The drama between Drake and Kendrick Lamar has completely exploded this month. Here’s a track by track recap to see exactly what’s going on in the rap community.
Like That – Kendrick Lamar, Future, Metro Boomin, released March 22, 2024
“Like That” is the song that kicks off the drama between Drake and Kendrick Lamar.
In this song, Kendrick raps, “F*** the big three its just big me.” He is referring to J Cole’s verse featured on First Person Shooter by Drake “Love when they argue the hardest MC / Is it K-dot? Is it aubrey? Or me? / We the big three like we started a league.”
Kendrick is re-emphasizing his point in Control with Big Sean from 2013 where he said, “I’m usually homeboys with the same guys I’m rhyming with / but this is it them boys know what time it is.” In Control he calls out a lot of big names in rap like J Cole, Big K.R.I.T., Pusha T, ASAP Rocky, Wale, Metro Boomin, and Drake.
Essentially saying he has a lot of love and respect for these artists but is going to surpass them and become the top rapper.
Push Ups – Drake, released April 19, 2024
Both J Cole and Drake respond to Kendrick with their own track.
J Cole releases “7 Minute Drill” in it he raps “If he wasn’t dissin’, then we wouldn’t be discussin’ him / Lord, don’t make me have to smoke this n**** ’cause I fuck with him / But push come to shove, on this mic, I will humble him.” Just two days later J Cole publicly apologizes to Kendrick Lamar and wipes the song from streaming platforms. Although facing criticism for being a coward, many now see that this was a wise move.
Drake on the other hand, responds with the song “Push Ups” which pokes fun at Kendrick for being short, having a small shoe size and paying a lot of money to his record label. “You ain’t in no big three / SZA got you wiped down / Travis got you wiped down / Savage got you wiped down / Like your label, boy, you in a scope now.” While the song was mostly friendly fire, by responding Drake officially kicked off the rap battle.
Taylor Made Freestyle – Drake, released April 19, 2024
Impatiently awaiting Kendrick’s next diss Drake also drops “Taylor Made Freestyle” which included AI generated lyrics from Kendricks idols 2Pac and Snoop Dogg. Taylor in the song title of course refers to Taylor Swift and the fact that Kendrick hasn’t responded for fear of being overshadowed by the release of The Tortured Poets Department album.
Euphoria – Kendrick Lamar, released April 30, 2024
Finally Kendrick fires back with “Euphoria.”
Named after the Netflix series starring Zendaya that Drake produced, Kendrick has many notable verses. “You’re not a rap artists your a scam artist / you a scam artist with the hope of being accepted” and “Tell em where you get your abs from”.
Kendrick is essentially calling Drake a poser. — How more fairytale stories about your life til we had enough? / How many more black features til you finally feel that you’re black enough.”
He warns Drake that he doesn’t want this fight because Kendrick has plenty of dirt on him. I know s@#$ about n***** that make Gunna Wunna look like a saint” and “But dont tell no lie about me and I wont tell truths bout you.”
6:16 in LA – Kendrick Lamar, released May 3, 2024
Kendrick doesn’t stop there.
Three days later he drops another track and this time he does more than allude to knowing secrets about Drake. While fans speculate that the title is a reference to Proverb 6:16 in the Bible, 2Pac’s birthday and Fathers Day, the lyrics on the contrary couldn’t be more clear.
Kendrick doubles down on his threats “If you were street smart / then you woulda caught that your entourage is only tryna hustle you / a hundred n***** that you got on a salary / and twenty of em want to see you as a casualty.”
In “6:16,” Kendrick lets Drake know people in his inner circle are leaking information and want to see his downfall.
Family Matters – Drake, released May 3, 2024
That same day Drake responds with “Family Matters”. As evident by the title, the song has very personal and serious allegations regarding members of Kendrick’s family. Drake raps “I heard that one of em little kids might be Dave Free. ”Suggesting that one of Kendricks children with Whitney Alford, Ezi or Enoch, may actually belong to his creative partner and filmmaker Dave Free. “You the Black Messiah wifin up a mixed queen / and hit vanilla cream to help out with your self esteem / on some bobby shit, I wanna know what Whitney need.”
Many say Drake also crossed the line by rehashing Kendrick’s infidelity and accusing him of domestic abuse: “When you put your hand on a girl, is it self defense because she’s bigger than you?.”
Not even half an hour after “Family Matters”, Kendrick drops “Meet the Grahams”. Drake has crossed the line that Kendrick explicitly stated not to. Now that nothing is off limits, Kendrick slaughters Drake in a new diss where he addresses each of Drake’s family members one by one.
Kendrick first talks to Adonis, Drake’s son, “and your a good kid that need good leadership / let me be your mentor since your daddy dont teach you s@#$ / Dont cut corners like your daddy did / f@#$ what ozempic did / dont pay to play with them brazilians / get a gym membership.”
He goes on to call out Drake’s parents “your sons a sick man / He got sex offenders on hoe-VO that he keep on a monthly allowance.” Not only is he calling Drake a deadbeat father but also of having inappropriate relationships with minors.
Not Like Us – Kendrick, released May 4, 2024
Kendrick followed up with “Not Like Us” the next day. He doubles down on the pedophile allegations by rapping “Certified loverboy, certified pedophile” and “tryna strike a chord and it’s probably a minor.” He calls out Drake hanging out with 21 Savage, Lil Baby, and Future to cash in on the black Atlanta rapper persona and says Drake raps about things he has not experienced.
While the Drake vs Kendrick Lamar drama has come to an end, talk about what the two rappers surely will not for some time.
“I’m on Kendricks’ side all the way…That song the ‘heart part 6’ was really just giving. I’m doing this for legal purposes from Drake,” said Hannah Holder, sophomore.
“I used to be a Drake fan but these accusations are crazy…Drake’s cooked, his career is over,” said Will Culon, sophomore.
“The disses were fun at first and the missing daughter stuff was wild but I think Family Matter and Meet the Grahams went way too far,” said Cris Crezeco, junior.
Whether or not the allegations on Drake are proven true or not, one thing is for sure. His career has taken a major hit and he has lost the favor of his biggest fans.
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