Kendrick Lamar’s “Excellent Flirts” Verse Sparks Debate After Referencing Young Thug’s Leaked Calls

Baby Keem’s sophomore album, Ca$ino, released on February 20, 2026, features a collaboration with Kendrick Lamar that has quickly become a focal point of discussion within the hip-hop community. Lamar’s verse on “Good Flirts” includes a pointed reference to Young Thug, alluding to the Atlanta rapper’s controversial leaked prison phone calls.

The Verse and Its Context

In the verse, Kendrick Lamar raps, “To be honest, n***as love love too / S**t, I gossip with my b***h like I’m Young Thug too.” This line directly references the leaked phone calls made by Young Thug although incarcerated during his YSL RICO trial. The calls, which surfaced in September 2025, contained disparaging remarks about several of his peers, including Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Lil Baby and Gunna.

Young Thug’s Leaked Calls and Subsequent Apology

Young Thug was released from prison in October 2024 after being held during the YSL trial. The leaked calls revealed conversations with his fiancée, Mariah the Scientist, and 21 Savage, and sparked controversy due to Thug’s critical comments about other artists. Notably, he called GloRilla “ugly” during a conversation with Mariah the Scientist. Following the backlash, Thug issued an apology to GloRilla via X (formerly Twitter), stating he did not believe she was ugly and that he was “speaking from jail just having a hard time with life.”

Lamar and Keem’s Collaborative History

Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem, who are cousins, have a history of successful collaborations, including tracks like “The Hillbillies,” “range brothers,” and “family ties” from Keem’s debut album, The Melodic Blue. Their song “family ties” earned them a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance in 2022.

The Broader Context of Ca$ino

Ca$ino represents a deeper dive into Baby Keem’s personal narrative, with a rollout that included a three-part mini-documentary detailing his upbringing in Long Beach and Las Vegas. The album explores themes of personal growth and the influences of his environment. As of February 20, 2026, Young Thug has not publicly responded to Kendrick Lamar’s reference on “Good Flirts.”