Who are the Big Three in rap? Yasiin Bey AKA Mos Def calls them "greedy, seedy, and creepy" in new diss track Like That

In an unanticipated move, renowned hip-hop artist Yasiin Bey, formerly Mos Def, took to past collaborator Anuar Khalifa’s Instagram account and livestreamed a powerful freestyle over the iconic Like That beat, calling out "The Big Three" as "greedy, seedy, and creepy." Titled Like That (Freestyle) 2024, part of the lyrics of the song read,

"Greedy, seedy, and creepy," Yasiin rapped.

Future, Metro Boomin, and Kendrick Lamar originally released the track "Like That," which ignited the Kenrick vs Drake rap war on March 2024.

In the three-minute-long freestyle, Yasiin Bey made the Big Three reference from the First Person Shooter track by Drake ft. J. Cole, in which Cole suggested that Drizzy, Kendrick Lamar and him are the big three of the rap industry.

Yasiin Bey, born in Brooklyn, United States, is an American rapper. He is a prominent figure in conscious hip-hop and is recognized for using wordplay and commentary on social and political issues. Yasiin's significant hits include Auditorium, UMI Says, Respiration, Brooklyn, and Life Is Good.

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Who are the Big Three in rap: Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and J. Cole

The Big Three in this generation's rap industry are commonly referred to as Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and J. Cole.

Drake

Drake, the Canadian rapper (Image via Getty)

The Canadian rapper and singer Drake is known for his chart-topping songs and ability to shift between rap and R&B. As per The West Boca Bullseye, Drake had surpassed Michael Jackson for the most #1 songs of all time. A versatile rapper, Drake's latest release album is For All The Dogs Scary Hours Edition 2023.

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Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar, an American rapper (Image via Getty)

The 17-time Grammy Award winner is often considered one of the greatest rappers of all time; as per The West Boca Bullseye, KDot is the most artistically inclined rapper among the Big Three due to his ability to tell stories and be creative in his raps. Lamar's released his latest album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers 2022, to positive reviews.

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J. Cole

J. Cole, an American rapper (Image via Getty)

J.Cole gained popularity in rap with his debut mixtape, The Come Up, in 2007. According to The West Boca Bullseye, J. Cole's strength, which includes depth in lyrics, has helped him establish himself in the Big Three category, a designation that stems from a 2023 track by Drake, "First Person Shooter," in which J. Cole, in his guest verse, suggested that K-Dot, Drizzy, and him are the Big Three.

A year later, Kendrick Lamar, in his track "Like That," countered this notion, suggesting that there is no big three, "just big me."

"Is it K-Dot? Is it Aubrey? Or me? / We the big three like we started a league, but right now, I feel like," he rapped.

Kendrick Lamar further rapped,

"Motherf*ck the big three, n*gga, it's just big me / N*gga, bum," KDot rapped.

Lamar's response ignited the feud between the three artists. In response, J. Cole dropped Might Delete Later and called Kendrick Lamar boring, and Drake responded with Push, Ups, taking a dig at the Grammy Award winner. The feud dust now seems to have settled down.

Each of the three artists excels within their respective domains, and they have all attained renown under the moniker of the Big Three.

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Yasiin Bey dropped a freestyle taking a jab at the Big Three

Yasiin Bey reposted the live story of his freestyle on Instagram story (Image via Instagram/@yasiinbey)

Earlier this week, Yasiin Bey, the acclaimed rapper, rapped the verses of his latest track, a freestyle on Like That beat, which garnered significant attention.

In his track, he aimed at the Big Three, suggesting that they lack originality and fail to interest others, calling them "boring."

"Corny, h*rny, and boring / Bougie, goofy, and moody / Foolish, ruthless, and clueless / Variations on a petty Big 3 / A whole lot to look at, but not much to see," Yasiin Bey rapped.

Yasiin Bey has not named names explicitly, but the track has already generated buzz across social media and among fans, with many speculating about the identities of the Big Three.

None of the Big Three rappers have responded to Yasiin Bey's freestyle yet.