It's been a year since Capital STEEZ dropped his “tell the Based God, don't quit his day job” bar on Joey Bada$$'s breakout single “Survival Tactics”. In that time, Lil B's day job has consisted of touring the world, dropping mixtapes and delivering keynote speeches at NYU. Also in that time, Capital STEEZ tragically took his own life and Joey Bada$$ performed on late night television alongside The Roots. The passage of time combined with the passing of STEEZ should have rendered a beef between the artists moot, but when have Lil B's actions ever been predictable?
“I'm The Bada$$” hardly has shit to do with issuing shots at Joey beyond the Based God's “if you really think you badass, I'll turn you into trash, you little bitch” line. In true Lil B fashion, it's indeterminable whether B honestly thinks Joey issued the initial diss and if he's aware of STEEZ's passing. It sounds epic, it sounds venomous, but that's mostly due to the production and B's tone of voice. Lil B wins at album covers, Pink Flame being no exception, but no battle was ever won by calling the opponent trash. We'd grade this diss: 2 Wonton Soup bowls
Joey Bada$$ often seems wise beyond his age, but all that deteriorates when another rapper disses his departed friend. Bada$$ does himself no favors in shaking off the “stuck in the 90s” criticism on “Don't Quit Your Day Job” by riding a sample flip from Janet Jackson's 1993 hit “That's The Way Love Goes” and gay-bashing the one rapper who's progressive mentality aims to mend the rift between the LGBT community and hip hop culture. To Lil B, being called a “Purple Rain ass nigga” is a compliment. Bada$$ can rap circles around Lil B, that's a given and well-proven on “Don't Quit Your Day Job”. It's disheartening to hear Joey respond with juvenile disses on Lil B's sexuality. You can't call a rapper with an album entitled I'm Gay a homo, also you can't go on record calling anyone a homo. It makes you a homophobe stuck in the 90s. Grading Bada$$'s diss: in need of one tolerance class
