Ranking the 11 Rappers From Kendrick Lamar’s “Control” Verse, 10 Years Later

Ten years ago, Kendrick Lamar called out some of the rap game’s finest — Big Sean, Wale, Jay Electronica, Meek Mill, A$AP Rocky, Mac Miller, Big K.R.I.T., Tyler, the Creator, Pusha T, Drake and J. Cole — in a blistering verse on “Control.” The verse was both an invitation and a challenge, sparking a frenzied renaissance of competitive spirit that revived the essence of hip-hop.

But who’s kept their flame burning brightest since that game-changing verse? Who’s ascended to the top of the rap game, and who’s fallen off? A decade since the Compton rapper’s “Control” verse dropped, the seismic ripples are still being felt — there’s still a Cold War going on between Kendrick and Drake, and the big 3 (Kendrick, Drake and Cole) are still jostling for the top position.

With one verse, the West Coast rap phenom took aim at his contemporaries and set a new bar for excellence. From Big Sean’s steady rise to Pusha T’s masterpieces — dropped few and far between — and Jay Electronica’s mystique, the careers of those rappers mentioned have taken intriguing paths over the past decade.

So let’s get into it. From Big Sean, A$AP Rocky, and Meek Mill, to Drake, J. Cole and Big K.R.I.T., we rank the 11 rappers mentioned on the “Control” verse, a decade on.

12. Meek Mill

Best album since 2013: Championships (2018)

A decade on from “Control”, Meek Mill has not changed much. It’s got to the point where you can predict the sound of every new project; the Philly MC rarely steps outside his comfort zone, delivering standard album after album. Flexing his riches over a range of booming trap beats, it would be an overstatement to call his work bad, but it’s far from unique. Reaching his peak with Championships back in 2018, it seems like Meek has been trying to recreate the magic of his debut ever since, rehashing the same braggadocious themes and commercial trap production without taking any risks to evolve his sound. He’s had a few shining moments, like the fast-paced banger “Going Bad” with Drake, but as harsh as it sounds, Meek is at his most compelling when he’s passing the mic over to somebody else. From Dreams Worth More Than Money all the way to Expensive Pain, Mill’s discography sounds like the same project repackaged over and over, recycling all the same ideas without adapting to the times. When his debut album dropped, Meek Mill was viewed as rap’s next superstar, but looking back now, it seems like he’s squandered that potential.

11. Jay Electronica

Best album since 2013: A Written Testimony (2020)

Rewinding to the early 2010s, Jay Electronica was a lyrical monster. Packing each verse with intricate rhyme schemes, mind-boggling wordplay, and clever metaphors, he was in the upper echelon of lyricists, and remains a master wordsmith today. The problem with Jay isn’t his talent, but his work ethic. Dropping a single here and a feature there, the MC pops out of the shadows every once in a while to deliver a verse of the year contender, but that’s it. Dropping the one-two punch of A Written Testimony and Act II: The Patients of Nobility (The Turn) in 2020, it’s clear Jay’s lyrical talents have never faded, but he seems unbothered with using those skills. From 2013 to now, his career has mostly been radio silence, wasting his chance to be in the GOAT conversation because of his uneventful output. That being said, Jay’s features continue to amaze. Joining Kanye for “Jesus Lord”, teaming up with Westside Gunn for “Free Kutter”, and dominating some Swizz Beatz production on “Khalas”, the Louisiana MC has been on a phenomenal feature run, stealing the show from countless rappers with his lyrical masterclasses. As talented as he is, it’s disappointing that New Orleans rapper hasn’t done more with his abilities.

10. A$AP Rocky

Best album since 2013: At. Long. Last. ASAP (2015)

Taking long breaks between each project, A$AP Rocky always brings quality, but fans have to wait years for him to bring anything at all. In the time between “Control” and now, Rocky cemented himself as one of rap’s royalty with strong releases like AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP and Testing, perfectly blending the dreamy sounds of the cloud rap scene with the hard-hitting punch of contemporary trap. But as excellent as those projects are, two albums in 10 years leaves a lot to be desired. Focussing more on his fashion career and personal life with Rihanna, music seems to have taken a backseat in Lord Flacko’s life. But that’s not to say he isn’t still a menace on the mic: whether he’s rapping alongside Black Thought on Cheat Codes or gliding over some Metro Boomin production for the latest Across the Spider-Versesoundtrack, his consistent features always command attention. In the lead up to his fourth album, Don’t Be Dumb, hype around Rocky’s music has never been louder. Five years after Testing, there’s no reason to be skeptical about his new project, because Flacko has delivered on every album thus far. Dropping music whenever he feels like it, Rocky’s catalog feels bare, but his consistency is undeniable.

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