Less than a month ago, The Game released his Born 2 Rap album. What is currently being touted as the Compton, California’s final LP features various homages to other songs. “The Light” (embedded below) flips the same Bobby Caldwell song as Common’s J Dilla-produced 2000 track of the same name.

The chorus of the song features Game calling his peers to challenge him in the Rap ring. “Tell Cole, ‘Step in this light’ / Tell Dot, ‘Step in this light’ / Tell Drizzy, ‘Step in this light’ / Travis Scott, step to the light” goes the first break. The second chorus beckons Chance The Rapper, Big Sean, and Future.

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Appearing on The People’s Party With Talib Kweli, Game addresses the lyrics. Co-host Jasmin Leigh asks the veteran MC about the bars at the 22:00 mark of a nearly two-hour interview. “I tried to pick out the heavy hitters of this generation, and sort of challenge ’em. There was a few more heads that didn’t get to make the song; I couldn’t squeeze ni**as in. I had to make sure I got the ones that I felt were the most influential: the Travis Scott’s, the Future’s—of course the J. Cole and Kendrick [Lamar’s].”

Game makes it clear that he wants competitive smoke. “I would love to, on any day. When the sun next shines on the pitbull’s ass, I would love to go at lyrical warfare—just that—with some of the young MCs that I admire. And Cole and Kendrick, to be 1 and 2, I feel like Cole and Kendrick is sorta JAY-Z and Nas, but Kendrick is from [the West Coast]. I feel like they go hand-in-hand.”

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After discussing an older rumor that Kendrick and J. were doing a collaborative LP, Game gets back to his point with “The Light.” “[I am] just challenging ni**as, and putting the disclaimer on it [that] ‘it’s only Hip-Hop, tell ni**as step in my light.’ ‘Cause I don’t want you to feel like, ‘If I say something about Game on a record, if I throw a shot, then today’s Game is gonna beat you the f*ck up or some sh*t when I see you.’ I’m far past that.”

Kweli mentions that more than six years ago, Kendrick did that on Big Sean’s “Control,” which also featured Jay Electronica. “See, that was bold. And that is Hip-Hop. And it pissed a lot of people off. But as pissed off as you were, you couldn’t. You couldn’t take away his skill.” Game urges all to think twice about ever entering lyrical warfare with K-Dot. “Don’t challenge that kid. I did it ’cause like, ‘Kids, don’t try this at home.’ I know that Kendrick would hear his name and be like [scratching chin], ‘Big brother.’ The same with Cole. But yeah, Kendrick is not to be challenged. I used to feel that [way] about Eminem in my early years. But in my mind, Kendrick has taken that.”

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More than a decade ago, The Game brought Nipsey Hussle, Jay Rock, and Kendrick Lamar on tour with him.

Elsewhere, the interview includes details on why The Game is stepping away from album-making, his tense first meeting with Nipsey, and why Dr. Dre stopped working with him in the mid-2000s.

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New music by The Game is presently featured on Ambrosia For Heads‘ official playlist.

#BonusBeat: The Game’s “The Light”: