Steve Jobs: SLR 3 1/2

"Steve Jobs: SLR 3 1/2" is a song by Lupe Fiasco, released on July 22, 2021, as a response to the diss track "Silence of the Lambda" by Royce da 5'9". It was posted only a few hours after, their beef stemming from earlier tensions on their shared podcast, and encouragement from fellow MCs of a rap battle and who would win.Powell, Jon (July 22, 2021). "Royce da 5'9" and Lupe Fiasco send for each other on diss tracks". Revolt.
The thumbnail Fiasco used is of Steve Jobs, the 2006 photograph shot by Albert Watson at Apple HQ in Cupertino, California."Albert Watson (@albertwatsonphotography)". Instagram. April 7, 2018. This aligns with Fiasco's lyrics 'What's Siri to Steve Jobs?' and 'Come and fuck with us, nerds.'
== Background ==
On June 25, 2021, the two discussed over an Instagram livestream the criteria for "best rapper," with Fiasco responding whoever won the End of the Weak MC Challenge. He remarked that Osyris Antham is currently the best rapper alive, who won the last EODUB competition. Royce disagreed and told Fiasco to "hop his highly intelligent ass on the URL stage" to battle him because he was "talkin' too spicy."
This was brought up again during a livestream with engineer Young Guru, Mickey Factz, Loaded Lux and Murda Mook. They talked about appearing on the Ultimate Rap League platform, with Murda Mook and Loaded Lux arguing who would win between Royce and Fiasco. Fiasco asked why people kept bringing that up, and said, "I'm not really interested in battling Royce but don't get it fucked up. That don't mean I won't cook n***as if n***as keep pushing buttons. I don't wanna do that shit personally but if you wanna make a professional fool of your motherfucking self running up against a demon, go 'head." After a heated exchange, it ended with Royce stating, "Get in the motherfucking ring then bitch if you got a motherfucking problem. Who you think you fucking talking to, n***a? You playing too much. Take some of that bass out your voice." This led to Fiasco doing a 15-minute freestyle over his own IG live, taking subtle shots at Royce.Brown, Preezy (July 22, 2021). "Lupe Fiasco and Royce 5'9" Trade Diss Tracks in Lyrical Battle". Vibe.Watson, Elijah (July 2021). "Lupe Fiasco and Royce Da 5'9" Begin "Feud" with Lengthy Diss Tracks". Okayplayer.
== Aftermath ==
After their diss tracks, Royce took to Twitter: "I won't attack Lu personally. I'm a real one with control of my emotions though desperate times call for desperate measures.. You gotta talk reckless when you know you can't check all them boxes Tried to tell him, I'm different."Singh, Ashish (July 22, 2021). "Beef Alert: Why did Royce Da 5'9" and Lupe Fiasco diss each other? Fans hope it stays friendly". MEAWW. Over an Instagram livestream the same day, Royce said that Lupe "can get everything he's lookin' for if he wasn't so angry" and added, "I can't write no whole record disparaging Lupe, I don't have those kind of feelings for him in my heart. [...] A lot of people sayin' it's healthy competition, but is it healthy for him?"Gee, Andre (July 29, 2021). "What's Really Going on Between Lupe Fiasco and Royce Da 5'9"?". Complex.
The next day on July 23rd, Lupe announced that their podcast, The Lupe and Royce Show, was over due to it "becom[ing] an untenable situation." He elaborated, "It's not something that my heart was 100 percent in the podcast, and I think we just reached the state now where it's an untenable relationship, so I appreciate the last episode went up today. I think sometimes it's good to just go out on top. It's not something that's done out of ill will. This is something that's kind of been building for a little bit. And again, my heart wasn't 100 percent in the podcast with Royce, without Royce, by myself on my own."Moore, Evan (July 26, 2021). "After highly publicized diss records, Lupe Fiasco and Royce Da 5'9" joint podcast ends". Chicago Sun Times.
On July 26th, Mickey Factz jumped into the ring with "Wraith," shots aimed at Royce. Lyrics included 'All this chatting for hours is really silly n***a, with no rapping / I swear you gotta be backwards, no matter how many flowers you try to give a n***a, it's like they only want them on top of their casket, damn, pay the price for acting ladylike / We rarely see black Eminems, kinda shady right?'Powell, Jon (July 27, 2021). "Mickey Factz jumps into the Lupe Fiasco/Royce da 5'9" fray with "Wraith"". Revolt.
On July 28th, Fiasco said on an Instagram livestream that he and Royce were no longer friends. He believed that there were lines crossed in Royce's diss, particularly for threat of violence (Fiasco also mentioned Jonylah Watkins, a baby who was fatally shot in Chicago from gun violence). Royce lamented the same day, "I love to rap, but I don't love drama" and added that there could've been a "right way" where "there wouldn't have been no feelings if everybody would've been intentional with making sure that we're clear on how everybody feel."
On August 9, 2022, Royce told The Breakfast Club:
Building a relationship with him was kind of like a case study, man. The challenge to me is building a relationship with somebody, coexisting with somebody, who you know you might have conflicting ideologies with. It's somebody who you may not necessarily have a relationship with if it weren't for the music space. I'm intrigued by that, 'cause I think he's such an incredible lyricist and I think he's so different from me.
But I think that through music we can find the neutral things that we agree on, and we can also learn to agree to disagree on the things we don't agree on, without having to try to change how each other feels. And to me, that's the ultimate way of building solidarity.
Regarding calling Lupe a "bitch," he replied:
Do I regret it? I don't know if 'regret' is the right word, but I'm not happy about saying that, 'cause I don't think he's a bitch. I don't think we should speak to each other that way, but I do understand why I said it, 'cause it was just a reaction.
It was a point that I got pushed to, and I feel like I gave a lot of warning points. I gave a lot of lead into it, and that's me knowing myself. If it gets to a point where I start getting upset, I'ma just react and then I'ma go outside of my body. I'ma vibrate lower, I'ma start doing shit that's not really reflective of the way I wanna evolve.
I don't feel good about it. I think I would regret it if he had apologized, then I definitely would apologize, and then it would go down as a regret. But as of right now, like the way that everything got kinda summed up, it is what it is, but I don't feel good about it.Walker, Joe (August 10, 2022). "Royce da 5'9" Admits He 'Doesn't Feel Good' About Calling Lupe Fiasco a 'Bitch'". HipHopDX.
== Lyrics ==
== "Silence of the Lambda" ==
== References ==
Category:2021 songs
Category:Explicit songs
Category:Lupe Fiasco songs
Category:Songs