Joey Bada$$ kicked off 2025 with a surprise drop, The Ruler’s Back, that’s got the hip-hop world buzzing.
The track stands as a fierce opening salvo for the new year, taking direct aim at the West Coast’s recent dominance while reasserting New York’s place in the rap game.
Fans immediately started dissecting its lyrics for deeper meaning.
The Ruler’s Back Production and Musical Context
The Conductor Williams produced beat provides the perfect backdrop for Joey’s bars.
This first-time collaboration pays homage to JAY-Z’s classic 1996 track 22 Two’s, while forging new territory.
What distinguishes Joey in the current landscape is his genuine grasp of old school hip-hop energy.
Unlike artists who simply reference the past out of nostalgia or disdain for modern rap, Joey naturally embodies the spirit of New York’s golden era.
His delivery evokes memories of corner store conversations and bodega hangouts, capturing that distinctive East Coast essence without feeling forced.
The Ruler’s Back Lyrics Meaning Explained
Joey Bada$$ The Ruler’s Back lyrics reveal multiple layers of competitive spirit and cultural commentary.
Opening with “It feels so good to be back, mane,” Joey wastes no time establishing his presence before diving into deeper waters.
The meaning behind The Ruler’s Back emerges through several powerful statements.
Early bars like “Moved out the city, copped the house in the sticks / Couple acres, couple whips, whole lotta blicks” paint a picture of success while maintaining street credibility – a delicate balance Joey strikes throughout the track.
When he spits “I got murals in my city, fuck a nomination / This for every time they left me out the conversation,” he’s directly addressing the tension between industry accolades and street-level impact.
With Kendrick Lamar receiving eight Billboard Music Award nominations in 2024, Joey’s dismissal of industry recognition carries extra weight.
The lyrics show calculated patience in lines like “I was sitting back, watching from a eagle eye / Trying not to react, just give me one reason,” suggesting strategic observation before making his move.
When he drops “Too much West Coast dick licking,” he’s simultaneously echoing JAY-Z’s famous stance during another era of coastal rivalry while addressing current hip-hop dynamics.
The Joey Bada$$ lyrics take an intriguing spiritual turn with “I rap like I draw pentagrams and kill chickens” leading to “Your arms too short to box the Elohim.”
These aren’t random spiritual references – they connect to themes prevalent in recent West Coast rap, particularly Kendrick’s work.
Historical Context and Competition
The competitive tension has deeper roots than just current events. Joey previously considered himself part of a “holy trinity” with Kendrick and J. Cole.
However, this narrative was notably challenged by Kendrick’s famous Control verse, where he dismissed the idea of any “big three,” asserting his solo dominance.
Joey had responded to this challenge back then on Killuminati Pt. II.
Now, with The Ruler’s Back, Joey seems to revisit this unresolved tension.
His aggressive stance carries the weight of this history, particularly when he challenges the West Coast’s current dominance.
His new lyrics “here I come, I’m nowhere near done with you” suggest he hasn’t forgotten the Control verse challenge, adding another layer to his current positioning as New York’s defender.
The East Coast vs West Coast Dynamic
The track arrives at an interesting moment in hip-hop. After what many consider a dominant year for West Coast hip-hop in 2024.
It’s worth noting that unlike past coastal rivalries, this feels more like competitive sport than genuine beef – as Joey himself has collaborated with West Coast artists before, including Kendrick Lamar on A$AP Rocky’s 1Train back in 2013.
Looking Forward
At 29, Joey Bada$$ has already built an impressive legacy, from dropping “1999” at 17 to his roles in Mr. Robot.
Now, with The Ruler’s Back lyrics making waves, he seems poised for a big 2025.
The hip-hop community’s response highlights the track’s impact, praising Joey’s return to aggressive lyricism, while many noted the track’s competitive energy and sharp wordplay.
Whether The Ruler’s Back prompts responses from West Coast artists remains to be seen, but Joey Bada$$ has ensured 2025 started with a clear message: New York’s voice won’t be ignored.
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JOEY BADA$$ The Ruler’s Back Lyrics
Intro
Con-con— (I’m back, I wanna make you mine) Conductor
Yeah (I’m back, I wanna make you mine)
Ha-ha, right?
Uh, I’m back
That’s right
It feels so good to be back, mane
I’m back, baby
By popular demand, ayo
Verse 1
Moved out the city, copped the house in the sticks
Couple acres, couple whips, whole lotta blicks
I got options, baby, take your pick
Might fuck around and coordinate the fit, take a— Ha-ha, this my life in film, baby, I just write the script
Mister really put that on, they be counterfeit
I’m taking calculated risk, too legit to quit
Can get you niggas acclimated quick
It’s rules to this shit, hol’ up—
I got murals in my city, fuck a nomination
This for every time they left me out the conversation
I’m back by popular demand and world domination
I’m finna bomb on niggas plans, fresh off my vacation
I was sittin’ back, watchin’ from a eagle eye
Tryin’ not to react, just give me one reason
I swear, I’m on full attack, East Coast nigga ’til I die
It’s clear who the heir apparent king of NY, nigga
Interlude
Straight like that, come on
Told y’all niggas I’m back, come on
Yeah, the ruler’s back, baby
Ayo
Verse 2
Too much West Coast dick lickin’
I’m hearin’ niggas throwin’ rocks, really ain’t shit stickin’
‘Cause if we talkin’ bar-for-bar, really, it’s slim pickings
I rap like I draw pentagrams and kill chickens, nigga
Fuck around with your soul like ether, quick for a feature
This that black Airforce energy comin’ out your speaker
I’m out your reach, your arms too short to box the Elohim
Still reigning rap supreme, me and Steelo had a dream
I stand tall in this rap thing like Yao Ming
And won’t stop ’til the crowd sing when I’m crowned king
My aura scream and my style ring
This ain’t boom bap, nigga, this that boom-bow-bing
We can run a fair one, I knew some real hitters, but I ain’t never fear none
Guess that’s just the Brooklyn in me, they must not know where I’m from
Heard that they was lookin’ for me, okay
Tell ’em, “Here I come, I’m nowhere near done with you, nigga”
You fuckin’ stupid?
