The Game teamed up with Drake in 2015 for “100” off his The Documentary 2 album, with many fans debating whether Drizzy’s verse took shots at Kendrick Lamar with the line, “I would have all of your fans if I didn’t go pop and I stayed on some conscious shit.” During a recent interview with HipHopDX, The Game said he didn’t feel like any direct shots were taken, but doesn’t have a problem if anything subliminal was thrown in.
“I didn’t feel like that,” he said. “And if I did, I wouldn’t have put the song out. Like I said, Kendrick’s my brother – I love him too. But if Drake was subliminal and slipped something in, again, he’s one of the best to ever do it, so it’s Hip Hop. Even Kendrick is lyrically equipped to catch any stray and return fire, so I think at the end of the day, it’s all good Hip Hop. It ain’t like Kendrick and Drake are about to go into a street war or something like that.
“If Drake was taking subliminals at Kendrick on that song and Kendrick wanted to return something, I think that would be great for Hip Hop. I think that sometimes, rap battles, even subliminally in different songs, are healthy for Hip Hop too. ‘Cause if you think about, or no matter how you think about it, it’s a competition. There’s only one No. 1 spot at the top of the Billboard or the top of any chart, everybody wants to have it.”
He added, “So you know, climbing the ladder, knocking people down, kicking people off, it’s just part of the competitive nature of music as a whole.”
The Game was then asked who he thinks would come out on top if Kendrick Lamar and Drake went head-to-head.
“Who I got? Lyrically? I don’t know, man,” he said. “Kendrick is just too fucking incredible. And then Drake is so dope too, man. I mean, I would just like to be a fan of the moment and sit back and watch two of the greatest artists of all time have a go.”
“100” served as the first single from The Game’s The Documentary 2 and peaked at No. 82 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song has racked up over 132 million Spotify streams, with the music video surpassing that with 136 million YouTube views.
Drake collaborated with Kendrick Lamar on “Poetic Justice” in 2012, but they’ve appeared to take subliminal shots each other since K. Dot called him out on “Control.” During an interview with Vibe in 2013, Drake assured there were no serious issues between them.
“I never once said he’s a bad guy [or] I don’t like him,” he said at the time. “I think he’s a fucking genius in his own right, but I also stood my ground as I should. And with that came another step, which then I have to realize I’m being baited and I’m not gonna fall. Jordan doesn’t have to play pickup to prove that he could play ball, no offense.”
He continued, “But I’m not gonna give you the chance to shake me necessarily, ’cause I feel great. There’s no real issue. It’s tough because the people wanna see us tear each other down; I don’t wanna give them that. There’s no point. I have no ill feelings toward that guy. It’s just like, it’s there for me if I wanna fall for it. I’m just too smart for that.”
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