When A$AP Rocky called Kendrick Lamar “a mad scientist”
(Credit: Chad Cooper)

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When A$AP Rocky called Kendrick Lamar "a mad scientist"

Kendrick Lamar has confirmed himself to be a great, and currently, he’s operating in a different universe from any other rapper. Nobody else can compete with Kenny, and back in 2012, A$AP Rocky was telling everybody who would listen about his favourite “mad scientist”.

Back then, Kendrick was still emerging and was yet to become lauded or win a Pulitzer Prize for his lyricism. Although he released his first mixtape as a 16-year-old in 2003, it was a slow ascent over the next decade for Lamar until he finally received the recognition he deserved.

He released his first full-length project, Section.80, in 2011, and things began looking up for K Dot. Around this time, A$AP Rocky began to gain traction too, and it felt like a new dawning for hip-hop.

Of course, while Kendrick was highly rated, nobody knew for certain he’d climb the heights he’s achieved so far in his career. However, Rocky called it back in 2012, and Lamar’s monumental success hasn’t surprised him. “That’s my favorite rapper,” he told Fuse. “He’s a mad scientist.”

Admittedly, a year later, Lamar did rub Rocky up the wrong way when he claimed to be The King of New York during his verse on ‘Control’ by Big Sean. “I heard the barbershops spittin’ great debates all time, Bout who’s the best MC? Kendrick, Jigga and Nas, Eminem, Andre 300, the rest of y’all new n***** just new n*****, don’t get involved,” he rapped on the controversial track.

“You smoking crack, that’s crazy,” Rocky responded to the braggadocious claim, but overall he felt like the song was healthy for the scene. “It’s n***** pissed off just because they wasn’t mentioned. I’m not justifying shit, rap is rap,” Rocky said in an interview on Hot 97 about the verse. 

“The n**** didn’t say nothing about nobody mother, he ain’t want problems. He said ‘these is my n***** and I’m letting ya’ll know it’s competition.’ What’s the problem?”

Take a trip down memory lane to watch the New York titans when they teamed up with Drake and 2Chainz on ‘Fuckin’ Problems’, which helped establish A$AP Rocky as one of the most influential hip-hop stars of the last decade.