Wyclef Jean Supports Drake Vs Kendrick Lamar Battle: "Anything Goes"

You aren't a viable member of the hip-hop community if you don't make a statement on the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar battle. At least, it feels that way. Every notable rapper from the 1980s to the present has weighed in on the conflict and chosen sides. Some have criticized Drake and Lamar for going too far and making the battle personal. Others have championed their dedication and their willingness to push the boundaries. Charlamagne tha God dubbed it the greatest rap battle he's ever seen. Wyclef Jean is the latest legend to give his two cents, and he seems to agree with Charlamagne.

Wyclef Jean, who rose to fame in the 1990s, fully supports the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar battle. He neglected to mention which artist he picks as the current winner, but he had praise for both sides. He was even okay with the fact that Drake and Lamar were hitting below the belt with their disses. Wyclef shared his thoughts on X (formerly Twitter), along with some context. "As someone who came up with Battle Rap being part of our culture in New Jersey and Brooklyn her[e] is my opinion as a Fugee," he prefaced.

Wyclef Jean Encourages Drake & Dot To Keep Responding

From there, the Fugees frontman laid out the ground rules for a rap battle as he sees them. The most important rule? That there were no rules. "Drake Vs Kendrick," he posited. "In True Form of Battle Rap, anything goes." Wyclef Jean went as far as to endorse multiple responses if it meant getting the upper hand in a battle. "The key is to be ready with what’s called a Rebuttal," he added. "Which means you get to respond back to every Diss track as it comes out. You get to put facts to any lies that you feel your opponent has cast on you…"

Wyclef Jean may be best remembered for his genre fusions, but he does have battle experience. He went at LL Cool J on the 1998 song "Retaliation." The rappers eventually squashed their beef at Big Pun's funeral two years later. Wyclef also had tension with Fugees members Lauryn Hill and Pras, with the former putting out the Grammy-winning diss "Lost Ones" about him. The group has since made up and even performed together onstage.