American artists Drake, 37, and Kendrick Lamar, 36, have a dispute that has lasted for more than a decade. But the controversy gained new contours last weekend, with the release of several songs, from both sides, full of attacks and indirect comments towards each other.
But Drake and Kendrick Lamar didn’t always have a bad relationship. During the initial phase of their careers, in the early 2010s, the rappers frequently collaborated on each other’s records. Kendrick Lamar first appeared alongside Drake in 2011, appearing on the album “Take Care”. Both also collaborated on the song “Poetic Justice”, from Drake’s second album “Good Kid, MAAD City”, released in 2012. “Poetic Justice” would be a commercial success, reaching 26th place on the Billboard Hot 100. Furthermore, Kendrick was also present on the “Club Paradise” tour, which the Canadian rapper performed in the same year, alongside other artists such as A$AP, K. Dot and 2 Chainz. Shortly after the tour, the collaborations between the two ended and the lyrical hints present in their songs began.
The first sign of trouble appears to have emerged around 2013, when Lamar appears on a Big Sean song titled “Control”. In the lyrics of the song, the American rapper and songwriter makes several references to Drake, as well as other rappers in the song. At the time, Drake responded in a Billboard interview, saying, “I had nothing to say about it. It just seemed like an ambitious idea to me. That was it. I know very well that [Lamar] It’s not killing me, in any way, on any platform. So, when that day comes, I think we can talk about it again.”
March 2024
After years of indirectness in the lyrics of both of their songs, the conflict took shape again this March, when Kendrick Lamar once again mentioned Drake in one of his most recent songs. Through a surprise collaboration on the song “Like That”, written by the artist Future and produced by Metro Boomin – both former Drake collaborators – Lamar reignites the dispute again, by invoking a Drake song released in 2023. In his verses , Lamar invoked the song “First Person Shooter” – from Drake’s latest album – which features a collaboration with rapper J. Cole. In the same, J. Cole refers to himself, Drake and Lamar as the “Big Three” of modern Hip Hop. Lamar, who did not appreciate the verse, replied in “Like That” that there are no “Big Three” rappers, only himself, “Just Big me”. Furthermore, he dubbed himself the “Prince” to Drake’s “Michael Jackson” – a deeper, more complex artist versus a problematic, Pop-oriented “hitmaker.”
“Like That” spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, while Future and Metro Boomin also reached the top of the streaming charts with their respective albums – “We Don’t Trust You” and “We Still Don’t Trust You ”.
In April, Drake released a new “Diss track” – a term given to songs understood as direct attacks – directed at Lamar. In the song, titled “Push Ups”, the rapper makes fun of his rival by mentioning his height, shoe size and allegedly failed bitcoin business.
Less than a week later, after not receiving any kind of response from Kendrick Lamar, Drake released “Taylor Made Freestyle”, only on social media. In the track, Drake accuses the singer of being afraid to publish songs at the same time that Taylor Swift released her new album – the singer’s new album was released on March 19th – as well as accusing him of using Artificial Intelligence filters to imitate the voices of artists Tupac and Snopp Dogg in their songs. “Since “Like That”, your tone has changed a little, you’re not as enthusiastic. How come you’re not in the cabin? It looks like you walked away”, Drake can hear.
“Taylor Made Freestyle” was later removed from social media after Drake was accused by Tupac Shakur’s family and estate of using the rapper’s voice, who died in 1996, generated through Artificial Intelligence. Drake was then forced to remove “Taylor Made Freestyle” from all public platforms.
But what allegedly triggered a new escalation of the conflict between the two that was seen last weekend was a verse in “Taylor Made Freestyle” that included the name of Lamar’s girlfriend, Whitney Alford. The rapper released four new tracks last week, filled with references and direct attacks on Drake, who was responding to the attacks. Lamar’s songs – which total 20 minutes – had a huge reach, accumulating millions of streams. Just three tracks – “Euphoria,” “Meet the Grahams” and “Not Like Us” – have been made commercially available, and they are expected to top the Billboard singles chart next week.
The new escalation of the conflict
“Euphoria”, Tuesday, April 30
With more than six minutes of response, the new level of tension between them began through “Euphoria”, released last Tuesday. “I know you are a master manipulator and also a habitual liar. But don’t tell any lies about me and I won’t tell any truths about you,” warned Lamar. In the same track, Kendrick accused Drake of copying Black American heritage and also questioning Drake’s position as the father of a 6-year-old boy. “I hate the way you walk, the way you talk, I hate the way you dress. I hate the way you sneak around, if I catch a flight, it will be direct.”
“6:16 in LA”, Friday, May 3
Days later, Lamar released the second – of four – attack songs. “6:16 in LA”, published only on Instagram, was produced by Jack Antonoff, Taylor Swift’s main collaborator. In the song, the rapper implied that someone had infiltrated Drake’s team, always being aware of his opponent’s next steps. “Fake bully, I hate bullies, you must be a terrible person. Everyone inside your team is whispering that you deserve it,” he sings.
“Family Matters”, Friday, May 3rd
However, Lamar did not remain unanswered for long. On the same night, Drake published small excerpts from a new song and video clip titled “Family Matters” on his personal Instagram account. In the song, Drake refers to the rival rapper as a “fake activist” and accuses him of allegedly physically assaulting girlfriend Whitney Alford. “You mentioned my seed, now deal with his father/I gotta get it wrong, I gotta get it wrong. They hired a crisis management team to clean up the fact that you hit your queen. The picture you painted is not what it seems/you are dead.”
“Meet the Grahams”, Saturday, May 4th
Not even half a day later, Kendrick Lamar came out with an answer. “Meet the Grahams” was released almost immediately, accusing Drake of having crossed a line “the moment he called my family name.” Through this track, Lamar directly addresses Drake’s parents and son, calling him a “liar” and a “pervert,” and saying that he should “die” in order to make the world safer for all people. women. Lamar went even further, accusing the rapper of having secretly fathered a girl over a decade ago. An accusation that Drake quickly denied, via the social network Instagram, before releasing a new song again on Sunday.
The track is the most aggressive in the exchange of innuendos between the two, with Kendrick alleging that Drake has problems with alcohol and gambling and comparing him to Harvey Weinstein, accused of sexual abuse.
“Not like us”, Saturday, May 4th
Less than 24 hours later the rapper released the fourth – and final – track against Drake with “Not Like Us”. The song references rap traditions such as insults, unfounded allegations and threats of violence. Lamar ends by questioning Drake’s authenticity as a rapper, calling him “greedy” and “artificial” while “not a peer” but a “colonizer.”
“The Heart Pt. 6”, Sunday, May 5
The saga ended Sunday night when Drake responded again. In “The Heart Part 6”, Drake denied the accusation that he took advantage of young women, indicated that he had planted false information about his supposed daughter and called the fight between them “a good exercise”. “It’s good to go out, put my pen to work. You’d be a worthy competitor if I really were a predator. You know, at least your fans are getting some raps from you. I’m happy that I was able to motivate you,” he sings.
In the five-minute “The Heart Pt. 6,” Drake debunked claims that he has a daughter and that he was the one who, in fact, lured Lamar into receiving false information about his alleged daughter. “We planned for a week and then we gave you the information/ An 11-year-old daughter, I bet he takes her/ We thought about giving a false name or a destination/ But you’re so thirsty, you don’t care about the investigation”, sings Drake.
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