What started as mutual respect and collaboration between two of hip-hop’s biggest stars – Drake and Kendrick Lamar – devolved into an explosive and personal rap beef that shook the music world. Their relationship began positively, with Lamar featuring on Drake’s album ‘Take Care’ in 2011 and Drake returning the favor on Lamar’s debut ‘good kid, m.A.A.d city’ in 2012. They even joined forces on tracks like “Fuckin’ Problems” and “Poetic Justice.”
However, cracks began to show in 2013 when Lamar called out Drake, along with several other rappers, on his fiery “Control” verse. Drake responded by dismissing it as an “ambitious thought.” Tensions simmered over the next few years with subliminal shots traded on tracks like “King Kunta” and “100.”
In March 2024, the long-simmering feud erupted into a full-blown war of words. It was sparked by Lamar’s ruthless appearance on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That” where he took aim at Drake and J. Cole, sneering “Motherf–k the big three, n—a, it’s just big me.” Drake issued a defiant response at a Florida concert.
The diss tracks then started flying. Drake fired the first shot with “Push Ups,” mocking Lamar’s stature and taking shots at others too. Lamar responded with the blistering “Euphoria,” questioning Drake’s hip-hop credentials. Over the next few days, they traded haymakers – Lamar’s “6:16 in LA” and “Meet the Grahams,” accusing Drake of infidelity and having a secret child, and Drake’s “Family Matters” alleging Lamar’s own relationship troubles.
Lamar was relentless, following up with jaw-dropping disses like “Not Like Us” which depicted Drake’s home with pedophile symbols and claimed members of his OVO crew were sex offenders. Drake fought back on “The Heart Pt. 6,” denying the secret child allegations and suggesting Lamar’s girlfriend could be pregnant by his associate.
As verbal grenades were thrown back and forth, Lamar scored a major commercial win when “Not Like Us” debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving him his fourth chart-topper. The barbs traded cut deep into both rappers’ personal lives and inner circles.
What began as two titans elevation each other transformed into one of rap’s most explosive and emotional feuds in recent memory. The fallout remains uncertain, but it served as a reminder of the competitive fire and artistic genius that defined Drake and Kendrick’s ascent as two of the 2020s’ most iconic MCs.