The ongoing rivalry between Kendrick Lamar and Drake has drawn comparisons to legendary rap feuds of the past, cementing its place as a defining moment in hip-hop culture. May 3rd, 2024, a day that has left its mark in hip/hop history. As the rap war escalates, fans are eagerly dissecting every lyric, turning up their speakers to catch each verbal jab exchanged. Starting with Kendrick Lamar’s verse on Metro Boomin & Future’s song Like That, each side is strategically maneuvering to gain the upper hand in this insanely calculated rap battle.
The long-standing rivalry between Kendrick Lamar and Drake has been simmering for years, with both artists taking subtle jabs at each other through their music. However, the feud reached a boiling point this past March.
The Spark: Kendrick Lamar’s Verse on Like That
Kendrick Lamar reignited the feud with his explosive verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s track Like That. This is where he took the chance to blast Drake’s 2023 song with J. Cole called First Person Shooter. In the song, J. Cole had proclaimed himself, Lamar, and Drake to be the “Big Three” of hip-hop. Despite rumors of being invited to be on the song, Kendrick’s response made it clear there is not interest sharing that spotlight.
Drake’s Counterattack: Push Ups and Taylor Made Freestyle
After a few weeks, Drake released several diss tracks in quick succession. Push Ups took aim at Lamar’s physical stature, his deal with Top Dawg Entertainment, and ghostwriting allegations. Drake followed up with Taylor Made Freestyle, which controversially featured A.I. vocals of Tupac and Snoop Dogg, both idols of Kendrick Lamar.
Kendrick Lamar’s Response: Euphoria and 6:16 in LA
A bloodthirsty Kendrick came out of the gate calling out Drake for using the N-word, questioning his fashion sense, and more. He goes in for 6 minutes and it grows in intensity as the song progresses. He then went back-to-back by releasing 6:16 in LA, claiming that OVO has a mole dishing out dirt on him and that Drake’s close ones are stabbing him behind his back. 6:16 in LA has many speculations on what the title is potentially referencing:
- Father’s Day (June 16) and Lamar’s shots at Drake’s relationship with his son
- Tupac Shakur’s birthday and Drake’s recent AI controversy
- Whatever other theories the Twitter weirdos come up with
Drake’s Family Matters
In Family Matters, Drake launches a series of personal attacks on Kendrick, A$AP Rocky, Rick Ross, The Weeknd, and everyone else that was involved in the “20 v 1” First, Drake criticizes Kendrick’s relationship with his fiancée Whitney Alford, questioning the paternity of one of Kendrick’s children, and accusing him of contacting the Tupac Shakur estate for copyright infringement. The track also alleges that Lamar has physically abused Alford, and lives a double life full of infidelity.
Music Video and Live Performance
The music video for Family Matters features Drake at the New Ho King Chinese restaurant, a location referenced by Kendrick in his Euphoria track. Prior to the release of the diss track, Drake hinted at his upcoming response during a surprise appearance at Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday 2 World Tour show in Toronto.
As the feud continues, Drake’s position in the rap game is at stake. Winning here can propel Drake even further in the rap stratosphere. On the other hand, losing would mean taking losses from the 20v1 that he was alluding to. This would make him look like the underdog for the first time in well over a decade. However, Drake’s advantage lies in the fact that he has gifted each of his foes a key early win in some form. Once a friend for bringing Kendrick and Rocky on tour with him, now finds himself as an industry villain.
Kendrick Lamar’s Meet the Grahams
We didn’t even have to wait one single hour without a response from out west. Kendrick’s response, Meet the Grahams, takes aim at different members of Drake’s family in each verse. It starts with his six-year-old son Adonis, his parents Sandra and Dennis and then Drizzy himself. The track accuses Drake of taking Ozempic, hiring escorts, and having an alleged 11-year-old daughter. The track’s cover art features a glove, possibly alluding to the O.J. Simpson murder trial. Lamar mocks Drake’s pop collaborations, parenting skills, fashion sense, and alleged plastic surgery. He also straight up says Drake should die, you can feel the hatred spewing out of him.
Not Like Us
But wait, there’s more. On the same night Kendrick released Meet the Grahams, he really doubles down on the pedophilia allegations in Not Like Us. As serious as that is, there is no mention of the 11-year old daughter that was alleged in the previous track. TMZ did the digging and found out she does not exist. Personally, I really did not think this track was necessary as it almost discredits the previous. I guess if it is a diss track that can be played in the club, it boosts Kendrick’s position, but again nothing ground breaking in this track.
The Heart Part 6
Drake’s incendiary track The Heart Part 6 targets Kendrick Lamar with a barrage of counterclaims, adding fuel to what is arguably the most historic feud in hip hop history. This latest installment sees Drake tackling the accusations from Kendrick’s Meet the Grahams and Not Like Us.
This feud has been very personal, you can feel the dislike and disdain that they have for one another. From Drake’s rebuttal of hidden offspring to Kendrick’s charges of inappropriate behavior, their back-and-forth has pushed all chips in the middle. Escalating their conflict to what is perhaps the grandest hip/hop beef of all time. As each rapper drops track after track, their lyrical warfare is not just about superiority in the game, it’s a raw, no-holds-barred battle that’s as real as it gets. Drake’s monologue at the end of The Heart seems to imply he is over the beef, but knowing Kendrick, it’s possible we get another track from him.
Leave A Comment