As everybody knows 2024 has been a year of drama in the world of hip-hop, but the most entertaining and well-known situation was the beef between powerhouse rappers Drake and Kendrick Lamar.
The beef started back in 2012 when Kendrick stated that his and a dozen other peers’ verses were better than Drake’s on Big Sean’s song “Control.” In his verse, Kendrick called out several rappers by their names, including Drake, challenging them to step up their game. Some saw this as a competitive move rather than a personal attack. It marked the beginning of a simmering rivalry between these two.
Over the years the beef was followed by little subliminal messages in their songs, lyric jabs, and public statements like interviews. Drake often downplayed Kendrick’s impact and his work. Songs like “The Language” and “Tuscan Leather” had lines interpreted as throwing shots at Kendrick. Meanwhile, Kendrick continued to assert his lyrical prowess and superiority most notably in his BET hip hop award awards in 2013, where he aimed unnamed peers believed to include Drake.
The tension between the two reached new heights in 2015 when Kendrick released his critically acclaimed album “To pimp a Butterfly” and the track
“King Kunta” was seen by many as a direct response to Drake’s perceived subs. In return, Drake dropped his album “If you’re reading this, it’s too late” Which many fans saw as a veiled response to Kendrick’s claim.
In March of 2024 on the song “Like That” Lamar slammed rappers for sneak dissing. Drake then responds to Lamar with the song “Push Ups. After months of small subtle dissing the now-known sneak diss “ They Not Like Us’’ was released on May 7. On May 24, Drake responded with “You My Everything,” featuring Sexyredd on the BBL Drizzy beat.
This beef did not end here. Lamar took it a step further into digging into Drake’s past and called him out for having kids and not claiming them. Drake then denied all of these accusations. According to Billboard, which monitors music streaming revenue, the dis tracks generated by the beef between Lamar and Drake brought in over $15 million.
Watching two of the most highly respected artists beefing in their music had everybody in a frenzy when new tracks were dropped. Drake’s and Kendrick’s fans took the beef seriously to the point of beefing with rival fans.
Over the years, both artists have continued to achieve massive success, but the rivalry has never fully dissipated. While they have occasionally downplayed the beef in interviews, the competitive spirit between Kendrick Lamar and Drake remains a defining aspect of their careers.
Fans continue to speculate and analyze their lyrics to see if there are any signs of the ongoing feud, keeping the debate alive in the hip-hop community.
