“But don’t tell no lie about me and I won’t tell truths ‘bout you,” rapper Kendrick Lamar warned on his recent single “Euphoria”, targeting Toronto rapper, Drake. After years of tension, 2024 delivered hip-hop one of the most notorious feuds of the 21st century.
Kendrick and Drake were not always rivals. In 2011, the artists collaborated on a few songs and Drake even brought Kendrick on tour. Still, in 2013, Kendrick insulted Drake and other rappers on Big Sean’s song, “Control”. This sparked friendly competition between the two, as they “sneak dissed” each other in various songs.
This conflict caught the public’s attention on March 21, 2024 with the release of Future and Metro Boomin’s album, “We Don’t Trust You”. On the sixth track, “Like That”, Kendrick addressed J. Cole’s claim that J. Cole, Drake and Kendrick are the “big three” of the current
rap industry. Kendrick claimed, “It’s just big me.” Additionally, he aimed shots at Drake.
In response, Drake dropped “Push Ups” and “Taylor Made Freestyle” on April 19. On “Push Ups”, he teased Kendrick for his height and ordered Metro Boomin to “make some drums.” “Taylor Made Freestyle” contained AI verses from Tupac and Snoop Dog and was removed from all platforms due to a potential lawsuit from Tupac’s estate. Kendrick then released “Euphoria” on April 30. The lengthy track not only lists things the rapper hates about Drake, but calls him a liar and a manipulator.
The altercation escalated on May 3. Kendrick put out “6:16 in LA”, where he claimed that multiple people in Drake’s record label were plotting against him. The same day, Drake responded with “Family Matters”, where he claimed Kendrick beats his wife and that one of his kids is actually his manager’s. Less than an hour later, Kendrick released “Meet the Grahams”. Through its verses dedicated to each member of Drake’s family, he accuses Drake of crimes and exposes him for potentially having a secret daughter.
Freshman Spencer Julewicz of Marlboro notes the song’s significance. “A lot of people say ‘Meet the Grahams’ is scary because of how personal it gets. I think it was a really good framing method,” Julewicz said.
The next day, Kendrick released “Not Like Us”, a club anthem that received 10.99 million streams in one day, breaking Drake’s Spotify record. With a bouncy beat and playful flow, Kendrick drove home the allegations and insults.
On May 5, Metro Boomin released “BBL Drizzy”, which quickly became a hit on TikTok. Drake also gave his final response that day, “The Heart Pt. 6”, where he denied Kendrick’s accusations of pedophilia.
Many listeners, such as Junior Aki Sykes of Tinton Falls, believe the best course of action after a slew of allegations for Drake’s team would be to lay low.
“I think the general consensus is that Kendrick won, and I think if Drake doesn’t realize that it’ll really ruin his popularity,” Sykes said.
Others see no chance of recovery for the Toronto superstar. Junior Thomas Schneider of Wall Township is one of them.
“If I were Drake I think I would probably hide away somewhere in the mountains and just retire,” Schneider said.
