Just Listen HipHop | Underground And Mainstream Hip-Hop Releases

Westside Gunn doesn’t play around when it comes to music. He’s one of the hardest-working rappers in the game, and he has the catalog to prove it. Gunn has dropped 10 projects in the last four years, both as a solo artist and with other members of Griselda. He doesn’t need to rely on hype or press tours in which he says wild things about other artists. That said, 2024 has been the year of rap beef, and fans want to know their favorite rapper would fare in a battle.

A fan tweeted at Westside Gunn on April 28. He voiced his desire to see Gunn challenge another rapper to a battle, citing how entertaining it would be to watch. “I wanna see @WESTSIDEGUNN in a music only rap beef,” they wrote. That would be some entertaining sh*t.” Gunn got back at him and shut down any chance of seeing him in a “for sport” beef. “Maaaaaan,” he quote tweeted. “F*ck all these n**gas!!!” It makes sense, given how many actual beefs Gunn has been involved in. He’s thrown subliminal shots at Hus Kingpin, and had a diss aimed at him via Griselda affiliate The God Fahim.

Westside Gunn Has Had Beef In The Past

Westside Gunn and The God Fahim squashed their beef in 2020, however. The rappers made up X and even posted a couple photos together on Christmas. “Don’t think @THAGODFAHIM wasn’t there too,” he tweeted. “Now let me get back to my original plan. I’m the curator of ALL curators… Just start wit a fresh canvas.” Gunn similarly sparked a feud with Griselda affiliate Mach Hommy around 2019, but it was again squashed in favor of making great music. There’s no time wasted on social media antics or trolls, as has been the case in the mainstream. Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West and the rest involved in the “Civil War” have taken it beyond the music.

The irony is that Westside Gunn has indirectly influenced this mainstream “Civil War.” He was one of the first rappers to work with Conductor Williams, who would go on to provide beats for Drake on his latest album, For All the Dogs. Conductor also co-produced J. Cole‘s diss towards Kendrick Lamar, “7 Minute Drill.” Westside Gunn’s ear for production and his popularization of the Griselda sound has shaped the beef he so wants to avoid. Go figure.