This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
And Finally Beef Of The Week
CMU Beef Of The Week #42: MC Hammer v Jay-Z
By Andy Malt | Published on Saturday 6 November 2010
Beefs in hip hop are generally quite tedious, and mostly laid on for promotional purposes. This one, however, is brilliant. MC Hammer has penned a new track, and filmed an accompanying video, after taking offence to lyrics added to a new Kanye West track, ‘So Appalled’, by Jay-Z.
Jay-Z rapped this: “And Hammer went broke so you know I’m more focused. I lost 30 mil so I spent another 30, cause unlike Hammer 30 million can’t hurt me”. It’s not clear if Hammer was offended by the slight against his ability to smartly invest money, or Jay-Z’s vulgar display of wealth. Whatever, this week he uploaded the video for his “official Jay-Z diss” track called ‘Better Run Run’. That’s right, it’s an official diss.
The video sees Jay-Z (well, a lookalike) chased through some woods by the devil while Hammer threatens to “knock him out”. Eventually Jay-Z stumbles across Hammer by a lake, who fends off Satan before turning his attention to his rival and – yeah, you know what’s coming – he baptises him.
Following the release of the video, Jay-Z gave his reaction to the track in an interview that will air on DJ Semtex’s 1Xtra show tonight.
Speaking to Semtex, Jay-Z said he wasn’t aware that discussing Hammer’s past money troubles was off limits as a subject: “I didn’t know I was the first person to ever say that. Am I? I mean… I’m not, am I? I know I’ve heard that before. I didn’t know I was the first one to say it. I guess when I say things people believe me so much that they take it a different way, it’s not rap any more at that point. Now it’s like it’s a personal attack”.
He added that in his forthcoming book he’s written about his respect for Hammer: “He’s gonna be embarrassed. I said some really great things about him in the book and about people’s perception of him. I said really great things about him. But, whatever, it is what it is. He took it the wrong way, I didn’t know it wasn’t on the table for discussion. I didn’t know I said anything wrong. I don’t know if I said a lie”.
Asked if he was planning to respond with his own diss song, he said: “No, of course not”.
Spoilsport.
Watch MC Hammer’s video here: youtu.be/XFtQML2O5B0
This Beef Of The Week comes from this edition of the CMU Weekly. Subscribe to the CMU Weekly here.