In one of the biggest arguments in recent hip-hop history, Drake and Kendrick Lamar continue their war of words to the point where even the police were questioned about the implications of their feud, after a security guard was shot outside Drake’s Toronto mansion in May. Something unthinkable years ago
Over a decade ago, the pair collaborated on some songs: on Drake’s 2011 song ‘Buried Alive Interlude’, on Lamar’s 2012 release ‘Poetic Justice’, and on A$AP Rocky’s ‘(Expletive) Problems’ that same year.
However, from 2013, Lamar appeared on Big Sean’s ‘Control’ show, in which he named a bunch of contemporary rappers, including: Drake, J. Cole, Meek Mill, Pusha T, A$AP Rocky, Big KRIT, Wale, Pusha T and even Big Sean.
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“I love you all, but I’m trying to murder you,” he rapped. “I’m trying to make sure your core fans never heard of you.”Drake responded in a Billboard cover story, saying: “I know very well that Kendrick is not killing me, at all, on any platform”. Shortly afterwards, at the 2013 BET Hip-Hop Awards, Lamar continued his insults
While the hints continued for a while, they actually became less and less frequent. Drake even had other problems with other artists, such as Meek Mill in 2015 and, the strongest, with Pusha T in 2018, when he released ‘The Story of Adidon’.
In October 2023, J. Cole perhaps accidentally reignited the feud on ‘First Person Shooter’ where Drake collaborated. He rapped “Love when they argue the hardest MC / Is it K-Dot? Is it Aubrey? Or me?”, referencing the birth name of Lamar and Drake, Aubrey Graham. “We’re the big three like we started a league / but right now, I feel like Muhammad Ali”.
Thus the feud was reignited, as is often the case with disapproval songs between rappers, which include exaggerated truths and unfounded rumors
March 22:
Lamar criticizes Drake on Future and Metro Boomin’s ‘Like That’
“The big three,” raps Lamar, referencing J. Cole’s boast. “I’m just the great one.” This verse references Drake’s 2023 album ‘For All the Dogs’ and also compares Prince and Drake to Michael Jackson:“Prince survived Mike Jack.”
J. Cole released his own response on ‘7 Minute Drill’, but quickly apologised on stage at his Dreamville Festival in Raleigh.
April 13:
Drake’s ‘Push Ups’ leaks and it’s a piece that tells Lamar: “You’re not in any Big Three, SZA made you clean, Travis made you clean, Savage made you clean“
April 24:
Drake responds with a second AI-assisted song, ‘Taylor Made Freestyle’, which includes verses from Tupac and Snoop Dogg, two of Lamar’s influences. In the piece, Drake accuses Lamar of delaying his response track due to the impending release of ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ where he collaborated with Taylor Swift.
Tupac’s heirs threatened to sue Drake in response, so he deleted the song from his social media. Snoop Dogg responded to the threat with a video on his Instagram account. “What did they do? When? How? Are you sure?” he said. “I’m going back to bed. Good night.”
April 30:
Lamar countered with ‘Euphoria’, a song of almost six and a half minutes, which complicated the dispute and became a hit. There, Lamar launches a series of accusations against Drake about his rapping skills, his appearance, his racial identity and even his fatherhood.
“I have a son to raise, but I see you don’t know anything about that,” raps Lamar.
The title is even a reference to the HBO series ‘Euphoria’, of which Drake is an executive producer. He finally hints that he will do the same with his songs.
May 3:
Lamar launches a new offensive, ‘6:16 in LA’
In the following comment from Lamar, titled in honor of a time and place as Drake often does, Lamar points to the company Drizzy keeps. “Did you ever think that OVO was working for me? / Fake thug, I hate thugs,” he raps, referencing Drake’s record label. “You must be a terrible person / Everyone inside your team whispers that you deserve it,” the piece thunders
May 3:
Drake releases ‘Family Matters’ and hits back with a music video and an almost eight-minute response, in which he denounces abuse and infidelity in Lamar’s relationship with his fiancee.
May 4:
Lamar responds with ‘Meet the Grahams’
The next day, Lamar responds with this piece where he addresses Drake’s son: “I’m sorry that man is your father”, as well as Drake’s parents and “a girl,” who is supposedly the rival’s secret daughter and finally accuses him of being a “predator,” without giving further details.
Hours later, he presents ‘Not Like Us’, where he says: “Drake, I understand you like young girls. You better never go to cell block number one”.
May 5:
Drake tones it down with ‘The Heart Part 6‘
In Drake’s response, he refers to Lamar’s ‘The Heart’ series with this piece where he challenges Lamar and denies having a secret daughter.
Instead, he says that thanks to this war, he managed to sell some records: “You know, at least your fans are getting some raps from you / I’m happy to be able to motivate you.”
With information from LAPRESSE