“You got to realize, certain n—– was throwing shots for years. I ain’t in the middle of that s—,” the rapper said

A$AP Rocky is staying in his lane when it comes to rap drama.

For the latest Billboard cover story, the “Fashion Killa” rapper spoke to the outlet about choosing to mostly avoid the ongoing beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake, despite seemingly referencing him in a few bars on his recent “Show of Hands” collaboration with Future and Metro Boomin.

“You got to realize, certain n—– was throwing shots for years. I ain’t in the middle of that s—,” A$AP Rocky, 35, told the outlet. “That’s not how I retaliate right now.”

“I got bigger fish to fry than some p—- boys,” he continued. “It is real beef outside. It is real. N—– getting really clipped and blitzed every day. N—– sniping n—– every day. That little kitty s— ain’t about nothing.”

A$AP Rocky is also focusing on his new music, particularly, his upcoming album Don’t Be Dumb, which has been delayed. He shared in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Thursday, Aug. 22 that “leaks & sample clearances are disrupting the album,” and apologized for fans “for the wait.”

Drake and Lamar’s high-profile feud has played out on multiple diss tracks released in recent months, including through the former’s songs “Push Ups,” “Taylor Made Freestyle” and “Family Matters” songs. Likewise, Lamar released his own diss tracks like “Euphoria,” “Meet the Grahams,” “6:16 in L.A.,” “Not Like Us” and a verse on Metro Boomin and Future’s “Like That.”

In Drake’s songs, he took a shot at Lamar, 37, alleging domestic abuse against his longtime fiancée, Whitney Alford, and also claimed one of the “Humble” performer’s kids is not his biological offspring. He also questioned his role as an activist, alongside other claims.

Lamar, on the other hand, called Drake a “pedophile” and “colonizer” in his songs while simultaneously questioning his relationships with both his family and the culture at-large.

Fellow rappers Latto and Ice Spice have also publicly shared their thoughts on the feud, and both of them had positive takes.

“I ain’t going to lie: I liked it! I liked the back-and-forth,” Latto shared with Billboard. “I thought it was healthy for the culture. It just felt nostalgic. I don’t think our generation has even seen a rivalry like that. I f—ed with it.”

Meanwhile, Ice Spice artist told Rolling Stone she thought the beef was “really cool,” adding, “I’m a music lover. So, I appreciate the sport of it…”

A$AP Rocky’s Don’t Be Dumb album is scheduled to come out in the fall.