The lyrical debate concerning “Who’s The Better Lyrics Between Lupe Fiasco and Kendrick Lamar” resurfaced on the most recent episode of Ray Daniels’s That’s Debatable Podcast, that includes Mickey Factz.

Factz, a veteran lyricist identified for his elite-level lyricism, weighed in on the talk, claiming that Lupe Fiasco is a greater lyricist than Kendrick Lamar primarily based solely on lyrical skills. “Kendrick is an incredible MC, but I got Lupe ranked higher from a pen standpoint,” Factz tells Ray Daniels and fellow company Earn Your Leisure hosts Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings.

Mickey Factz continues his argument, acknowledging Kendrick Lamar’s catalog and accolades; nonetheless, he bases his resolution solely on lyrical capacity. “He can outwrap Kendrick today,” Factz defined. “I don’t think it’s insane … Kendrick has been on a run from an album standpoint, unlike anything we’ve seen since Kanye and Tupac. 
Right? He has an incredible catalogue from a song perspective. Okay. And nobody can deny that. 
That’s why he’s ranked as high as he’s ranked. In terms of Biggie JayZ Tupac and all of these legends.. But from a pen standpoint, we’re talking about just writing raps, like just writing raps and actually rapping? No, I got Lupe over him. 
Every day of the week.”

Mickey would then rank Lupe alongside Jay-Z, Biggie Smalls, and Nas as a lyricist. Factz continued: “I’m talking about, in terms of just lyrical, just lyrically, it’s Lupe. He’s that guy. And Kendrick would even admit that he’s. Yes, it’s Lupe.”

The dialog would later embrace Andre 3000, J. Cole, and extra. All are being in contrast solely on their lyrical skills. Mickey Factz is greatest identified for his early 2000s mixtape run, together with 2008’s The Leak, Vol.2: The Inspiration. Hailing from the Bronx, he has collaborated with Lupe Fiasco, Drake, and Skyzoo.

Lupe Fiasco and Kendrick Lamar’s long-simmering stress displays a deeper rift in hip-hop’s evolving panorama. The friction traces again to 2018, when Lupe publicly questioned Kendrick’s lyrical prowess throughout a heated Twitter alternate, downplaying the affect of Kendrick’s famed “Control” verse and suggesting his fashion lacked originality. The feedback shocked followers, notably since Kendrick had beforehand named Lupe as an early affect.

While Kendrick has remained silent, Lupe has continued to voice his frustration—lamenting how critics elevate Kendrick in discussions of top-tier lyricists whereas sidelining his personal work. Through veiled freestyles and cryptic tweets, Lupe’s critiques have fed hypothesis of a one-sided rivalry.

At the center of the divide lies greater than ego. Lupe represents precision and technical mastery, whereas Kendrick leans into layered narratives and summary storytelling. The philosophical break up highlights broader debates surrounding lyricism, legacy, and who’s topped within the tradition’s ever-shifting hierarchy.