeat of 2008's Tha Carter III. In the time before Lil Wayne released his triple platinum album, he had been baiting Jay-Z. While he wanted a high-profile beef, instead he landed a high-profile collaboration.

One of the highlights of Tha Carter III was the passing of the torch from Jay-Z and Lil Wayne. Their song was called "Mr. Carter" and it has gained legendary status. However, following their collaborations, there have not been many Jay-Z/Lil Wayne interactions. Instead, there have been light disses.

Birdman has been calling Jay-Z out ever since the release of his comeback album, The Blueprint 3. When the album won awards for "Album of the Year," Birdman questioned why Wayne's 2008 opus was not nominated. Earlier this year, Birdman also called Jay-Z out on his money. Jay-Z replied to Birdman's disses with his infamous "baby money" line.

Weeks after the diss, Birdman said he would continue to spend his "baby money," as he had spent $1 million on a new car, at the time. Now, Lil Wayne has decided to address the situation. Recently, he established his own clothing line, named after his first 2010 album, Rebirth. On his Jadakiss and Drake-assisted track, Wayne goes at Jay-Z, subliminally threatening Beyonce's safety on the track. Aside from Wayne's diss, the collaborators also talk greasy, without taking shots, however.

Listen to "It's Good" by Lil Wayne ft. Jadakiss and Drake below:

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Lil Wayne hits back at Jay-Z's "Baby Money" diss

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Before the release of American Gangster, Lil Wayne was trying to start a feud with Jay-Z. Wayne was upset with how Jay-Z said he had to come back and "save" rap. While Wayne admitted hip hop was Jay-Z's house when he left, it was no longer his house when he came back.

Jay-Z had named himself the best rapper alive before he retired from the game in 2003. Following his retirement, Lil Wayne said he was the best rapper alive since the best rapper retired. But, over the years, he began calling himself simply the best rapper alive.

Lil Wayne surprised those wanting to see a full-blown beef between he and Jay-Z when he collaborated with him on Jay-Z's 2007 album. Soon, Lil Wayne became one of the biggest supporters of Jay-Z, taking his side on almost every hip hop discussion. But, after Tha Carter III, Wayne saw himself as an equal to Jay-Z and so did Birdman.

When Jay-Z was winning awards for The Blueprint 3, Birdman said he was undeserving, crediting the other president Carter as the better rapper with the better album. Soon, Birdman turned things into a money debate, saying Lil Wayne made more money in 2010 than Jay-Z. For most of 2010, Birdman had many slight jabs for Jay-Z. Jay-Z responded to the Cash Money disses on his "H.A.M" single, saying the father and son only had "baby money," less than his lady's money.

Last month, Birdman responded to the diss, saying he would continue to spend his "baby money," as it multiplies as fast as he can spend it. Lil Wayne responded to the comment earlier today, saying he is likely not to respond to the diss. Wayne gave Jay-Z his props on the slight diss, but also said he could get Jay-Z back through his own wittiness. Even though he did not rule responding out, Lil Wayne said he is not interested in trying to start another beef with Jay-Z.

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