Mustard and Boi-1da. Such a conflict of producers had roots in the long-standing beef between heavyweight rappers Drake and Kendrick Lamar, hinting at high stakes behind closed doors and competitive struggles. As private messages started surfacing, the tension mounted, and the effects were seen across the industry.
The beef between Mustard and Boi-1da is the latest chapter in the ever-changing drama between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. Both producers have been highly instrumental in shaping the sound of these rap icons. Mustard, with his infectious West Coast vibe, produced Kendrick Lamar’s diss track Not Like Us, which was a direct shot at Drake. On the other hand, some of Drake’s biggest hits, such as God’s Plan and First Person Shooter, have been by Boi-1da, a longtime collaborator of his. What started with a lyrical battle from rappers has now extended to their creative teams, pulling the curtain back on the high-pressure world that is music production.
The Drake-Kendrick Lamar feud has been boiling for years, with subtle disses and competitive energy defining their relationship. Kendrick’s Not Like Us took the beef to another level, cementing Mustard’s role in the rivalry. Boi-1da has been behind much of Drake’s success over the last near two decades, but he still managed to find himself in the crossfire when Mustard uncovered some private messages that apparently disparaged West Coast rap.
Geographical or stylistic, the tension between these producers is born out of an intense loyalty and creative pride. Sure, Drake and Kendrick exchanged barbs on wax; the drama behind the scenes shows deep rivalries.
Things went awry when Mustard posted direct messages from Boi-1da on Instagram. According to the screenshots, Boi-1da spoke ill of West Coast rap, saying, “West Coast rap is ass” and “Nobody outside LA wanna hear that s*.” Mustard was highly disappointed and captioned the posts humorously, frustrated.
“@boi1da I thought you was a real one; I ain’t know you felt this way,” Mustard wrote in one story. He concluded with another post calling Boi-1da a “lame” and ending with, “That’s the end of my TED talk.”
Although it’s sent ripples online because of the postings by Mustard, Boi-1da has not commented, which has kept many of his fans and industry onlookers wondering about his point of view on the situation.
The hip-hop community has been divided on the move of Mustard to share private messages. While some of his fans praised the move, showing transparency and loyalty to the West Coast he had, others labeled the move unprofessional. This has raised concerns with industry peers as to how this could affect collaborations and relationships in the long run.
Producers have enough pressure to deliver hits without this kind of drama,” said one major producer, who requested anonymity. “This is not about beef; it is about respect in a business where reputations matter.
That was until Boi-1da finally added another layer to that intrigue, leaving many to wonder if he’ll respond or simply let it die down.
The spat between Mustard and Boi-1da speaks to the highly competitive aspects of music production within hip-hop culture. Producers are, to use one word, the unsung architects of hit records who more often than not develop the direction an artist goes. Yet this very fact makes for an environment breeding many rivalries that, perhaps, can turn personal.
