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Barstool founder Dave Portnoy vows to “die in the booth” after Zach Bryan’s dissident track is removed

Barstool founder Dave Portnoy vows to “die in the booth” after Zach Bryan’s dissident track is removed

Dave Portnoy has made it clear he has no plans to stop making music after his dissident track about Zach Bryan was removed.

The Barstool Sports founder released his song “Smallest Man” with podcast co-host Josh Richards on Tuesday (November 5). The song – which has since been deleted from YouTube and Spotify – included digs at Bryan, who announced his split from Portnoy's podcast co-host and girlfriend Brianna Chickenfry last month.

Portnoy shared a video on social media on Wednesday calling it “another twist in the Littlest Man's diss track saga.”

“'Smallest Man' has been removed from YouTube again,” he said, before quoting the song's lyrics in which he claimed, “How lucky Bri is to be free of ZB and his STDs.”

The internet personality said he initially thought the song's “outro” posed a copyright issue since it kept getting removed from streaming platforms. However, Portnoy learned that Richards had “signed a music deal” with Warner Music Group in 2020, so the company “owns a** (of his friend).”

Portnoy took a swipe at Bryan, who is also represented by Warner Music Group, calling the singer a “small man” who was “thin-skinned.” Even though the song keeps getting removed, he stated that he won't stop working on his music.

Dave Portnoy vows to return to the recording booth after Zach Bryan's dissident track is removed

Dave Portnoy vows to return to the recording booth after Zach Bryan's dissident track is removed (X/Getty Images)

“I’m going to write 10,000 diss tracks,” Portnoy said. “I will die in the cabins. I'll put the headsets on. I'll come back and spit out bars twice as hot. Maybe we'll do Dave's version. Oh, I heard Bri might come into the booth with me and do her version. We'll find out. It could take 24 hours.”

He then criticized Warner Music Group, claiming that “if the company were worried about his song, things would get that much worse.”

“You’re in the mud, you made me angry,” Portnoy said. “I have to go to the cabin. I thought it would be a thing. I don't care. I’ll keep spitting.”

Portnoy ended his video by saying that he was about to appear on the news to talk about the 2024 presidential election after Donald Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris. “I’m going back to the booth to talk about the Electoral College,” he concluded. “We’ll see you at the booth in the next 24 hours.”

In the music video for “Smallest Man,” shared on TikTok, Portnoy and Richards are dressed like police officers as they stop a man driving a pickup truck. The lyrics make several references to the relationship between Chickenfry and Bryan, including how they met through the exclusive online dating app Raya.

“I said trust me, your pants caught fire / Tinder, Bumble, Raya, knew you were a liar,” the song began. “You’re an idiot, you just made yourself a new rival / Soon you’ll need a revival.”

The text called Bryan by his initials “ZB” and claimed he was “fucked up.” Portnoy and Richards also referenced Bryan's previous tweet about his preference for Taylor Swift over Kanye West, for which he later apologized.

“I mean you should have known the early signs / Who chooses Kanye over Taylor?” The lyrics continued.

The Independent has reached out to a representative from Warner Music Group and Bryan for comment.

Zach Bryan and Brianna Chickenfry at the 2024 Grammy Awards

Zach Bryan and Brianna Chickenfry at the 2024 Grammy Awards (Getty Images for The Recording A)

Last month, Portnoy shared his initial reaction to Bryan's split from Chickenfry, whose real name is Brianna LaPaglia. In response to the breakup news, he posted a link to Swift's hit breakup song “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” from her 2024 album “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived.” The Tortured Poets Department. “I dedicate this to @BChikenfry,” he wrote.

On October 22, Bryan announced on his Instagram Story that he and Chickenfry had split after more than a year of dating. “I want to address something: Brianna and I have separated (sic) and I respect and love her from the bottom of my heart,” his statement began. “She loved me unconditionally for a very long time and I will always thank her for that.”

He continued: “I've had an incredibly tough year personally and have had to go through some pretty bad things. I thought it would be beneficial for both of us if we took different paths.”

Chickenfry then posted her own statement on her Instagram story, writing: “Hey guys, I’m feeling really caught off guard at the moment. I'm going to stay off social media for a while and try to heal privately. When I’m ready, I’ll be back and ready to talk.”

She later posted a video on her YouTube channel explaining that they ended the relationship the day before Bryan's Instagram statement.

“I just woke up when Zach posted on his Instagram that we broke up and I had no idea that post was going to blow up,” she said through tears. “He didn’t text me, he didn’t call me.”

She added: “How can you give someone your all through things you shouldn't and love them so unconditionally?” How can you give someone your whole self and then leave them within a few days? It’s really, really heartbreaking.”

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