Joey Bada$$, Ab-Soul Trade Bars Amid Coastal Rhyme War With Ray Vaughn
The spark came Monday (May 12), during the season three premiere of Red Bull 1250's Spiral Freestyle series, which featured a rap session with Joey, Ab-Soul, and Big Sean. Though the cypher was billed as a celebration of lyricism, it quickly turned into something far more competitive.
While Big Sean held his own with a poised performance, it was Ab-Soul who addressed the undercurrent of regional tension head-on.
Aware of the ongoing discourse around Joey Bada$$'s comments—which some took as slighting the West Coast's current success—Soul stepped up with a diplomatic but direct verse.
He gave flowers to fellow West Coast emcees Daylyt and Ray Vaughn for their defense of the coast, while simultaneously cautioning Joey that any further escalation might not work in his favor.
'Lyt was heavy and Ray definitely stepped/ But this is hip-hop, you know we still on that/ It was healthy for the sport, sticking to the roots, keeping it competitive/ Just be lucky that Soul ain't stepping in,' Ab-Soul warned.
Joey Bada$$, known for his battle-ready pen, didn't hesitate to return fire. He delivered a pointed rebuttal that not only acknowledged the players involved but reaffirmed his commitment to lyrical warfare in the spirit of Hip-Hop—not hostility.
Channeling the ethos of Kendrick Lamar's infamous verse on Big Sean's 'Control', Joey made it clear that the perceived shade was never meant as a diss to the West Coast but as a challenge to rappers everywhere to step up.
'They don't want the war with the Martian, they sendin' they troops/ At the general, but I'm the one who Ab salute,' Joey rapped, cleverly flipping Ab-Soul's name into a double entendre.
He continued, spelling out his respect for the region while criticizing what he sees as overly sensitive responses.
'First off, I could never hate the West Coast/ But since ni**as comin' for Joe, f**k it then, let's go/ Ni**as must've forgot what Dot said on 'Control'/ There's still a buncha sensitive rappers in they pajama clothes.'
Joey saved some of his sharpest bars for Daylyt, making a biting reference to the rapper's infamous on-stage antics.
'I ain't gotta lose no sleep to break Daylyt (Chill)/ Shouldn't give you ni**as time of day/ But f**k it, shine a light on 'em, I'mma light Ray/ Now how can I say this all in a nice way?/ If you need the attention, tell Top he gotta pay.'
The genesis of the rhyme war between Joey Bada$$ and Ray Vaughn stems from Joey's 2025 single 'The Ruler's Back,' in which he lamented the perceived fawning over West Coast Hip-Hop in light of Kendrick Lamar's victory over Drake.
This jab caused Vaughn to clap back with his own record, 'Crashout Heritage,' in which he responded to Joey and other figures, whereas Daylyt took his own approach with the track 'Hiyu.'
While both artists insist this is all in the name of Hip-Hop, their spirited exchange has become the latest chapter in rap's storied history of competitive bravado—reminding fans that when it comes to bars, coastlines don't matter as much as the fire behind the mic.
Watch Joey Bada$$, Ab-Soul, and Big Sean's Red Bull 1250's Spiral Freestyle below.
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