Kanye West has set the internet ablaze again, this time diving headfirst into hip-hop’s eternal “bar-for-bar” debate. During a fiery Twitter spree and recent podcast appearance, Ye boldly claimed that Eminem out-raps both Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole, throwing in some wild jabs at Tyler, The Creator, too — and fans are spiraling.
Kanye’s Hot Take: “They Can’t Touch the White Boy”
It all started when Drink Champs posed a simple question on X (formerly Twitter):
“Bar for bar, one rapper that no one comes close to, has to be…?”
While fans chimed in with names like Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Nas, and of course, the usual trio of Eminem, Kendrick, and Cole, Kanye jumped in with:
“J Cole and Kendrick can’t touch the white boy.”
That white boy being Eminem, of course.
This one tweet reignited the long-simmering debate in the rap community, with stans from every camp waging lyrical war across social media timelines. But Kanye wasn’t done.
Ye Doubles Down – And Triples Up
In follow-up tweets and podcast commentary, Ye didn’t just gas up Em — he dismissed Kendrick’s entire pen, saying:
“Kendrick Lamar cannot rap. Not one bar I ever wished I wrote.”
And he didn’t spare Tyler either:
“Name one good Tyler, The Creator bar. Just one. I’ll wait.”
Adding:
“He checks all the boxes — except for having a single memorable verse.”
The insults didn’t stop there. Kanye accused Kendrick and Tyler of having “no classics,” “zero replay value,” and hiding behind “fake activist bars.”
And yes — the quote that left jaws on the floor:
“Kendrick and Tyler raps are about equal. Honestly.”
Fans took that as either the biggest insult to Kendrick or the wildest backhanded compliment ever given to Tyler.
Kendrick & Cole Fans Fire Back
Naturally, K-Dot and Cole fans went on the offensive. Many pointed to Kendrick’s Pulitzer Prize, his lyrical complexity on To Pimp a Butterfly, and his recent domination with “Not Like Us” and GNX.
One viral response read:
“Kendrick would wipe the floor with Eminem. Shockingly hard.”
Another user wrote:
“On your best day, Ye, you’re not seeing Cole. If we’re talking pure rap, Cole’s got you beat.”
But Kanye’s fans — and Em’s army of stans — weren’t backing down.
“Let the grown folks speak. Em been out-rapping your faves since the late ‘90s,” one wrote.
“Kanye’s speaking facts. Kendrick and Cole ain’t got a single line colder than, ‘I’m the worst thing since Elvis Presley.’”
The Reddit Wars & Drake Fans Join the Fray
Kanye’s takes made their way to Reddit, where users debated not just his opinions, but his motivations.
“He’s just trying to stir the pot because Kendrick got all the momentum,” one Redditor speculated.
“Wouldn’t be shocked if Ye’s trying to split fanbases. Classic divide-and-conquer energy.”
Drake fans, however, were having a field day, jumping into the chaos with popcorn emojis and memes — especially after Ye also shaded Tyler and Kendrick’s voices, style, and lyricism.
“Kendrick the Make-a-Wish rapper,” one harsh tweet read.
“Tyler still stuck in his edgy Tumblr phase.”
A History of Praising Eminem
Despite his chaotic energy, one thing Ye has remained consistent on: his respect for Eminem. For over 20 years, Ye has called Slim Shady one of the greatest of all time — and this time, he doubled down:
“Em’s got bars for lifetimes. Cole and Kendrick don’t have one I wish I wrote.”
It’s rare Kanye stays consistent, but when it comes to Marshall Mathers, he’s all-in — even if it means alienating his peers.
