Drake Pushes Kendrick Lamar To No. 2 With His New Chart-Topper

Forbes

08-04-2025

Drake's 'Nokia' rises to No. 1 on the U.K. R&B and Hip-Hop Singles chart, pushing Kendrick Lamar's ... More 'Not Like Us' to No. 2 as their rivalry continues. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 23: (L-R) Drake, winner of the Artist of the Decade Award, and Adonis Graham speak onstage for the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, broadcast on May 23, 2021 at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by)
For more than a year, Drake and Kendrick Lamar have been locked in one of the most visible feuds in modern hip-hop. It began with diss tracks and public callouts, but even as that verbal warfare has quieted down, the competition between them hasn't slowed. These days, their battle plays out not in the studio, but on charts around the world.
For weeks now, one has replaced the other at the top of one ranking or another, especially in the Western world. This time around, Drake is back on top — but only just — as one of his latest wins edges out a former No. 1 from his longtime rival.
"Nokia," the current Drake single that's receiving much of his attention, lifts to No. 1 on the Official Hip-Hop and R&B Singles chart this week. The track rises from No. 2 and pushes "Not Like Us" by Kendrick Lamar down to the runner-up spot. That composition had been leading the charge last frame — and in many other periods recently, as it's been a smash for a year now.
With "Nokia" now in charge, Drake collects his sixteenth No. 1 on the Official Hip-Hop and R&B Singles chart. The Canadian rapper has been a fixture on the tally, which ranks the bestselling tunes in those styles (and, of course, rap) essentially since its inception.
In addition to his long list of leaders, Drake is also steadily working his way toward a very special record. He's closing in on 100 top 10 hits on the same genre ranking — a milestone he might very well hit in the coming months, depending on how many new tracks he unleashes in 2025.
Despite his critical acclaim and cultural impact, Kendrick Lamar hasn't dominated the U.K. rap and R&B tally in quite the same way. In fact, he didn't even hit No. 1 for the first time until fairly recently, when "Not Like Us" finally did the trick.
Lamar's new album GNX then ushered in a new era for the Pulitzer-winning rapper. That set has now spun off a pair of No. 1s, including "Squabble Up" and "Luther," his hugely popular collaboration with SZA.
Several of Lamar's most recognizable tunes have come close to conquering the chart, but fell just short. "Euphoria," a direct response to Drake, maxed out at No. 2. So did "TV Off" with Lefty Gunplay, as well as earlier hits like "N95," "Humble," "All the Stars" — another team-up with SZA — and more.
"Nokia" isn't just faring well on one genre-specific list. It's quickly becoming a cross-chart success in the U.K. This week, the track appears on five different tallies in the country, and on every one of them, it's moving up.
Most notably, "Nokia" cracks the top 10 on the all-encompassing Official Singles chart. It advances from No. 12 to No. 10, pushing Drake back into the highest tier on the most competitive and ranking in the nation. That jump earns the superstar his forty-sixth top 10 on that list.