Bobby Shmurda has never been shy about sharing his opinions, and this week Jay-Z became the latest target of his criticism. After footage from Jay-Z’s Roots Picnic freestyle began circulating online, the Brooklyn rapper took to Instagram with a series of posts questioning both the performance and the direction behind it. The freestyle itself quickly became one of the festival’s most discussed moments, largely because Jay-Z appeared to address a number of familiar names, including Drake, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Tory Lanez, and Dame Dash.
Shmurda’s response arrived almost immediately. Reposting content related to the performance on his Instagram Story, he wrote, “Now niccas NWA lmaooo.” The comment was brief, but it gained traction as debate around the freestyle spread across social media platforms. Fans spent much of the weekend dissecting both Jay-Z’s lyrics and the reactions they inspired.
He followed with a more direct critique. “Niccas be 56 years old going through identity christ [sic]. Lmaooo. Like who you going be next fronting ass nicca. lol nicca too old for that shit go sit down old head,” Shmurda wrote. In another post, he compared Jay-Z’s delivery to dramatic theater rather than a traditional rap performance. “This nicca doing Shakespeare,” he added.
Jay-Z’s Freestyle Reignites a Familiar Feud
The criticism reflects a tension that has been visible for some time. During a livestream earlier this year, Shmurda pushed back when asked about Jay-Z’s influence within hip-hop. “Man, fuck them n***as,” he said before again referring to Roc Nation as “Opp Nation,” a nickname he has used on several occasions.
That history is notable because Shmurda once worked with Roc Nation following his release from prison in 2021. The business relationship eventually ended, and his comments toward the company have become increasingly pointed in recent years. Jay-Z, meanwhile, has not publicly responded to Shmurda’s latest remarks.
What continues to drive discussion is the freestyle itself. Among the performance’s most quoted lines was Jay-Z’s declaration: “A rapper can’t be my opp. The jig is up/N***a I’m up 10/ Wrong chart, champ, you gotta look up again/N**s look up to HOV/I never looked up to them.”
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