Joey Bada$$ Releases New EP 'Pardon Me': Listen

Joey Bada$$ is all up for the competitive rap wave that has engulfed the scene post the Kendrick-Drake showdown — and he wants all the smoke.

The rapper has come out with a brand new EP, Pardon Me, where he shows off some immaculate writing. With California ruling the airwaves currently, Joey’s project is a reminder for many listeners to never count New York out.

Kendrick Lamar Shakes Up The Super Bowl With Bold Drake Diss And Surprise Guests

Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl 59 halftime performance was nothing short of legendary, leaving fans buzzing with surprise cameos and bold moments that took his long-running feud with Drake to new heights. Kicking off with an unreleased song snippet and followed by “Squabble Up” from his latest album GNX, Kendrick immediately set the tone for a game-changing performance. Fans eagerly waited to see if Kendrick would play his diss track Not Like Us, especially with Drake's ongoing lawsuit against him and his label for defamation and harassment. Lamar's performance included an unexpected appearance by SZA and a quirky cameo from Serena Williams, along with Samuel L. Jackson’s comedic interruptions, all building the suspense around the Drake drama. In the middle of his performance, Kendrick turned up the heat, looking straight into the camera and directly addressing Drake with his famous lyrics, “I heard you like them young," as fans held their breath. Despite the tension, Kendrick censored himself when it came time to call Drake a "certified lover boy" and avoided saying “pedophile,” which had been widely speculated. Social media lit up with mixed reactions, with some fans mocking the performance as a "mid mashup" and others noting the intense hostility toward Drake. With the hashtag #KendrickBowl trending, it’s clear that Kendrick’s performance was a cultural moment that pushed boundaries—but has he gone too far, or is this just another chapter in hip-hop history? Only time will tell, and Drake has yet to respond.

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JOEY BADA$$
PARDON ME
MIDNIGHT
PARDON ME
SORRY NOT SORRY
THE RULER’S BACK pic.twitter.com/zyQompfDAg
— NFR Podcast (@nfr_podcast) February 17, 2025

The EP consists of three tracks — one new, and two that came out a few weeks back. The triple bundle is a cohesive listening experience though, alternating between lush instrumentals and clever writing. Of course, the infamous ‘The Ruler’s Back’ is part of that — Joey’s 2025 debut that talked about him being the King of New York while simultaneously taking shots at the West Coast rappers. Now, while a lot of fans think Joey was aiming for Kendrick, it really might not be the case. Perhaps this is what Joey loves about the game and the competitiveness that it once lost.

Battle rapper Daylyt sending direct message to Joey Bada$$ and CJ Fly in the latest video ‘YHRR’.https://t.co/J0FtAipFmF pic.twitter.com/TjOP3LdlLA
— Tribe ERA Worldwide™ (@TribeERAWW) February 3, 2025

He has received the memo and is steady setting pace for the better half of 2025. Being a blog era rapper, Joey is well seasoned (not to mention 1999, the exquisite mixtape that he has under his belt). Will he manage to turn more heads while keeping up with the likes of a young blood like Ray Vaughn and veteran like Daylyt (both of whom are equally as ready to respond back)? Well, that is a question that remains to be answered. For now, you can listen to the EP below!