First of all, Kendrick Lamar is the greatest rapper of all time. Bar for bar, verse for verse, Kendrick is second to no one. Not Biggie, not Pac, no one. You can argue about your top 5 all you want but I’m not going to listen because I don’t care about your stupid opinions. What absolutely no one in the entire world is going to argue is that French fucking Montana should be anywhere near that conversation. French has hits, not bars. There’s a difference.
Now that we got that out of the way, let’s get to the hit battle. The way I interpreted French’s comment is that he has more club bangers than Kendrick. I don’t know exactly what he said and I’m not going to look it up because this is the only possible scenario where French shouldn’t be immediately admitted into a psych ward. If French actually thinks he’s a better rapper than Kendrick, then he may be a legit crazy person and we should start thinking about putting him out of his misery.
I’m not going to include record sales or Billboard charts because Kendrick could release a song of complete silence and it’ll go #1. I’m just going to include the songs that I think are club bangers. So, without further ado, let’s get to the hits.
French Montana
“Unforgettable” ft. Swae Lee (2017)
BANG-ER. This song is straight fire, nobody can deny that. Not even Thugger. The song is quite literally unforgettable.
“No Stylist” ft. Drake (2018)
French has definitely been helped by Drake over the years when it comes to hits and “No Stylist” is no different. It doesn’t matter that French says absolutely nothing of substance on the track, “No Stylist” is a banger.
“Lockjaw” ft. Kodak Black
Remember when Kodak was skinny? That was weird.
“Ain’t Worried About Nothin'” (2013)
I ain’t worried about nothin’ is a very catchy hook. Words to live by, really.
“Pop That” ft. Drake & Lil’ Wayne (2012)
Remember when Drake was skinny? Also weird. Either way this is an all time club banger.
“Famous” (2018)
This isn’t so much of a club banger but I included it because it’s one of French’s better songs. It’s a little on the slower side but it’s something I’d play at 3 am as the party is winding down. Kind of like a “I want everyone to get tired and leave because it’s 3 in the god damn morning” type of song. And the song actually has substance! Good on you French, you finally learned how to tell a story in a song!
“Freaks” ft. Nicki Minaj (2013)
This is the type of song that’ll make a hoe twerk every time. It definitely doesn’t hurt that the song features Nicki Minaj in her prime twerking all over the place.
“Slide” ft. Blueface, Lil Tjay (2019)
Catchy beat, catchy hook, and popular features, this one is on the lower end of French’s banger list but it’s on the list nonetheless.
“Ocho Cinco” ft. Diddy, Red Cafe, MGK, King Los (2013)
The hook for this song may or may not be a reference to alleged domestic violence case where former NFL player Chad Ochocinco may or may not have headbutted his wife during an argument. Not great to make light of such a terrible situation but if you completely ignore the possible inspiration, it’s a pretty good song and will definitely bang in the club.
“Don’t Panic” (2014)
Weird music video but definitely one of French’s more popular songs.
“Wiggle It” ft. City Girls (2019)
If City Girls hop on the track, it’s gotta be a banger. That’s a fact.
“We Dem Boyz (Remix)” ft. Puff Daddy & Meek Mill (2014)
I think this is technically a Diddy song but I’m going to include it anyway because Diddy’s not really a rapper and I think French is going to need some help facing the greatest rapper of all time.
It’s important to note French has features from other major artists on almost all of his songs. Not just his hits, but all of his songs. It’s like he physically can’t spit three verses on a single song. Like it’s against his religion or something. It’s also important to note that I don’t understand 90% of anything French says, whether he’s rapping or not. Now let’s move onto the GOAT.
Kendrick Lamar
“Swimming Pools (Drank)” (2013)
This is the first club banger I remember from Kendrick and probably his most popular. The dude made a club banger about alcoholism. Fucking legend.
“HUMBLE.” (2017)
Not your typical club banger since the the beat is kinda rough but best believe this hit was turning the club up on a Tuesday.
“DNA.” (2017)
French never had Don Cheadle in his music video rapping his song.
“All The Stars” ft. SZA (2018)
Having SZA on a track is kind of a cheat code so I won’t hold it against French.
“LOYALTY.” ft. Rihanna (2017)
Rihanna is also a cheat code but I can’t keep giving French a pass, this is a competition dammit.
“Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe” (2013)
The ultimate slow jam. Bitch, don’t kill my vibe.
“King Kunta” (2015)
We want the funk.
“Alright” (2015)
This is an anthem of sorts for the black community. We gon’ be alright.
“M.A.A.D. City” ft. MC eiht (2012)
Kendrick is probably one of the greatest story tellers of all time and he can do it while turning the club up. It’s crazy.
“Poetic Justice” ft. Drake (2013)
Skinny Drake!
Rich The Kid – “New Freezer” ft. Kendrick Lamar (2017)
I know this is a Rich The Kid song but it’s one of my favorite Kendrick songs so I had to include it.
“i” (2014)
Only Kendrick can make a banger about loving yourself. Long live the king.
“Black Friday” ft. J. Cole (2015)
Still waiting on that Cole & Kendrick album…
“Pray For Me” ft. The Weeknd (2018)
Pray for *French
“Backseat Freestyle” (2013)
Remember Sherane? Good times.
“These Walls” ft. Bilal, Anna Wise, Thundercat (2015)
Everything Thundercat touches is a jam.
“Rigamortis” (2011)
Don’t ask for your favorite rapper, he dead.
“Hiii Power” (2011)
Young Kendrick had more bars than French’s entire catalog. But again, this isn’t a bar battle, this is a hit battle.
The problem with Kendrick is that everything he does is good. If he just wanted to make hits all day, he’d be bigger and richer than Drake ten times over. He doesn’t do that though. I think the main difference between Kendrick and French in terms of club bangers is Kendrick actually tells a story even when he’s making a song for the club while French tends to lean on the typical bitches and hoes rhetoric when making literally any song.
When it comes down to the pure amount of songs that will turn a club up, I’d day it’s a lot closer than people are giving French credit for. If we were to include songs these artists are featured on, I think it wouldn’t be as close since Kendrick is featured on like 10 more club bangers and French has maybe five more. That’ll take up too much time and effort though, so I’m not going to do that.
Overall, French has bangers, but Kendrick is Kendrick. There’s really not much you can do about that.
Winner: Kendrick by a little bit more than a little bit.
Audio Dope 