On March 22, 2024, Metro Boomin and Future, two iconic artists, released an album called “We Don’t Trust You”. On this album, Kendrick Lamar was featured on a song named, “Like That,” where he proceeded to diss fellow rappers Drake and J Cole. Kendrick’s verse began a rivalry between Drake and himself as they expressed their hate for each other and exposed secrets that the public did not know about them. This feature on “Like That” sparked a feud between Drake and Kendrick. But was this the first offense?
Back in 2013, On Big Sean’s song, “Control,” Kendrick called out Drake, J Cole, Pusha T, Meek Mill, ASAP Rocky, Tyler the Creator, and even Big Sean on his own song. This diss sparked aggression between Kendrick and the other rappers listed. They thought Kendrick acted selfishly, expecting to gain status by making a big statement. Kendrick, Drake, and J Cole emerged at the top of the rap charts in 2014, and were given the name the “Big Three”. This name emerged from J Cole expressing that he, Drake, and Kendrick were at the top of the rap game, along with the public naming them the “Big Three”. Years later after the “Big Three” name emerged, Drake and J Cole made the song, “First Person Shooter” where J Cole rapped, “we the big three we started a league, but right now, I feel like Muhammad Ali. J Cole made this remark to show that there is conflict between himself, Kendrick, and Drake, but mostly between himself and Kendrick. As a response to this reference to the “Big Three”, Kendrick featured on Future and Metro Boomin’s song, “Like That”, where Kendrick proceeded to say, “(Explicit) the Big Three, it’s just big me”. Following this diss on J Cole and Drake, Drake released a song, “Push Ups”, to insult Kendrick’s height and record contract. In the coming days, Drake released another song, “Taylor Made Freestyle”, where Drake asked Kendrick if he is too afraid to respond to him. Kendrick, now fed up, released the song “Euphoria”, based on the hit tv show “Euphoria” which Drake was a co-producer on. Kendrick dove into Drake’s parenting of his son Adonis in the song “Meet the Grahams.”
Throughout the beef, the two rappers released songs in quick succession, including the songs, “Push Ups”, “Taylor Made Freestyle”, “Euphoria”, “6:16 in L.A.”, “Family Matters”, “Meet the Grahams”, and “Not Like Us”. Kendrick dropped his song, “Meet the Grahams” an hour after Drake released “Family Matters”. Kendrick’s near-instant reply was a statement, showing his preparedness and his anger toward Drake. Since the release of “Not Like Us” in May of 2024, neither Kendrick or Drake have dissed each other.
Because Kendrick and Drake have a toxic relationship, even the smallest thing could set off another rap battle between them, exposing more deep truths that the rappers have hidden away. There is deep concern and excitement brewing that Kendrick and Drake will have more to say about each other. Fans wait in anticipation for their relationship to boil over once again.
