For 3 days final Could, Kendrick Lamar and Drake set the world on fireplace with an epic rap battle for the ages. The outcomes of that lyrical squabble are nonetheless having results a full 12 months later.
Whereas there has seemingly been an underlying beef between Ok-Dot and The Boy brewing for a decade, the Compton, Calif. rapper tossed out a tantalizing lure when he threw a shot at Drizzy on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That” final March. Kendrick dismissed the notion that there was a Large 3 in hip-hop consisting of himself, Drake and J. Cole with the road “Muthaf**ok the Large 3, ni**a, it is simply huge me.” Drake took the bait.
On April 13, 2024, Drake launched the diss track “Push Ups.” Every week later, Drizzy doubled down on the track “Taylor Made Freestyle,” actually begging Kendrick to reply. He did per week in a while the track “Euphoria.” Three days later, on Could 3, 2024 sh*t hit the fan.
In what can be remembered as some of the jaw-dropping, three-day stretches in rap beef historical past, Kendrick and Drake went toe-to-toe and blow-for-blow. Kendrick kicked issues off with the discharge of “6:16 in LA.” Fourteen hours later, Drake responded with “Household Issues.” Then he spun the block with the “Buried Alive Interlude” parody. Earlier than followers may catch their breaths, Ok-Dot clapped again with “Meet the Grahams” almost an hour after Drizzy dropped.
Followers had been working out of popcorn. Kendrick was accusing Drake of being a tradition vulture and hiding a second youngster. Drake was claiming Kendrick was a home abuser. Issues obtained darkish. Then got here the crushing blow.
On Could 4, Kendrick launched the Mustard-produced casket nearer “Not Like Us,” a full-fledged bop that seemingly put the nail within the coffin. The track got here out 19 hours after “Meet the Grahams.” The next day, virtually 24 hours later, Drake put out the response “The Coronary heart Half 6,” which was deemed too little, too late by many rap followers.
What made this battle not like some other in rap historical past was the quick time frames during which the diss tracks dropped. Rap followers had little time to dissect one violating monitor earlier than one other was launched.
The Aftermath of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake Rap Battle
Within the wake of the battle, issues have modified dramatically for each rappers. It has been up for Kendrick, who’s seen by many because the giant-slayer on this state of affairs. “Not Like Us” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Scorching 100 chart with record-breaking numbers. Final June, Dot carried out at The Pop Out: Ken & Associates live performance in Los Angeles, the place he did “Not Like Us” 5 instances. Final September, he was introduced because the 2025 Tremendous Bowl halftime present performer. That November, he put out the shock album GNX, which additionally topped Billboard.
The identical month, Drake filed two pre-action petitions towards Common Music Group, accusing them of utilizing bots and payola to artificially inflate “Not Like Us.” In January, Drake filed a federal lawsuit towards UMG for distributing “Not Like Us,” which refers to Drake as a toddler predator. The swimsuit has drawn blended reactions.
February of 2025 would come with extra wins for Kendrick Lamar, to Drake’s detriment. “Not Like Us” received 5 awards on the 2025 Grammys, together with Track of the 12 months and Document of the 12 months. The next week, Kendrick Lamar carried out the track in entrance of a record-breaking viewership on the 2025 Tremendous Bowl.
Whereas Kendrick cannot lose for profitable, the notion that Drake misplaced a struggle he picked has been a blow to the golden boy’s standing as the highest dawg. Drake nonetheless ended 2024 because the most-streamed hip-hop artist regardless of Kendrick’s enormous 12 months. Drake’s $ome Horny $ongs 4 U collab album with PartyNextDoor debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart in February, However the three-day royal rumble has had lasting penalties.
My, what a distinction a 12 months makes.
Learn Extra: All of the Wild Methods Followers Assume Drake Is Trolling Kendrick Lamar in ‘Nokia’ Video
Check out XXL’s deep dive into the three days of disses under.
