Released on January 20, 2025, Joey Bada$$’s Sorry Not Sorry lands like a precision strike in hip-hop’s ongoing coastal dialogue.
The Brooklyn rapper’s second January offering takes clear aim at multiple targets while asserting his position in the game.
Why Joey Bada$$ Released Sorry Not Sorry: The Full Story
After dropping The Ruler’s Back with its controversial line about “too much West Coast dick licking,” Joey faced responses from several West Coast artists.
Most notably, TDE’s Ray Vaughn delivered what many considered a forceful reply. Rather than retreat, Joey’s chosen to double down.
Joey’s Battle Rap Approach: Echoes of Hip-Hop History
While Joey’s approach recalls elements of classic battle rap, it diverges from traditional formats.
Unlike Nas’ Ether – arguably hip-hop’s most devastating diss track – Joey opts for a more measured approach.
He’s not aiming for immediate devastation through punchlines and personal attacks.
Instead, his style on Sorry Not Sorry leans closer to Nas’ calculated, statement-making approach while maintaining his own artistic identity.
This strategic choice raises questions about Joey’s battle rap capabilities.
While he’s undeniably skilled at crafting cohesive songs, some observers note that he’s not necessarily a punchline-heavy battle rapper.
This distinction matters – in an era where rap beef often relies on quotable moments and viral lines, Joey’s choosing to play a longer game with his responses.
Sorry Not Sorry Music Video: A Visual Statement
The video, directed with cinematic flair, shows Joey in various Brooklyn locations, notably dressed in what fans are calling his “New York mafia boss outfit.”
The visual aesthetic plays heavily on East Coast imagery, with Joey performing in Brooklyn streets and industrial settings that emphasise his home territory claims.
Conductor Williams’ beat switches are perfectly matched with the video’s transitions, creating what one commentator called “a movie.”
The visuals particularly shine during the track’s beat change, where Joey’s delivery becomes more intense, matched by darker, more atmospheric scenes.
Sorry Not Sorry Lyrics: A Closer Look at the Bars
The track opens with Joey marking his territory: “They f**ked around, woke up the starseed from Marcy / Not the projects but them Brooklyn streets where my heart beat.”
It’s a clever piece of positioning – Joey’s simultaneously separating himself from Jay-z’s shadow whilst claiming his own authentic Brooklyn credentials.
What’s particularly striking is how Joey maintains his boom-bap roots while threading modern competitive energy throughout the track.
His reference to “N****s Wit Attitude” works on multiple levels, serving both as a nod to hip-hop history and a commentary on his critics.
The J Cole Connection: More Than Just a Casual Reference
The track’s most talked-about moment arrives when Joey spits: “Might delete later, I know damn sure that Joey won’t.”
It’s a direct jab at J Cole’s recent actions, particularly his decision to remove his Kendrick Lamar response from streaming platforms.
What makes this reference particularly potent is its timing. As noted in hip-hop circles, Cole’s retreat from the recent Drake-Kendrick conflict has left him vulnerable to exactly this kind of criticism.
Joey’s positioning himself as someone who won’t back down – a direct contrast to Cole’s approach.
Production Breakdown: Conductor Williams’ Touch
Conductor Williams and Mario Luciano’s production provides more than just a backdrop – it’s an essential part of the message.
The beat switches between boom-bap influenced sections and more atmospheric moments, creating a perfect foundation for Joey’s verbal assertions.
Fan and Critical Reception: A Complex Response
The hip-hop community’s reaction reveals fascinating divisions that cut to the heart of contemporary rap debates.
Veterans of Joey’s catalogue point to a marked shift in his technical approach – the intricate wordplay and dense metaphors that characterised tracks like Survival Tactics have given way to a more direct, confrontational style.
This evolution has sparked intense debate. Some argue Joey’s current style lacks the lyrical complexity that initially set him apart, particularly in New York’s competitive rap scene.
Critics point out that while Joey claims the city’s crown, he hasn’t achieved the commercial heights of A$AP Rocky or the underground reverence of Griselda.
Yet others see this transformation as necessary evolution. In an era where rap battles often play out through subliminals and social media, Joey’s straightforward approach feels refreshingly old school.
His willingness to name names and stand firm sets him apart from peers who might drop a diss track one day and delete it the next.
The Bigger Picture: What This Means for Hip-Hop
Sorry Not Sorry lands at a particularly charged moment for hip-hop.
Following the seismic impact of 2024’s Drake and Kendrick exchanges, the culture seems hungry for authentic competition that prioritises bars over drama.
Joey’s approach – dropping consecutive tracks that build on each other rather than going for a single knockout blow – harkens back to hip-hop’s battle rap traditions.
The track also raises interesting questions about regional identity in modern hip-hop.
In an era where geographical boundaries mean less than ever, Joey’s emphatic claiming of Brooklyn feels almost nostalgic.
Yet it’s precisely this commitment to location and legacy that gives his bars their weight.
More broadly, this release suggests a potential shift in how rap beef might play out in 2025.
Rather than the all-or-nothing exchanges we’ve seen recently, we might be entering an era where artistic competition can exist without deteriorating into personal animosity.
Whether this more measured approach will satisfy audiences used to higher stakes remains to be seen.
What’s Next for Joey Bada$$?
With two tracks released in quick succession, speculation about Joey’s next moves is rampant.
Some suggest this is album rollout strategy, while others believe he’s genuinely throwing his hat in the ring for New York’s crown.
The real intrigue lies in how his targets might respond. Will J Cole break his silence?
Will more West Coast artists step up? As the hip-hop community eagerly awaits the next development, one thing’s certain: Joey Bada$$ has ensured all eyes are on his next move.
And unlike some of his contemporaries, he shows no signs of hitting the delete button.
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Joey Bada$$ Sorry Not Sorry Lyrics
Intro
Let it rock
(Conductor)
(They fucked around, woke up the star see from Marcy)
(Not the projects but the—)
Yeah
What you want me to do? Bitch, I’m sorry, haha
I’m sorry not sorry
Look, ayo
Verse 1
They fucked around, woke up the starseed from Marcy
Not the projects but them Brooklyn streets where my heart beat
51 Hart Street, 193 Vernon Avenue
Niggas Wit Attitude mad I’m bigging up my city, that’s something I had to do
Do or die, home of the gully where we let lead fly (Boom)
2025 on my bully, I know that men lie (Yeah)
Women lie but Joey don’t (Uh)
Might Deletе Later, I know damn sure that Joey won’t
Fuck it, I want all thе smoke (Yeah), put my credit on the line
‘Cause niggas can’t fuck with me, we talkin’ ’bout it line for line
The audacity of this nigga, he must be out his mind
Haunted by the ghost of Biggie and ‘Pac, I’m them combined
Spent many years minding mines, out of sight and out of mind
Now I’m front in line, all the signs saying this my time
Swear it’s so divine, properly align this little light of mine
Promise I’ma let it shine ’til it leave you niggas blind
Bridge
Yeah, respect that, ho
Yeah, check that though
Yeah (Light work)
Uh
Chorus
What you want me to do? Bitch, I’m sorry
I’m sorry not sorry, yeah
I said I’m sorry not sorry, bitch
I’m sorry not, yeah
(Hahahaha)
Bridge
Yeah
Hold on, man, shit (Conductor)
We got that foot on you niggas necks, nigga, haha
Look
Uh
Verse 2
And the pockets runs deep never slow leak
Nigga, what’s beef? Huh
Beef is when a nigga like you can’t sleep, uh
Wake up with no appetite and now you can’t eat, uh, now you can’t speak (Nah)
Cat got his tongue, he been missin’ all week, uh
Perfect time to separate the strong from the weak, uh
I won’t ever hesitate, won’t ever miss a beat, nah
Stay calm and meditate, but know I got a be on, uh
Don’t be alarmed (Yeah), pistol in my palm
To pick apart you pussy niggas plottin’ all along (That’s right)
Yeah, like, “Not today, Satan” (Not today)
In fact, me and God been havin’ great conversations (Right)
Admiring the constellations (Yeah)
Everyday is new thoughts and new observations
Know I gotta move forth, ain’t no time for wastin’
Now I’m carryin’ the torch for my generation with no hesitation
Yeah, I’m ten toes deep, you get cold feet
Nigga gotta hold heat, that’s what the streets told me
Written manifesto of a young G
Having premonitions, many men tryna smoke me (Yeah)
I’m ten toes deep, you get cold feet (Yuh)
Nigga got the hold heat, that’s what the streets told me
Written manifesto of a young G
Having premonitions, many men tryna smoke me
Outro
Straight like that (Yeah)
Ayo (Yeah, shit like that, nigga)
(Uh), uh
Woo
Sweet gospel music
2025 music
I’m back
He’s back
