Ken Carson and ApolloRed1 Take Aim at Nine Vicious on “9 Bitches”
At their core, rap diss songs are often viewed as exercises in immaturity. Is it appropriate for a grown man to let another man make him upset? Yet, from the silly to the ultra-serious, beef has been the driving force behind enduring hip-hop anthems, from “Ether” to “Not Like Us.” Consider “9 bitches” an audition tape for Ken Carson to be added to that storied canon.
Rage rap’s preeminent star has had implicit beef with other artists before, but “9 bitches” dispenses with the subtleties, calling out Nine Vicious by name. For his part, Nine Vicious has been on a rage-baiting world tour since his dismal response to grooming allegations, alternately making up and falling out with everyone from Tezzus to OPIUM producer OPM Babi. Lately, he has been clip-farming at shows by waving the Israeli flag. It seems every generation gets their own 6ix9ine.
The Art of the Diss Track
When evaluating rap beef, listeners often get caught up in lyrical sparring, breaking down bars for double and triple entendres. While that impulse is understandable, a quick survey of winners and losers over the past decade suggests that nothing matters more than crafting an insanely catchy song—the sort of thing fans might find themselves mindlessly humming at any random moment. Ken has always possessed an instinct for percussive hooks that ingrain themselves in the subconscious, and in that sense, “9 bitches” is an unqualified victory. His underenunciated chorus is matched by hilariously bloodthirsty verses: “Pop it on the internet, we gon leave that boy on the concrete,” he raps. “Bro don’t even tote no nines.”
ApolloRed1’s Breakout Moment
Secretly, “9 bitches” serves as a showcase for ApolloRed1, the latest YVL signee who has struck up a close friendship with OsamaSon. His verse is remarkably nimble, skipping and crawling around the ominous pocket in a free-flowing torrent. He claims he will take Nine’s ex-girlfriend to brunch and suggests that Lil O had been all too close to confronting the 5’7” rapper in real life: “Osama had got through the gate, he was all at your spot / you better be quick on your feet.”
Part of what animates Apollo’s verse is undeniably distasteful—including threats to shoot any “bitch” associated with Nine Vicious and a mildly homophobic bar. If one were to explain those comments away, they might argue he is simply meeting Nine at his level, which is not an excuse by any stretch. However, these are the moments where ApolloRed’s flow is at its most agile, breathlessly tracing out syncopated cadences. By the time Apollo wraps his verse up, repetitively taunting, “you ain’t nun,” the listener is often left reaching to rewind before the track is even over.
The Ken Carson Xperiment Pop-Up in LES Was Total Pandemonium
The ESSX store on the Lower East Side was complete mayhem when I arrived. Ken Carson merch has a way of inciting that kind of fervor. Fans began lining up as early as 8 a.m., hours before the doors were scheduled to open at noon, all in the hopes of having their Project X vinyls signed or securing a permanent memento in the form of a signature to be tattooed later. When the OPIUM rapper finally arrived around 4:35 p.m. in a blacked-out SUV, the crowd transformed into a frenzied mob, pushing and surging to get closer to the artist.
Inside the venue, Ken Carson moved through the space, browsing his own collection while trailed by a swarm of photographers. During his visit, he took a moment to watch highlights of the FIFA World Cup semifinals between France and Spain. When asked about his preferred team, he remained coy, though he offered a nod of agreement to the prospect of an English victory.
A Scene of Uncontrolled Energy
Outside the glass, the atmosphere was equally intense. Fans pressed against the storefront, desperate for a glimpse of the star. The situation quickly overwhelmed the combined efforts of store security, personal bodyguards, and the NYPD officers stationed to maintain order. After just ten minutes of attempting to engage with his supporters, Ken was forced to retreat deeper into the store for safety.
The challenge then shifted to logistics: how to safely extract the young star from the store and back into his waiting vehicle. Ultimately, the team opted for a swift exit, leading to a chaotic dash as fans knocked over barriers and spilled into the street. Within five minutes, the crowd outside of ESSX had completely dispersed, leaving behind the remnants of an event that felt as volatile and fleeting as an experiment that had finally run its course.
Ken Carson Announces New Album ‘The Xperiment’
Rage rap poster boy Ken Carson will release his fifth studio album The Xperiment on July 3.
The announcement follows a tease of new material at Summer Smash in Chicago this month, where Carson surfaced during Playboi Carti‘s closing set to perform their unreleased song, “Cover My Ears.” Check out video of that performance below.
@thefader Ken Carson and Playboi Carti performed their unreleased song “cover my ears*” at Summer Smash. Thoughts so far? #kencarson #playboicarti #summersmash ♬ original sound – The FADER
Earlier in May, Carson also debuted a new 2hollis-produced track during his Rolling Loud set, which featured guest appearances from Opium counterparts Playboi Carti and Destroy Lonely, along with Young Thug and Lil Tecca.
Carson has been teasing new music and imagery for The Xperiment over the past week on a secondary account xperimenting0_0 on Instagram. It was also announced that he would headline ComplexCon in October alongside Young Thug, Central Cee, and 2hollis.
Later this year, Carson will perform at Roskilde in Denmark, Splash! in Germany, Openair Frauenfeld in Switzerland, Clout Festival in Poland, and Frequency Festival in Austria. While there’s no word on an upcoming tour just yet, given Ken’s extensive time on the road, it seems likely he’ll be back outside behind The Xperiment sooner rather than later. Album pre-orders, vinyl variants, and exclusive merchandise can be found on Ken Carson’s website.
