JPEGMAFIA isn’t afraid to speak his mind—and that includes throwing shots at the biggest names in the game. In a recent interview with Billboard, the Brooklyn-born experimental rapper offered a bold take on the current state of hip-hop, praising its evolution while calling out its complacency.
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“I think the state of rap is in the best state it’s been, ever,” JPEGMAFIA said. “Because you have choices from everywhere. You can make any kind of rap you want.”
According to him, fans are hungry for something fresh—and he thinks the genre’s next big shift might come from the hardcore scene he’s helped bring to prominence.
“I think a lot of people are gonna jump on that,” he predicted. “What people are gonna do is they’re gonna realize what you guys are doing is boring as s—t. People yearn for something new, especially in rap. We’re yearning, we’re tired.”
JPEGMAFIA Is Tired of Hearing About Drake’s Lady Troubles
JPEG didn’t stop there. He took aim at Drake, accusing the Toronto superstar of recycling the same tired themes.
“We don’t wanna hear Drake complain about b—hes anymore. We don’t f—king care, he’s 40.”
It’s not the first time JPEGMAFIA has gone at Drake. His 2024 album I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU featured several pointed bars aimed directly at the 6 God. On “it’s dark and hell is hot,” JPEG references the explosive accusations of grooming that surfaced during Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s headline-grabbing battle:
“Private school rappers don’t know what it is / If I show you a Drac’, I ain’t playin’ with kids.”
And he kept the pressure on with New Black History, his Vince Staples-assisted track, where he raps:
“Cause I’m in that mode, on my own I got that flavor (Jonathan Major) / ‘Specially when y’all cashing out for PDFs and rapers (No Drizzy).”
JPEGMAFIA has never been one to play it safe, and his commentary underscores a larger feeling bubbling in the culture: innovation is overdue. While mainstream rap continues to thrive, artists like JPEGMAFIA are pushing the genre’s boundaries—and challenging the status quo one diss at a time.
