Metro Boomin Believes Stan Culture Makes Today’s Rap Feuds ‘Weird’

Metro Boomin appreciates healthy competition in Hip Hop, but he believes that stan culture has made things a bit “weird” in today’s landscape.

The acclaimed producer spoke during a panel at the Forbes 30 Under 30 Summit on September 23, where he addressed the rivalry he ignited with Kendrick Lamar’s verse on his track “Like That” earlier this year.

“I think competition is great for the genre. Hip Hop has always been competitive—it’s part of the music’s essence, even if people take it too seriously,” Metro stated. “There’s a lot of ego involved in Hip Hop; everyone, from the biggest stars to emerging artists, is meant to feel like they’re the best.”

He explained that when top artists compete, it naturally leads to showdowns.

“We’ve seen it with JAY-Z and Nas in the past. But now, with stan culture, things feel different. Back then, I could be a fan of both JAY-Z and Nas, and it was fine. Nowadays, it seems like people feel they have to choose sides, which complicates things.”

Metro concluded,

“Ultimately, it’s just entertainment. I respect all my collaborators and want to see everyone succeed. We’re all here to uplift the genre and push it forward. This is our era, and it’s our responsibility to pave the way for future generations.”

Over the summer, Metro faced criticism from his sister for engaging in a feud with Drake while not addressing Soulja Boy’s disrespectful remarks about their mother, who was murdered in 2022. Soulja Boy had mocked her after Metro threw shade at him in an old tweet.

In a video on her Instagram Stories, Metro’s sister Leslie expressed her frustration, pointing out, “Drake told him to ‘shut the f*** up and make some drums,’ and Metro went all out with a song response. But when Soulja Boy disrespected our mom, he said nothing. That’s wild.”

She continued, “So he gets upset when someone calls him out, but goes silent when someone speaks about his mother? And I’m the crazy one? Yeah, right.”