Joey Badass The Finals Meaning and Review

A Triumphant Return

Joey Bada$$ comes out swinging on "The Finals", a scathing diss track that marks his most aggressive and focused lyrical display in recent memory. The beat is triumphant and energetic, built on a celebratory synth line and heavy bass that gives the record its anthemic tone. From the very start, Joey sounds invigorated, like a champion stepping back into the ring with something to prove. It's clear he's not only responding to Ray Vaughn’s "Hoe Era", but also reclaiming his spot in the conversation around lyrical supremacy.

A Masterclass in Wordplay

This track is more than just a diss; it’s a clinic in technical writing and performance. Joey weaves complex wordplay with scathing wit, targeting not just Ray Vaughn but taking aim at the entire Top Dawg Entertainment camp. Lines like “I did more for you than the whole of TDE” and the mocking “What kinda Top Dawg is you? You more Shih Tzu” are as cutting as they are memorable. He makes use of metaphor, punchlines, and layered references to show that he’s not only lyrically sharp but also tactically dominant.

Tone and Delivery on Point

What makes "The Finals" especially gripping is Joey’s command of tone. There’s arrogance here, yes, but it’s earned. He oscillates between playful taunts and direct threats, managing to both clown his opponent and assert his dominance in the same breath. He even ropes in TDE heavyweights like Kendrick Lamar, Top Dawg, and Reason to make his case, positioning himself as an underdog that’s been slept on for too long. His delivery is crystal clear, his cadence razor sharp, and he knows this is a moment worth owning.

Personal and Tactical Shots

The track also subtly functions as a mission statement. Joey isn’t just here to respond, he’s here to win. It’s rare to see a diss track so cleanly executed and so rich with detail that it rewards multiple listens. He references Ray’s signing, the use of Joey’s name for attention, and even clowns the instrumental for "Crashout", all while never breaking flow. It’s a testament to Joey’s ability to blend message with musicality, and why this track hits harder than the typical rap beef fodder.

Joey Bada$$ is Back on Top

Ultimately, "The Finals" feels like a win for Joey Bada$$. He’s sharp, unrelenting, and fully in control, proving he can still turn heads when he taps into that gritty, confrontational energy. Whether or not Ray Vaughn will respond, one thing’s clear: Joey just raised the bar for 2025 diss tracks, and he did it in classic New York fashion with rawness, cleverness, and complete unapologetic confidence.

Listen to Joey Badass The Finals

Joey Badass The Finals Lyrics Meaning and Review 

The meaning of The Finals by Joey Bada$$ is a bold statement of lyrical dominance, authenticity, and status in the rap game. The track serves as a calculated and direct diss aimed at Ray Vaughn, a lesser-known artist from Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), who previously dissed Joey. Rather than brushing off the attack, Joey uses The Finals to dismantle Ray Vaughn’s credibility line by line, exposing what he sees as artificiality, dependence on label clout, and lack of artistry. With sharp wordplay, layered metaphors, and strategic references, Joey not only defends his reputation but reasserts himself as one of hip-hop’s most technically skilled and self-aware MCs. This is more than a diss track — it’s a display of control, legacy, and challenge, not just to Ray Vaughn, but implicitly to TDE and even Kendrick Lamar.

Opening Taunt and Ray Vaughn's Legitimacy

Joey Bada$$ begins "The Finals" with the provocative phrase, "Stupid or you dumb?", repeating a taunt used by Ray Vaughn in "Hoe Era", throwing the insult back as a mockery of Ray’s wit. He quickly sets the tone by undermining Ray’s credibility with the line “What kinda Top Dawg is you? You more Shih Tzu”. A Shih Tzu is a toy breed dog, the opposite of a fearsome “top dog,” and also a man-made breed, setting up the next bars: “You was cloned in the lab, dog, you artificial / You known for your label, not because your art official.” This triple entendre weaponizes “artificial” and “art official” while implying Ray Vaughn lacks creative authenticity and only exists because of Top Dawg Entertainment’s name.

Wordplay and Power Dynamics

Joey follows this with a punchline that flips a classic proverb: “And I ain't gotta talk about how broke you are to fix you.” Normally, the saying is "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Joey flips it by implying Ray is broken and needs fixing. He then escalates with “'Cause when I send shots at you, it'd be hard to miss you / Ain't gotta load the magazine just to press this issue.” This plays on the dual meanings of “magazine” as both a firearm cartridge and a publication, suggesting Joey doesn’t need ammunition to make headlines. He raises the heat further with “In fact, these ain't even shots, they missiles,” claiming lyrical superiority, and adds “Tryna outclass the Bada$$? So I gotta dismiss you,” a clever double entendre. “Class dismissed” implies the battle is over and that Joey is the educator here.

Dog Imagery and Label Critique

Dog metaphors are woven throughout the track. “You all bark, no bite, but hit dogs gon' holler” invokes the idea that guilty parties react defensively. “Caught a couple strays, now it's time I put 'em on a collar” references literal stray dogs and military dog tags, suggesting Joey’s shots weren’t intentional at first, but now he's targeting directly. To “put ‘em on a collar” means to control or claim a victory. He follows with “I let 'em rot while I charge 'em for top dollar” which doubles as a pun on “Rottweiler,” implying TDE lets their artists decay while profiting from their name.

Discrediting Ray's Position at TDE

Joey delivers a scathing prediction: “You're the next nigga gettin' dropped off the Top roster / And I'ma be the Reason.” This line references former TDE rapper REASON, who was dropped from the label in 2024. He mocks Ray's irrelevance with “Signed for five years, yet your biggest moment from me / Can't nobody name a single song you ever released / Even 'Crashout' wasn't your original beat.” Ray Vaughn used Kendrick’s “The Heart Part 6” beat for his diss track, and Joey frames this as a desperate clout move.

Turning the Tables on TDE

Joey continues his dominance with “I did more for you than the whole of TDE.” He implies that Ray is only relevant now because of him. He adds “It's too bad, nigga, you should have been signed to me / Somebody tell Top we 'bout to start TD East,” flipping TDE’s name into an East Coast version led by Joey. Then comes another shot: “Funny how they gotta use the Pro name for promo.” He asserts that his name alone garners more attention than Ray Vaughn's work.

Personal Shots and Kendrick Allegiance

The track then turns vulgar and direct: “On the low though, I really think you niggas is homo / The way you let Dot dick sit in your mouth.” Joey mocks Ray for riding Kendrick Lamar’s coattails. He continues: “Crash out over niggas who won't even let you in they house / I bet you ain't even got his number.” He portrays Ray as a desperate follower dissing for validation, while Kendrick remains distant and unaware.

Ray Vaughn's Spotlight Is Borrowed

Joey shifts to lyrical power: “This little ray of light'll be the biggest shine of your whole life / I don't just flow, I talk to your soul on the mic.” He suggests this diss is the most exposure Ray will ever get. He adds: “You don't want smoke with me, please, just give me a light,” cleverly invoking a smoking metaphor to demand fire.

Addressing the Fiancée Line and Readiness for War

Joey blends metaphors and defense with “You need me to buzz, I'm light years beyond Ray / Want me to engage, so you mentioned my fiancée?” Ray had claimed he ghostwrote for Serayah, prompting Joey to respond. The next line, “Clearly, I ain't scared to get in the ring,” works as both a boxing metaphor and a reference to engagement. He adds: “Even Gervonta had to fight a couple bums just to be king,” comparing Ray to an amateur opponent.

Degrading Ray's Manhood and Status

Joey returns to wordplay: “Sugar in your tank but you ain't no Sugar Ray Vaughan / Gay Vaughn, keep punchin' up with them pillow hands.” This ridicules Ray’s masculinity while playing on famous names. He continues with “You ain't even a middleman, you just a lil' man / Fuck with me feet, we throw hands like Rayman,” referencing the video game character and suggesting even Joey’s feet could beat Ray in a fight.

He continues with “You ain't no Ray Liotta, how much you made man?” using another Ray reference to question Ray Vaughn’s status. The line “You need an optician just to see Ray bands,” plays on Ray-Ban sunglasses and Ray’s lack of visible money.

Final Jabs and Career Positioning

Joey then ridicules Ray’s position within TDE: “Go fetch a coffee for your CEO,” painting him as a personal assistant. “Listen and learn kid, you was better off as the intern,” reinforces this image. He adds: “Better yet, a mascot, I been a beast with these flows,” comparing Ray to a cheerleader while calling himself a monster on the mic.

A Message to Kendrick Lamar

He closes the verse with a focus on legacy: “Nigga, you can ask Dot, Killuminati Part Two / Yeah, that was my last shot.” Referencing his response to Kendrick’s Control verse, Joey reminds listeners of his earlier lyrical dominance. He ends with: “And this the difference between that and Ruler's Back, let's be clear / I salute you Kenny but I know you well aware / You lookin' for some competition? Then just know that I'll be right here.” These final lines double as a respectful nod and an open invitation to Kendrick Lamar, positioning himself as the true challenger after the Drake battle.

Joey Badass The Finals Lyrics 

[Intro]

Let's get it

New York City (Ayo), stand up

I'm back (That's right)

Stupid or you dumb?

(Knicks in the 6 nigga, Joey in 1)

Look

[Verse]

What kinda Top Dawg is you? You more Shih Tzu

You was cloned in the lab, dog, you artificial

You known for your label, not because your art official

And I ain't gotta talk about how broke you are to fix you

'Cause when I send shots at you, it'd be hard to miss you (Grr)

Ain't gotta load the magazine just to press this issue (Nah)

In fact, these ain't even shots, they missiles (That's right)

Tryna outclass the Bada$$? (Haha) So I gotta dismiss you (You funny)

You all bark, no bite, but hit dogs gon' holler

Caught a couple strays, now it's time I put 'em on a collar

I let 'em rot while I charge 'em for top dollar

You're the next nigga gettin' dropped off the Top roster (Facts)

And I'ma be the Reason (Yeah), okay, bet

You sick dog lookin' for beef with a seasoned vet

I euthanize sick pups, nigga, you gon' see (You gon' see)

You barkin' up the wrong tree, think you fuckin' with me? (Nigga, you shut up)

It's 'bout time Top let your ass off of the leash (That's right)

Signed for five years, yet your biggest moment from me (That's that)

Can't nobody name a single song you ever released (That's right)

Even "Crashout" wasn't your original beat (Facts)

Everytime Joey dropped, you see, he eats

I did more for you than the whole of TDE (TDE, nigga)

It's too bad, nigga, you should have been signed to me (Too bad)

Somebody tell Top we 'bout to start TD East (TD East, nigga)

Funny how they gotta use the Pro name for promo (Yeah)

On the low though, I really think you niggas is homo (Ayo)

The way you let Dot dick sit in your mouth (Ayo)

This that same dick-lickin' I was talkin' about (Ssh)

You niggas would do anything for the clout

Crash out over niggas who won't even let you in they house

I bet you ain't even got his number (You dogs)

It's funny how the thirst is bein' disguised as hunger

Should have sat down, been humble, but now I gotta son you

This little ray of light'll be the biggest shine of your whole life

I don't just flow, I talk to your soul on the mic

You don't want smoke with me, please, just give me a light

You need me to buzz, I'm light years beyond Ray

Want me to engage, so you mentioned my fiancé?

Clearly, I ain't scared to get in the ring (Nuh-uh)

I mean even Gervonta had to fight a couple bums just to be king (Boom-bap-bing-bing)

Fuck around, leave me no choice to slay Vaughn (Yeah)

Sugar in your tank but you ain't no Sugar Ray Vaughan (Hey)

Gay Vaughn, keep punchin' up with them pillow hands

You ain't even a middleman, you just a lil' man

Fuck with me feet, we throw hands like Rayman

You ain't no Ray Liotta, how much you made man?

Said I wouldn't talk about your pocket, but ayy, man (Look)

You need a optician just to see Ray bands

Go fetch a coffee for your CEO

'Cause judgin' by the numbers, clearly I can see he owed

Your mouth runnin' 'cause your pockets run on low (Uh-huh)

I'm active and I'm actin' (Yeah), yeah

And that's somethin' only me and Pac would know (Facts)

Play with fire then you gon' get burned (That's right)

Listen and learn kid, you was better off as the intern

Better yet, a mascot (Uh-huh), I been a beast with these flows

Nigga, you can ask Dot, Killuminati Part Two

Yeah, that was my last shot

And this the difference between that and Ruler's Back, let's be clear (Uh-huh)

I salute you Kenny but I know you well aware (Uh-huh)

You lookin' for some competition? Then just know that I'll be right here

[Outro]

Straight like that, look (Yeah-yeah)

Slime nigga rap

We live and direct (Grr)

(Ayy)

I'm back

New York City, here and now reppin' (Stay down)

With Joey Bada$$ (Uh-huh)

(East Coast, nigga)

You gotta love it, yeah

That's right

Joey Brunson, uh

Yeah

The Finals, nigga

And you failed the test, nigga

You fuckin' failed