The Game Justifies His Absence From Kendrick Lamar's "Pop Out"

BY Gabriel Bras Nevares 504 Views
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The Game Justifies Absence Kendrick Lamar Pop Out Hip Hop News
LONG BEACH, CA - JULY 07: Rapper The Game performs onstage during the Summertime in the LBC music festival on July 7, 2018 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
Many fans have been critical of The Game's statement due to what he previously said about Kendrick Lamar and his "Pop Out" concert in L.A.

The Game was the most recent guest on the Back On Figg podcast recently, where he spoke on Kendrick Lamar and his "Pop Out" concert in Los Angeles last year. However, he slightly diverted from his previous remarks on the subject, which has caused a lot of fan division and speculation.

For those unaware, the Gangsta Grillz alum previously debunked rumors about his "Pop Out" absence, whereas Wack 100 implied that he was never part of the performance plan. Now, though, Jayceon Taylor is claiming that he chose not to go, contrary to the popular and speculative belief that he just didn't get an invite.

"I sat it out on purpose," The Game remarked concerning Kendrick Lamar's "Pop Out." "It's too much gang politics with me when I come somewhere. It was n***as at the 'Pop Out' that I don't f**k with. So why go to the 'Pop Out,' bring homies, [and] get into a confrontation when the n***a is having a great moment?"

The hosts pushed back, arguing that the "Pop Out" was all about unity between different groups. "You say that, but all it take is one n***a from this s**t to get out of pocket with one n***a. And that's what comes with me. What you mean, come by myself? I'm not doing that... I ain't gon' let nothing happen to me... If something happens to me, whoever did it is getting smoked. [...] I can make that decision, I don't understand how you get left out, I can just go. Can't nobody tell Game I can't go nowhere I want to go in L.A."

The Game's Kendrick Lamar Comments

Considering The Game's other remarks related to Kendrick Lamar, some fans think this is a backtrack. However, in both instances of him explaining his "Pop Out" absence, he failed to confirm a few things. Did Kendrick and company invite Game to attend or be a part of the performance? Did he decline this offer to attend or perform? That seems to be the main point of contention. Or did Game just choose not to even make the effort to attend, and that's what he's referring to?

Either way, things remain quite unclear when it comes to the specifics. What we can assume from these explanations is that The Game has no issues with K.Dot, he supports the "Pop Out," and he does not feel the need to explain his movement when it comes to Lamar's opponents like Drake. While there's still some pushback and less gracious interpretations of his remarks, at the end of the day, it's all over notions and presumptions that we still don't have any confirmation for.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.

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