JJay-Z had a lot to say during his Roots Picnic set in Philadelphia.
The rap legend hit the stage Saturday night and delivered a freestyle that quickly took over social media, with fans claiming he took aim at Nicki Minaj, her husband Kenneth Petty, Drake, Kanye West, Damon Dash, Tory Lanez, and attorney Tony Buzbee.
The Nicki speculation started after Jay appeared to reference a woman being “back on” something while also mentioning “Her Ken,” which fans immediately connected to Kenneth Petty. Petty is a registered sex offender, and many online believed Jay was alluding to his legal history while joking about whether he can pick up or drop off their child.
Fans also pointed out that Jay appeared to mimic Nicki forgetting lyrics during one of her tour moments.
Hov’s supposed Nicki diss continued when he mentioned “MAGA Republicans,” which many connected to Nicki’s recent public support for Donald Trump. The line quickly became one of the biggest talking points from the freestyle.
Then came the Drake bars.
Jay seemed to fire back at Drizzy after Drake allegedly dissed him on his new album. Fans believe Hov flipped Drake’s “the jig is up” line while boasting about his net worth and taking aim at their chart rivalry.
He also appeared to hit Drake where it hurts most: ownership. Jay seemed to suggest that Drake should not talk tough about success while his publishing and contract situation remain controlled by others. His “in perpetuity” reference had fans reading the moment as a sharp jab at Drake’s business structure.
Kanye West also seemed to catch heat.
Jay appeared to reference his children while calling them gifted, which fans took as a response to past Ye comments involving his family. He then seemed to warn that people trying to get under his skin might not like what happens if he responds fully.
The Kanye section got even more attention when Jay appeared to call out people who act wild online but behave differently in person. Many fans believed the lines about sanity, therapy, and not encouraging certain thoughts were aimed directly at Ye.
The freestyle also appeared to include shots at Damon Dash, which added another layer given Jay and Dame’s long Roc-A-Fella history.
Fans also think Tory Lanez was mentioned, along with attorney Tony Buzbee, who represents several people in high-profile misconduct lawsuits involving Diddy.
So far, Jay-Z has not publicly explained the freestyle, and Drake, Nicki Minaj, and Kanye West have not issued major responses.
