Kendrick Lamar Names The Emcee Who He Sees As His Biggest Competition

Original Story Despite all the recent attention placed on the perceived competition between Kendrick Lamar and Drake, K. Dot says he is less concerned about rappers outside his TDE family because the competitive nature inside the camp is what really keeps him on his toes, and Kendrick names one particular Black Hippy member he calls “a problem.”

“[Jay] Rock always been big brother, Rock always had that ‘urrgh.’ So when we got on the mic with Rock, you already know what time it is,” Kendrick told MTV News. “You gotta do what you gotta do, because he’s gonna smash it, and I’m glad that the world is finally recognizing it because he is a problem for sure.”

While Kendrick has become the breakout star from Black Hippy, Jay Rock was the first TDE artist to build a national buzz thanks to his 2008 single “All My Life (In the Ghetto)” featuring Lil Wayne and will.i.am. The song was included on Rock’s Follow Me Home album which was TDE’s first official LP released in stores.

“We look at [Rock] as the n***a that started it up, that gave us our starter kick, introduced us to the game,” adds fellow Black Hippy member Schoolboy Q. “We didn’t go on the road until we went with him.”