The claim was made on Tuesday’s (February 4) airing of “The Download” that only Ye can defeat Kendrick Lamar in a rap battle. While discussing things with Justin Laboy, the Chicago rapper drew parallels between his fellow Gemini and the character Chun-Li from Street Fighter.

“Disparaging Kendrick in a rap will result in a loss,” Ye stated, referencing the earlier feud between Kendrick and Drake. He further stated, “This man does this.” In Street Fighter, you can choose to play as Chun-Li, obtain a specific kick move, and still can’t defeat the opponent.

Rapping against Kendrick Lamar is something that Joe Budden has warned against, saying “Never rap against Kendrick Lamar.” Ye went on to say that rapping against Kendrick Lamar would be a challenging endeavour, though possibly achievable, and then stated, “I’m a psycho genius, so you know, it could be me.”

In another part of the conversation with Laboy, Ye also agreed that Lamar had a significant impact on Drake during their rivalry, which led to the creation of songs such as “Push Ups,” “Family Matters,” and “Not Like Us,” among others. The Donda creator replied, “Yes, for the time being.” Steph Curry can never be counted out. He could potentially earn 200 points from a single song.

Notably, Ye has rarely engaged in a full-scale lyrical exchange with another rapper. He is likely remembered for firing shots at Drake and J. Neither Cole nor his opponent responded on their respective tracks on 2024’s “Like That (Remix)”.

Both Ye and Kendrick Lamar received nominations for the 67th Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 2. The artist and designer’s “CARNIVAL” was a contender for Best Rap Song, but ultimately came out on the wrong end in its bid for the award, with “Not Like Us” taking the prize instead. The diss track earned top honors in four categories, taking home Best Music Video, Best Rap Performance, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year awards.

Fans can anticipate BULLY, Ye’s upcoming studio album, set to be released on June 15. Today marks his eldest daughter, North West’s 12th birthday.