Behind the Beef: Lil Yachty and Sean Paul

Updated:

February 23, 2024 3:02 am

American Songwriter participates in affiliate programs with various companies. Links originating on American Songwriter’s website that lead to purchases or reservations on affiliate sites generate revenue for American Songwriter . This means that American Songwriter may earn a commission if/when you click on or make purchases via affiliate links.

During the Thursday (June 29) episode of Lil Yachty’s new podcast A Safe Place, the rapper revealed to his co-host MitchGoneMad that he had a bone to pick with Jamaican-born pop-rap star Sean Paul, most notable for 2000s hits like “Temperature” and “Get Busy.” The discussion first began when Yachty and Mitch introduced the topic of artists falling off, or losing relevancy. At first, Yachty defended Paul, saying he did not necessarily fall off because he had not even really been putting out music often.

Videos by American Songwriter

“Nobody ever said Sean Paul fell off,” Yachty said. “They [Sean Paul and other artists like him] just stopped making music. I don’t think they’re still dropping music.”

Immediately after this thought, though, Yachty interjected by mentioning his dislike for Paul. Explaining that it was due to previous comments Paul made about him nearly seven years ago, Yachty made it clear that he is still holding the grudge.

“By the way, fuck Sean Paul. I want to make that very clear,” Yachty said. “I don’t fuck with Sean Paul. Sean Paul once dissed me in a radio interview.”

Once Yachty announced this, A Safe Place displayed the interview Yachty was referencing, where Paul visited Power 105.1’s radio show The Breakfast Club in 2016.

“If it were really about talent in the hip-hop industry, you wouldn’t have some of these younger cats… the Lil Yachty dem. ‘The ‘Boat Boy,’” Paul said during the conversation. “I mean, I don’t know much of the dude’s music either. I don’t like his comments.”

The comments Paul alludes to above are from Lil Yachty’s August 2016 interview with Billboard, just a few days after he blew up with songs like “One Night” and “Minnesota.” At one point in his talk with Billboard, Yachty joked that he “honestly couldn’t name five songs by Tupac or Biggie.” This quote, along with rubbing Paul the wrong way, led to discourse within the hip-hop community about the disconnect between the genre’s youth and their predecessors.

Check out the clip of Yachty’s rant from A Safe Place below, which Paul has yet to respond to.