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Almost a day after Ray Vaughn clapped back at Joey Badass' Red Bull Spiral Freestyle performance with a diss track titled H*O ERA, the East Coast rapper has returned with an official response.
Today (May 16), Joey Badass released his diss track, titled The Finals, which was uploaded to his official YouTube channel. On the record, the New York City native addresses many of the claims Ray Vaughn brought forward on H*E ERA, while also taking a few shots at TDE and Kendrick Lamar.
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At various points during The Finals' runtime, Joey Badass claims that by engaging in this beef he's doing more for Ray Vaughn's career as compared to his label, Top Dawg Entertainment.
Similar to how Ray referred to the New York City rapper as "Hoey" on H*E ERA, Joey pokes fun at the TDE signee's name by referring to him as "Gay Vaughn" on his latest diss track.
Interestingly, Joey compares himself to 2Pac, referencing the late West Coast icon's acting career. This appears to allude to how over the past few years, Joey Badass has been focused on more on-screen appearances.
The Paper Trail$ rapper most recently appeared on 50 Cent's "Power Book III: Raising Kanan" television series, portraying the character "Unique".
Bar-for-Bar: Breaking down Joey Badass's rapid response to Ray Vaughn on 'The Finals'
With their beef first stemming from Joey sending subliminal shots at the West Coast hip-hop scene on his January record The Ruler's Back, the Pro Era rapper's latest diss track is presented as a nonchalant response to Ray Vaughn's H*E ERA.
Throughout the record, Joey Badass takes shots at former and current Top Dawg Entertainment members, including CEO Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith, Ray Vaughn, Daylyt, and Kendrick Lamar.
Teaming up with producers Fierce, Boi-1da, Coleman, and DRTWRK, Joey effortlessly flows over the menacing production, dismissing all of Ray Vaughn's attacks in a single verse. Major themes explored on The Finals have been provided below:
- Wealth
- Success
- Power
- Status
- Influence
- Growth
- Competition
- S*xuality
Disclaimer: This review is rated explicit. Reader discretion is advised.
(Verse)
"What kinda Top Dawg is you? You more Shih Tzu / You was cloned in the lab, dog, you artificial / You known for your label, not because your art official (Facts) / And I ain't gotta talk about how broke you are to fix you"
Joey Badass kicks off The Finals with fun double entendres and multiple plays on the word "dog," which is seen throughout the record's four-minute runtime.
The New York City veteran takes shots at TDE, suggesting Ray Vaughn is an artificial rapper known, not for his music, but for being signed to a major record label.
He also draws comparisons between Vaughn and Shih-Tzu's, a dog-breed with no natural origin since they were created by intentional cross-breeding.
"Cause when I send shots at you, it'd be hard to miss you (Grr) / Ain't gotta load a magazine just to press this issue (Nah) / In fact, these ain't even shots, they missiles (That's right) / Tryna outclass the Bada$$? (Haha) So I gotta dismiss you (You funny)"
With multiple double entendres, Joey Badass continues to take aim at Ray, citing that his precise attacks will leave the TDE signee irrelevant after their battle, refering to all his diss tracks as "missiles".
"You all bark, no bite (Uh), but hit dogs gon' holler / Caught a couple strays, now it's time I put 'em on a collar / I let 'em rot while I charge 'em for top dollar / You're the next n***a gettin' dropped off thе Top roster (Facts)"
Once again delivering an exceptional metaphorical lyrical display, Joey Badass seemingly explains that his earlier disses, evidenced on his Pardon Me EP, were not directed at Ray Vaughn.
However, the New York City native asserts that he has no issues with putting Ray "on a collar". He also drops a phonetic line that references the dog breed "Rottweiler," when claiming that Vaughn would soon be dropped from Top Dawg Entertainment.
"And I'ma be the Rеason (Yeah), okay, bet / You sick dog lookin' for beef with a seasoned vet / I euthanize sick pups, n***a, you gon' see (You gon' see) / You barkin' up the wrong tree, think you f**kin' with me? (N***a, you shut up)"
Continuing off his previous bar, Joey explains that if Ray Vaughn gets dropped from TDE it would be because of this beef, more specifically this particular diss track.
The double entendres included in this bar highlights Joey Badass' conceptual writing ability, calling himself a seasoned vet that euthanizes "sick pups," a term he seemingly uses to refer to all the rappers signed to Top Dawg Entertainment.
He ends the bar with another "dog motif," tied into an idiom when suggesting that Ray Vaughn is messing with someone above his league.
"It's 'bout time Top let your a** off of the leash (That's right) / Signed for five years, had your biggest moment from me (That's sad) / Can't nobody name a single song you ever released (That's right) / Even "Crashout" wasn't your original beat (Facts)"
Joey then gets super targeted and recent with his comments against Ray, when reinforcing his hope for TDE to drop Vaughn.
The California native is the newest artist to sign with the record label, penning a deal in 2020. Joey Badass continues by stating in the five years that Ray Vaughn has been signed to Top Dawg Entertainment, his biggest moment came from beefing with him.
Joey claims the hip-hop community was unaware of Ray's existence prior to their beef. He proceeds by taking shots at Vaughn's Crashout diss track, released in February.
Joey calls out Ray Vaughn for using Kendrick Lamar's beat, suggesting the West Coast MC is "unoriginal" with his artistry.
"Everytime Joey dropped, you see, he eats / I did more for you than the whole of TDE (TDE, n***a) / It's too bad, n***a, you should have been signed to me (Too bad) / Somebody tell Top we 'bout to start TD East (TD East, n***a)"
Joey Badass continues by sending shots at both Ray Vaughn and Top Dawg Entertainment, claiming he's done more for the California native than the entire roster of artists signed to TDE.
Notable label mates include SZA, Isaiah Rashad, Jay Rock, and more. Joey Badass suggests that Ray Vaughn's career would've benefited if he had signed with him and his label, Pro Era.
He then takes a shot at Anthony Tiffith, poking fun at the Top Dawg CEO by suggesting his intention of starting a new rival record label called "TD East".
"Funny how they gotta use the Pro name for promo (Yeah) / On the low though, I really think you n****s is homo (Ayo) / The way you let Dot d**k sit in your mouth (Ayo) / This that same d**k-lickin' I was talkin' about (Ssh)"
Joey Badass proceeds to claim that everyone at TDE, taking shots at him and Pro Era, are homos*xuals.
This builds into the next line where he suggests that Top Dawg Entertainment's roster is more than just "attracted" to Kendrick Lamar, supposedly doing anything to be closely tied to the Grammy-winning Compton rapper.
"You n****s would do anything for the clout / Crash out over n****s who won't even let you in they house / I bet you ain't even got his number (You dogs) / It's funny how the thirst is bein' disguised as hunger"
Joey continues to address Vaughn's supposed desire to be affiliated with Kendrick, claiming that the GNX rapper doesn't know or care that Ray exists or that he's shouting him out on records like Crashout.
Joey Badass suggests that Ray's decision to diss him, a veteran in the hip-hop game, is "disguised" as hunger when in reality he's clout chasing. Diss tracks and rap battles are usually praised given the artform is deeply connected to a competitive spirit.
"Should have sat down, been humble, but now I gotta son you / This little ray of light'll be the biggest shine of your whole life / I don't just flow, I talk to your soul on the mic / You don't want smoke with me, please, just give me a light"
Referencing the iconic line from Kendrick Lamar's Humble, included on his pulitzer prize-winning album - DAMN., Joey claims that this rap battle will be the "biggest ray of light" for Vaughn's entire career.
Joey Badass also name-drops TDE signee Ab-Soul, who was rapping alongside him and Big Sean in Red Bull 1520's Spiral Freestyle, during which Joey responded to Ray's Crashout diss track.
"You need me to buzz, I'm light years beyond Ray / Want me to engage, so you mentioned my fiancé? / Clearly, I ain't scared to get in the ring (Nuh-uh) / I mean even Gervonta had to fight a couple bums just to be king (Boom-baow-bing-bing)"
With a pop culture nod to Buzz Lightyear, Joey Badass addresses Ray Vaughn's decision to name-drop his girlfriend Serayah.
The East Coast MC suggests he isn't afraid to battle Vaughn, comparing himself to boxer Gervonta Davis, who he claims had to fight several underqualified athletes before being named king.
He also includes a fun reference to Kendrick Lamar's ad-libs on the viral track - peekaboo.
"F**k around, leave me no choice to slay Vaughn (Yeah) / Sugar in your tank but you ain't no Sugar Ray, Vaughn (Hey) / Gay Vaughn, keep punchin' up with them pillow hands / You ain't even a middleman, you just a lil' man"
Joey Badass once again mocks Ray Vaughn by suggesting the California rapper is a homos*xual, going so far as to call him "Gay Vaughn".
He references the late Sugar Ray Robinson, who is widely considered the greatest pound-for-pound boxer of all time, being so influential that many boxers in the following decades would adopt "Sugar" in their names.
Joey continues on the boxing motif, claiming that Ray's disses were weak. He explains that the California native fought him with "pillow hands" instead of actually causing serious harm or injury.
"F**k whippin' feet, we throw hands like Rayman / You ain't no Ray Liotta, how much you made man? / Said I wouldn't talk about your pocket, but ayy, man (Look) / You need a optician just to see Ray bands"
Joey Badass then references Ray Liotta's character from the 1990 acclaimed mob film, Goodfellas, when stating that Vaughn is not destined to earn the same level of success as his Top Dawg predecessors.
In another double entendre, that references the eyewear company "Ray-Bans," Joey highlights his wealth by suggesting the TDE signee needs an optician to "see" that Badass has more money than him.
"Go fetch a coffee for your CEO / 'Cause judgin' by the numbers, clearly I can see he owed / Your mouth runnin' 'cause your pockets run on low (Uh-huh) / I'm active and I'm actin' (Yeah), yeah / And that's somethin' only me and Pac would know (Facts)"
Joey Badass continues by suggesting Ray Vaughn is indebted to Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith, claiming the California artist should give up rapping to become the CEO's secretary instead.
He also responds to Ray's claim from H*E ERA, where Vaughn suggests the New York rapper should stick to acting instead of rapping. On this bar, Joey Badass draws comparisons between himself and Tupac Shakur, who acted in multiple movies during his career.
Joey drawing similarities between himself and 2Pac is notable given the California Love rapper is a West Coast icon, who both Ray Vaughn and Kendrick Lamar look up to.
"Play with fire, then you gon' get burned (That's right) / Listen and learn kid, you was better off as the intern / Better yet, a mascot (Uh-huh), I been a beast with these flows / N***a, you can ask Dot, Killuminati Pt. 2"
Joey Badass then suggests that Top Dawg Entertainment views Ray as an afterthought, alluding to their more prominent roster. He seemingly likens him to the record label's mascot.
Joey proceeds to flex his lyrical ability before referencing his 2013 record, Killuminati Pt. 2, which was released as a response to Kendrick Lamar's infamous Control verse where the Compton native took aim at the biggest names in hip-hop.
"Yeah, that was my last shot / And it's a difference between that and Ruler's Back, let's be clear (Uh-huh) / I salute you Kenny but I know you well aware (Uh-huh) / You lookin' for some competition? Then just know that I'll be right here"
Joey Badass ends his diss track by switching his attention from Ray Vaughn to Kendrick Lamar instead, referencing his January The Ruler's Back record which dropped at the height of K-Dot's dominant 2024 run.
Joey maintains a positive spirit, saluting Kendrick for his accomplishments, while suggesting that he continues to view him as competition.
On February 18, 2025, Joey Badass dropped a three-record EP titled Pardon Me, which included three new YouTube exclusives the rapper had released at the start of the year.
