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Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Drake & Kendrick Lamar's Rocky Relationship Explained
Everyone wanted this: a lyrical death match between the biggest rappers in the game today, Drake and Kendrick Lamar. At first, things seemed rosy between the young behemoths when they collaborated on each other's records during the early stages of their careers. As time passed, friendly fire became a volcanic eruption, sparked by Lamar's earth-shattering feature March 22, 2024, on Future and Metro Boomin's We Don't Trust You album. More from Billboard Snoop Dogg Drops 'Last Dance With Mary Jane' Video on 4/20 Billy Ray Cyrus & Elizabeth Hurley Share a Kiss in Instagram Easter Photo Fans Choose Lana Del Rey's 'Bluebird' as This Week's Favorite New Music Lamar didn't mince words, hurling daggers at Drake and Cole such as 'Yeah, get up with me, f–k sneak dissing/'First Person Shooter,' I hope they came with three switches,' before spewing more venom towards the duo. 'Think I won't drop the location? I still got PTSD/ Motherf–k the Big Three, n—a, it's just big me.' Though Drizzy hadn't at the time put pen to paper just yet, he said some words to Lamar during his Sunrise, Fla., concert March 24, 2024. 'A lot of people ask me how I'm feeling. I'm a let you know I'm feeling. Listen, the same way I'm feeling is the same way I want you to walk out this building tonight,' he said. 'I got my f–king head up high, my back straight, I'm 10 f–king toes down in Florida and anywhere else I go. And I know that no matter what, it's not a n—a on this earth that could ever f–k with me in my life!' Billboard examines the ups and downs of what was once a fruitful and competitive relationship between Kendrick and Drake. In 2011, Drake evolved from being the polarizing rookie to a full-fledged superstar, trumping expectations with his debut outing. While he hoisted incredible chart stats following his Thank Me Later campaign, questions lingered about whether he could elevate his game to the next level. Take Care was the resounding answer to critics, as he pivoted back to his popular So Far Gone roots and invited several big-name guests along for the ride, one being the highly-touted neophyte Kendrick Lamar. Coming off Section 80, Lamar was arguably the next West Coast savior to steer the ship, and Drake took advantage of his momentum by allowing him to shine on his 'Buried Alive Interlude.' Lamar's ego was on ten, detonated by the co-sign of Drizzy, rapping: 'So blame it on Mr. OVOXO/ The reason why I'm breathin' all the vanity I know.' Drake extended his hand again to the burgeoning Lamar, who garnered rave reviews for his appearance on 'Buried Alive' by bringing him alongside A$AP Rocky as the opening acts for his Club Paradise Tour. Drake later rapped about his decision to fight for Rocky and Lamar as his openers on 2016's '4 PM in Calabasas,' recalling 'When they told me take an R&B ni–a on the road/ And I told 'em no and drew for Kendrick and Rocky.' Following Drake's Club Paradise Tour, A$AP rounded up some of his rap comrades from Drizzy's trek, including the 6 God, K. Dot, and 2 Chainz for 'F–kin' Problems.' Following that firestarter, Kendrick and Drake would team up again, but this time on the former's debut album. Like 'Fuckin' Problems,' 'Poetic Justice' would be a commercial success, peaking at No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100. Unfortunately, that would mark the final collaboration between Drake and Lamar. After Lamar solidified himself as a household name courtesy of his major label debut good kid, m.A.A.d city, his swagger and confidence were on ten — so much so that he sacked Drake and his peers on Big Sean's 'Control.' K. Dot's searing take on his stance on the rap game shook the landscape as he boldly called out J. Cole, Meek Mill, Drake, Big K.R.I.T., Wale, Pusha T, ASAP Rocky, Tyler, the Creator, Mac Miller, Big Sean and Jay Electronica. 'I got love for you all, but I'm trying to murder you n—as/ Trying to make sure your core fans never heard of you n—as/ They don't want to hear not one more noun or verb from you ni–as,' he rapped. Drake responded to Kendrick's diss while gracing the cover of Billboard that same month, telling the publication: 'I didn't really have anything to say about it. It just sounded like an ambitious thought to me. That's all it was. I know good and well that [Lamar] 's not murdering me, at all, in any platform. So when that day presents itself, I guess we can revisit the topic.' Kendrick continued applying pressure on Drake when he and TDE visited the BET Hip-Hop Awards in 2013 and participated in the cipher. Over the menacing 'Shook Ones' instrumental, K. Dot engaged in target practice: 'Nothing's been the same since they dropped 'Control'/ And tucked a sensitive rapper back in his pajama clothes/ Ha ha joke's on you, high-five… I'm bulletproof/ Your shoots never penetrates/ Pin the tail on the donkey, boy you been a fake.' During a cover story with VIBE Magazine, Drake addressed his shots at Kendrick on 'The Langauge' and why he felt compelled to stand his ground against The Compton MC. 'Where it became an issue is that I was rolling out an album while that verse was still bubbling, so my album rollout became about this thing. What am I supposed to say? Nah, we'll be buddy-buddy? Mind you, I never once said he's a bad guy [or] I don't like him. I think he's a f–king genius in his own right, but I also stood my ground as I should. And with that came another step, which then I have to realize I'm being baited and I'm not gonna fall. Jordan doesn't have to play pickup to prove that he could play ball, no offense. But I'm not gonna give you the chance to shake me necessarily, 'cause I feel great. There's no real issue.' During these years, Kendrick and Drake exchanged a few jabs, most notably K. Dot, when he took aim at Drizzy on 'King Kunta' and called him out over his ghostwriting allegations. 'I can dig rapping/ But a rapper with a ghost writer? What the f–k happened?' he penned. Drake countered back on The Game's '100' the same year, rapping: 'I would have all of your fans/ If I didn't go pop and I stayed on some conscious s–t.' Kendrick's onslaught continued on Dr. Dre's Compton album, where he fired more shots on 'Darkside / Gone' and 'Deep Water.' The latter was the more chilling of the two: 'They liable to bury him, they nominated six to carry him/ They worry him to death, but he's no vegetarian/ The beef is on his breath, inheriting the drama better than / A great white, n—a, this is life in my aquarium.' Drake and Cole made history when they scored their first Hot 100. No. 1 song together (and Cole's first of any kind) with 'First Person Shooter.' This would be their first collaboration since 2013's 'Jodeci Freestyle.' The track is triumphant, as they share the spotlight and boast about being stadium-status MCs. Unbeknownst to him, Cole woke up the sleeping bear in Lamar when he was saluting the triumvirate of him, K. Dot, and Drake, saying: 'Love when they argue the hardest MC/ Is it K-Dot? Is it Aubrey? Or me?/ We the big three like we started a league/ but right now, I feel like Muhammad Ali.' Kendrick didn't hold back when given the baton on Future & Metro Boomin's 'Like That.' He fired a full clip of shots at both Cole and Drake, most notably the latter. 'F–k sneak dissin', first-person shooter/ I hope they came with three switches,' Lamar snarls when speaking on the chart-topping collaboration between the 'Evil Ways' MCs. He continued demolishing both rappers when he denounced the 'Big 3' of him, Cole and Drake, by saying: 'Motherf–k' the big three, n—a, it's just big me.' He punctuated his verse by calling back to Drake's For All the Dogs album, rapping: 'For all your dogs gettin' buried/ That's a K with all these nines, he gon' see Pet Sematary.' Days after Lamar torched the internet with his scathing verse, Drake used time during his tour stop in Sunrise, Fla. to address the elephant in the room: 'A lot of people asking me how I'm feeling,' he began. 'I'mma let you know how I'm feeling. Listen, the way I'm feeling is the same way I want you to walk out of here feeling tonight about your f–king self.' 'Because you know how I'm feeling?' Drake asked. 'I got my f–king head up high, my back straight, I'm 10 f–king toes down in Florida or anywhere else I go, and I know that no matter what, there's not a n—a on this earth that could ever f–k with me in my life. And that's how I want you to walk outta here tonight.' A week after it originally leaked and then got premiered by DJ Akademiks, Drake brought his Kendrick Lamar diss track 'Push Ups' to streaming services on April 19. The 6 God mocks Kendrick's small stature — notably his foot size with the cover art — and his deal with Top Dawg Entertainment. K. Dot wasn't the only target as Drake appears to aim at Rick Ross, The Weeknd, Metro Boomin, Future and more on the track. Drake doubled down on his initial stab at Lamar when he released his 'Taylor Made Freestyle' on Instagram. Drake upped his creativity by using A.I. vocals to rap in the voices of Tupac and Snoop Dogg on his respective verses. By playing the role of Kendrick's influences, Drake expressed disappointment in the pgLang rapper because he hadn't yet responded to 'Push Ups.' He even cited the release of Taylor Swift's new album, The Tortured Poets Department, as the reason K. Dot pushed back his anticipated retort. Drake's move came at a price, as Tupac's Estate, a significant player in the late rapper's career, threatened to sue him if he didn't remove the song from his social media accounts. The tension and drama escalated, and Drake obliged and scrubbed the track off his pages. All it took was a tweet from Kendrick Lamar to restart the feud, as he released his comeback track 'Euphoria.' The six-minute diatribe was scathing, showcasing a bloodthirsty Lamar calling out Drake for using the N-word, questioning his fashion sense, his hip-hop merits and more. 'Yeah, Cole and Aubrey know I'm a selfish n–a/ The crown is heavy, huh/ I pray they my real friends, if not, I'm YNW Melly/ I don't like you poppin s–t at Pharrell, for him I'll inherit the beef/ F–k all that pushin p, let me see you Pusha T, you better off spinning again on him you think about pushing me/He's Terrence Thorton I'm Terence Crawford I'm whooping feet,' he spewed. Less than 72 hours after 'Euphoria' arrived, Kendrick Lamar ambushed Drake again and attempted to go 'Back to Back' with his second diss song of the battle, '6:16 in LA.' In the early morning of May 3, Kendrick unveiled his lyrical bomb. This time, he fired straight at Drake's camp, claiming the OVO boss has a mole dishing out dirt on him. 'Have you ever thought that OVO was working for me?/ Fake bully, I hate bullies/ You must be a terrible person/ Everyone inside your team is whispering that you deserve it/Can't Toosie Slide up out of this one, it's just gon' resurface.' Lamar's onslaught continued, calling out Drake's brethren when he said his close ones are stabbing him behind his back. '100 n—as that you got on salary/ and 20 of them want you as a casualty/ and one of them is actually/ is next to you / and two of them is practically tied to your lifestyle,' he spews. // Drake's eviscerating 'Family Matters' reply arrived on YouTube about 14 hours after Kendrick Lamar delivered his '6:16 in LA' diss track. Drizzy picks up where he left off to finish 'Push Ups' and snipes at Lamar and his alleged fractured relationship with fiancee Whitney Alford, which he claims is filled with infidelity. 'You the Black messiah wifing up a mixed queen/ And hit vanilla cream to help out with your self-esteem/ On some Bobby sh—, I wanna know what Whitney need,' he spews. Drake later turns his sights to his other opps in the music game while dissing A$AP Rocky, The Weeknd, Metro Boomin, Future and Rick Ross. The accompanying music video finds Drake heading to the New Ho King Chinese restaurant Kendrick referenced on 'Euphoria.' Mere minutes after Drake's 'Family Matters' arrived, Kendrick Lamar returned fire with the blistering 'Meet the Grahams.' As the clock struck midnight on the East Coast on May 4, K. Dot released his third Drake diss track this week. Family seems to be the common theme as he calls out Drizzy for being a 'deadbeat' father and alleges that Drake is hiding another child besides Adonis. 'You lied about your son, you lied about your daughter, huh, you lied about them other kids that's out there hoping that you come,' Lamar raps, claiming Drake has a baby girl. Kendrick continues to warn Drake and alleges that he's got issues with alcohol, gambling and contests there are pedophiles inside the OVO camp. He also lists off all of Drake's alleged lies when it comes to his son, ghost writers, cosmetic surgeries and more. 'F— a rap battle, this a lifelong battle with yourself,' K. Dot snipes. Kendrick's third diss track of the week is no doubt his most scathing following '6:16 in LA' and 'Euphoria' on what's turned out to be a historic night in hip-hop. Less than 24 hours after unleashing 'Meet the Grahams,' Kendrick Lamar struck against Drake yet again with the scathing 'Not Like Us.' On the Mustard-produced track, K. Dot claims Drizzy and his 'OV Hoe' team are pedophiles. The accompanying artwork for the track shows an aerial view of the 6 God's mansion outside of Toronto, with red sex offender symbols placed on the home. 'Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young/ You better not ever go to cell block one/ To any b—- that talk to him and they in love/ Just make sure you hide your lil' sister from him,' Lamar raps over the potential club banger before referencing Drizzy's 2021 album, Certified Lover Boy. 'They tell me Chubbs the only one that get your hand-me-downs/ And party at the party, playin' with his nose now/ And Baka got a weird case, why is he around?/ Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophiles.' After a fierce tongue-lashing by Lamar on 'Meet the Grahams' and 'Not Like Us,' Drake released his five-minute rebuttal 'The Heart Pt. 6,' playing off Lamar's groundbreaking 'Heart' franchise. Drake debunked the allegations that he has a daughter and that he was the one who, in fact, baited Lamar into receiving fake intel about his alleged child in the first place. 'We plotted for a week and then we fed you the information/ A daughter that's 11 years old, I bet he takes it/ We thought about giving a fake name or a destination/ But you so thirsty, you not concerned with investigation,' raps Drake. He didn't stop at debunking the allegations about his daughter. He also turned the spotlight on Lamar's girlfriend Whitney, suggesting that she might be having a baby with the rapper's business associate Dave Free. His rhymes: 'And why isn't Whitney denyin' all of the allegations?/ Why is she following Dave Free and not Mr. Morale?/ You haven't seen the kids in six months, the distance is wild/ Dave leaving heart emojis underneath pics of the child.' Drake's response, delivered with unfiltered candor, left many fans divided. While some saw it as a valiant effort, others felt it was a little too late for the Canadian rap star, adding a layer of uncertainty to the ongoing feud. Lamar's scalding diss blazed the internet and charts, as 'Not Like Us' debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100. The chart win secures Lamar's fourth No. 1 on the Hot 100, his first solo entry since 2017's 'HUMBLE.' Along with 'Not Like Us' topping the charts, 'Euphoria' saw a considerable gain too, climbing eight spots and peaking at No. 3 during its second week on the all-genre tally. Kendrick Lamar united the West Coast with his Pop Out concert at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif. K. Dot delivered the live debut of Drake disses such as 'Like That,' 'Euphoria' — which contained a tweaked lyric regarding 2Pac's ring that Drizzy has — and the Hot 100 No. 1 hit 'Not Like Us.' Lamar performed 'Not Like Us' five times in total, as he figuratively danced on Drake's grave and took a victory lap in the war. The fourth edition was the most memorable, as Kendrick brought out gang members from different sets and various L.A. luminaries preaching a message of unity. Kendrick Lamar celebrated America's Independence Day a little differently with the arrival of his 'Not Like Us' video on July 4. The Kendrick and Dave Free-directed clip features subliminal shots at Drake in the form of an owl piñata and an owl locked in a cage. After a smoldering MVP campaign, which saw his West Coast anthem 'Not Like Us,' smothered the airwaves and pop culture, Kendrick Lamar was announced as the halftime performer for the 2025 Super Bowl. Lamar's crowning moment wasn't entirely well-received, as skeptics voiced their frustration regarding New Orleans superstar Lil Wayne's exclusion from the celebratory event. With the Super Bowl coming to Wayne's hometown next year, skeptics voiced complaints, most notably Drake and Wayne's Young Money teammate Nicki Minaj, who shaded Jay-Z for his involvement in choosing K. Dot. 'Denying a young black man what he rightfully put into this game for no other reason but your ego,' she wrote to X. 'Your hatred for BIRDMAN, Drake & Nicki got you punishing Lil Wayne?' Capping off his hellacious run, Kendrick released his sixth studio album, GNX. The surprise drop rocked the internet as Lamar unabashedly spoke out against Lil Wayne's lack of support, Snoop's apparent betrayal and more. Though he doesn't call out Drake by name on the album, it's safe to assume he doesn't look to end things amicably with the 6 God anytime soon. 'I never peaced it up, that s–t don't sit well with me / Before I take a truce, I'll take 'em to Hell with me,' he raps on 'Wacced Out Murals.' Less than 48 hours after Kendrick's surprise drop, Drake appeared on a Kick stream with Canadian streamer xQc. From the onset, Drake didn't mince words when speaking to the chat, seemingly denouncing Kendrick's barbs from their feud. 'I'm here, as you can see, fully intact. Mind, body and soul. In case you are wondering, right? You need facts to take me out. Fairytales won't do it..' Drake didn't stop there, issuing jabs to The Weeknd and Steve Lacy before announcing his upcoming Australian tour. Interestingly enough, The Anitta Max Wynn Tour will kick off the same day as Kendrick's Super Bowl performance — Feb. 9. Broken exclusively by Billboard on Nov. 25, Drake filed a motion accusing UMG and Spotify of inflating Kendrick's 'Not Like Us' streams during the rappers' highly publicized feud. The accusations against UMG claim that they used bots and payola to spike up the song, leaving Drake in a vulnerable position publicly. Though Spotify declined to comment at press time, UMG issued a statement to Billboard, denying the allegations. 'The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue,' UMG said. 'We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns. No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.' Less than 24 hours after filing a motion against UMG, Drake returned with a second one, this time alleging UMG funneled payments through IHeartRadio as part of a 'pay-to-play scheme.' He also accuses them of defamation, claiming that they could have prevented the release of 'Not Like Us' due to the song 'falsely accusing him of being a sex offender.' With Lamar spewing lyrics that label Drake as a 'certified pedophile' and 'predator,' Drake believes UMG could have refused to distribute the song. 'UMG … could have refused to release or distribute the song or required the offending material to be edited and/or removed,' Drake's lawyers said. 'But UMG chose to do the opposite. UMG designed, financed and then executed a plan to turn 'Not Like Us' into a viral mega-hit with the intent of using the spectacle of harm to Drake and his businesses to drive consumer hysteria and, of course, massive revenues. That plan succeeded, likely beyond UMG's wildest expectations.' UMG and iHeartRadio did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Drake's second action. Conductor Williams released a Drake freestyle titled 'Fighting Irish' to his YouTube page on Jan. 3, which was quickly taken down. The track finds Drizzy getting introspective as he looks to turn the page to a clean slate in 2025 and leave 2024 behind him. He examines his life in the wake of the fallout from the Kendrick battle. 'The world fell in love with the gimmicks, even my brothers got tickets, seemed like they loved every minute/ Just know the s–t is personal to us and wasn't just business/ Analyzing behavioral patterns is somewhat suspicious,' he raps. Hours after withdrawing his legal action against UMG, which accused them and Spotify of helping boost streams for Kendrick's 'Not Like Us,' Drake filed a defamation case in New York City against his home label. The contentious battle between Drake and UMG is now in the hands of the courts after the 'One Dance' artist accused the label of supporting a song littered with 'inflammatory and shocking allegations.' In addition, Drake claims this was UMG's attempt to plummet his value and give them a leg up in future negotiations with him. (He had reportedly signed a deal of $400 million with UMG in 2022.) In the lawsuit, Drake remains adamant that UMG aided Lamar and participated in 'pay for play' by allegedly using bots to boost streams for 'Not Like Us.' Lamar kicked off 2025 with a bang. 'Not Like Us' officially surpassed one billion Spotify streams. Kendrick Lamar won five Grammy Awards at the 2025 ceremony, including two of the Big Four — for record of the year as well as song of the year. He also took home trophies for best rap song, best rap performance and best music video to bring his grand total to 22 Grammy Awards. Plus, Kendrick accepted his awards dressed in a Canadian tuxedo, which seems like another dig at Drake. From the moment Dot took the stage for his 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show, all of the people in the crowd at Caesars Superdome — and the millions of people watching from home — were waiting for the star to perform one song. And boy, did he. Lamar relished in his delivery 'Not Like Us' from start to finish, at first teasing the crowd with the first few notes before cutting himself off, spitting, 'I want to perform their favorite song, but you know they love to sue,' more than likely referring to Drake's lawsuit against Universal Music Group. Then, minutes later, Kenny finally launched into the Hot 100 chart-topper for real, appearing to enjoy every moment — but especially when he stared dead into the camera with a big smile and teased, 'Say, Drake, I heard you like 'em young.' A few lines later, he was joined by the entire stadium screaming at top volume, 'Tryna strike a chord and it's probably A-minor!' But if all that wasn't enough to get under a certain Canadian star's skin, Lamar also had Serena Williams — whom Drake is rumored to have dated — join him on the field to crip walk during 'Not Like Us.' After Kendrick enjoyed arguably the best two weeks of his life, highlighted by five Grammy wins and a record-breaking Super Bowl halftime performance, Drake returned shots on his new collaborative album with PartyNextDoor. On the album standout 'Gimme a Hug,' Drake fires away on K. Dot, reminding fans why his 'King Petty' moniker will stand the test of time. 'Cause if I die, it's these n—as that become the sole beneficiary/ And what the f–k are they gon' do with it?/ Have the girls up at 29 on stage twerking with a dictionary?' he says to spurn Lamar's latest triumphs. Then, Drake looks to thrash Lamar further, rapping: 'Damn, they be droppin' s–t, but we be droppin' harder s–t/ F–k a rap beef, I'm tryna get the party lit,' he spits. UMG returned fire at Drake's defamation lawsuit accusing the rapper of trying to 'save face' after losing the battle to Kendrick Lamar and his incendiary chart-topper 'Not Like Us.' Attorneys for UMG sought to dismiss the lawsuit, claiming his allegations were 'meritless' and that he resorted to going to court because of the embarrassment he endured during the battle. 'Plaintiff, one of the most successful recording artists of all time, lost a rap battle that he provoked and in which he willingly participated,' UMG's lawyers wrote. 'Instead of accepting the loss like the unbothered rap artist he often claims to be, he has sued his own record label in a misguided attempt to salve his wounds.' 'Drake has been pleased to use UMG's platform to promote tracks leveling similarly incendiary attacks at Lamar,' the company's attorneys continued. 'But now, after losing the rap battle, Drake claims that 'Not Like Us' is defamatory. It is not.' In a statement to Billboard, Drake's attorney Michael J. Gottlieb responded to the new filing made by the music giant. 'UMG wants to pretend that this is about a rap battle in order to distract its shareholders, artists and the public from a simple truth: a greedy company is finally being held responsible for profiting from dangerous misinformation that has already resulted in multiple acts of violence,' Gottlieb said. 'This motion is a desperate ploy by UMG to avoid accountability, but we have every confidence that this case will proceed and continue to uncover UMG's long history of endangering, abusing and taking advantage of its artists.' Drizzy updated his lawsuit against UMG to allege that Lamar's Super Bowl Halftime Show — during which he performed 'Not Like Us' — was meant to 'assassinate the character of another artist.' Drake's attorneys argued in the updated suit that censoring the word 'pedophile' during the live broadcast didn't take away from the defamatory message, but instead, underscored the 6 God's legal case against his label. UMG slammed the amended suit in a statement to Billboard, and said that the rapper was being misled by his lawyers. 'Should his legal representatives senselessly keep the New York lawsuit alive, we will demonstrate that all remaining claims are without merit,' the label said. 'It is shameful that these foolish and frivolous legal theatrics continue. They are reputationally and financially costly to Drake and have no chance of success.' Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kendrick Lamar Leads BET Awards Nominations, Doechii, Drake, Future, GloRilla Tie Behind Him
Though it's been over a year since Kendrick and Drake's Great Rap War, the remnants are everywhere, including in the 2025 BET Awards nominations. Lamar leads the pack with 10 nominations including Album of the Year for GNX, Video of the Year for 'Not Like Us,' Viewer's Choice Award nominations for 'Not Like Us,' 'Luther,' featuring SZA, and 'Like That' with Future & Metro Boomin, and Best Male Hip Hop Artist. Drake ties for the second most nominated artist this year, alongside a couple people in the beef's orbit. More from Rolling Stone Drake's Label Wants His Revised 'Not Like Us' Lawsuit Dismissed: Legal 'Blather' Doechii Shrugs Off Met Gala Controversy: 'God Forbid a Girl Needs More Umbrellas' Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco Head to Prom in 'Talk' Music Video Drake earned six nominations, several of them rivaling Lamar, including Album of the Year for $ome $exy $ongs 4 U with PartyNextDoor, Video of the Year for 'Family Matters,' Viewer's Choice Award for 'Nokia,' and Best Male Hip Hop Artist as well. Future, who's 'Like That' ignited the war of words with its Lamar feature, earned also nominations, including Album of the Year for We Don't Trust You with Metro Boomin and Best Male Hip Hop Artist too. We Don't Trust You included other artists who banded together against Drake during the beef including the Weeknd and Rick Ross. Meanwhile, Doechii, a new star on Lamar's former label Top Dawg, also earned six nominations after a breakout year. She's been nominated for Album of the Year for Alligator Bites Never Heal, Video of the Year and Viewer's Choice Award for 'Denial is a River,' BET Her for 'Bloom,' Best Collaboration for 'Alter Ego' featuring JT, and Best Female Hip Hop Artist. Lastly, tied for the second most nominations is GloRilla (who mostly existed out of the beef's orbit) with an Album of the Year nomination for Glorious, Best Collaboration for 'Sticky' with Tyler, the Creator, Sexyy Red and Lil Wayne, the Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award for 'Rain Down on Me,' Best Female Hip Hop Artist and more. Also leading the nominations are SZA and The Weeknd with four nominations each, while Arya Starr, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Maverick City Music, Playboi Carti, Teddy Swims, and Tyler, The Creator each earned three nominations. The BET Awards will be held at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Monday, June 9, 2025 and broadcast live 8 pm ET. The ceremony will mark 25 years of the BET Awards. The complete list of nominees are here. Album Of The Year $ome $exy $ongs 4 U — Drake & Partynextdoor 11:11 Deluxe — Chris Brown Alligator Bites Never Heal — Doechii Cowboy Carter — Beyoncé Glorious — GloRilla GNX — Kendrick Lamar Hurry Up Tomorrow — The Weeknd We Don't Trust You —Future & Metro Boomin Best Female R&B/Pop Artist Ari Lennox Ayra Starr Coco Jones Kehlani Muni Long Summer Walker Sza Victoria Monét Best Male R&B/Pop Artist Bruno Mars Chris Brown Drake Fridayy Leon Thomas Teddy Swims The Weeknd Usher Best Group 41 Common & Pete Rock Drake & Partynextdoor Flo Future & Metro Boomin Jacquees & Dej Loaf Larry June, 2 Chainz, The Alchemist Maverick City Music Best Collaboration '30 For 30' — SZA Feat. Kendrick Lamar 'Alter Ego' — Doechii feat. JT 'Are You Even Real' — Teddy Swims feat. Givēon 'Beckham' — Dee Billz feat. Kyle Richh, Kai Swervo, Kj Swervo 'Bless' — Lil Wayne, Wheezy & Young Thug 'Like That' — Future & Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar 'Luther' — Kendrick Lamar & Sza 'Sticky' — Tyler, The Creator Feat. GloRilla, Sexyy Red & Lil Wayne Timeless — The Weeknd feat. Playboi Carti Best Female Hip Hop Artist Cardi B Doechii Doja Cat GloRilla Latto Megan Thee Stallion Nicki Minaj Rapsody Sexyy Red Best Male Hip Hop Artist Bigxthaplug Bossman Dlow Burna Boy Drake Future Kendrick Lamar Key Glock Lil Wayne Tyler, The Creator Video Of The Year '3am In Tokyo' — Key Glock 'A Bar Song (Tipsy)' — Shaboozey 'After Hours' — Kehlani 'Denial Is A River' — Doechii 'Family Matters' — Drake 'Not Like Us' — Kendrick Lamar 'Timeless' — The Weeknd Feat. Playboi Carti 'Type Shit' — Future, Metro Boomin, Travis Scott & Playboi Carti Video Director Of The Year Anderson .Paak B Pace Productions & Jacquees Benny Boom Cactus Jack Cole Bennett Dave Free & Kendrick Lamar Dave Meyers Foggieraw Tyler, The Creator Best New Artist 41 Ayra Starr Bigxthaplug Bossman Dlow Dee Billz Leon Thomas October London Shaboozey Teddy Swims Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award 'A God (There Is)' — Common & Pete Rock feat. Jennifer Hudson 'Amen' — Pastor Mike Jr. 'Better Days' — Fridayy 'Church Doors' — Yolanda Adams Feat. Sir The Baptist & Donald Lawrence (Terry Hunter Remix) 'Constant' — Maverick City Music, Jordin Sparks, Chandler Moore & Anthony Gargiula 'Deserve To Win'— Tamela Mann 'Faith' — Rapsody 'Rain Down On Me' — GloRilla feat. Kirk Franklin, Maverick City Music Viewer's Choice Award 'Residuals' — Chris Brown 'Denial Is A River' — Doechii 'Nokia' — Drake 'Like That' — Future & Metro Boomin Feat. Kendrick Lamar 'TGIF' — GloRilla 'Not Like Us' — Kendrick Lamar 'Luther' — Kendrick Lamar & Sza 'Brokey' — Latto Best International Act Any Gabrielly (Brazil) Ayra Starr (Nigeria) Bashy (United Kingdom) Black Sherif (Ghana) Ezra Collective (United Kingdom) Joé Dwèt Filé (France) Mc Luanna (Brazil) Rema (Nigeria) SDM (France) Tyla (South Africa) Uncle Waffles (Swaziland) Best New International Act Abigail Chams (Tanzania) Ajuliacosta (Brazil) Amabbi (Brazil) Dlala Thukzin (South Africa) Dr Yaro (France) Kwn (United Kingdom) Maglera Doe Boy (South Africa) Merveille (France) Odeal (United Kingdom) Shallipopi (Nigeria) TxC (South Africa) Bet HER Beautiful People — Mary J. Blige Blackbiird — Beyoncé feat. Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy & Reyna Roberts Bloom — Doechii Burning — Tems Defying Gravity — Cynthia Erivo Feat. Ariana Grande Heart Of A Woman — Summer Walker Hold On — Tems In My Bag — Flo & GloRilla
Irish Daily Star
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Star
Kendrick Lamar's diss track lands another big win amid Drake feud
The International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences unveiled its winners in various categories, including Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us music video, which took home the Webby Award for Music Video , Creator Excellence. Lamar, along with Taylor Swift , Rihanna and Simone Biles, were among the honorees at the Webby Awards, which acknowledge exceptional internet content and creators. "This year's winners represent a masterclass of creativity and innovation," Jesse Feister, executive director, Webby Media Group, said in a statement. Interestingly, the Academy appears to be acknowledging Lamar's infamous feud with Canadian hip-hop artist Drake , which began as a friendly collaboration in the early stages of their careers, but escalated into a lyrical death match, particularly following Lamar's feature on Future and Metro Boomin's "We Don't Trust You" album on March 22, 2024. Read More Related Articles Donald Trump branded 'dumbest President ever' after six-word comment about Congo Read More Related Articles Deranged Donald Trump posts mad 184-word Easter message taking aim at all his enemies In 2023, Drake and made headlines by landing their first Hot 100 No. 1 song together—and Cole's debut chart-topper—with the hit "First Person Shooter." The track saw them sharing the limelight and touting their status as stadium-fillers. Lamar's "Not Like US" diss track success has declared him the winner of this round Unwittingly, it appears Cole awoke Kendrick Lamar's competitive spirit when he gave a shout-out to himself, Drake, and K. Dot, rapping: "Love when they argue the hardest MC/ Is it K-Dot? Is it Aubrey? Or me? / We the big three like we started a league/ but right now, I feel like Muhammad Ali." Kendrick Lamar did not hold back in his response on Future & Metro Boomin's "Like That," uncompromisingly taking aim at both Cole and Drake. With lines like "F--- sneak dissin', first-person shooter/ I hope they came with three switches," Lamar's verse was a point-blank assault against his peers. In April 2024, Drake took another jab at Lamar by releasing his "Taylor Made Freestyle" on Instagram, utilizing A.I. vocals to simulate Tupac and Snoop Dogg in his verses. This move prompted an immediate response from Lamar with "Euphoria," a six-minute, biting track that condemned Drake for his use of the N-word, questioned his fashion choices, hip-hop credentials and more. The ensuing battle saw both artists unleash a series of diss tracks, notably Drake's "Family Matters" and Lamar's "Not Like Us," where K. Dot notoriously labeled Drake and his circle as pedophiles. However, it was "Not Like Us" that propelled Lamar to superiority over Drake in their spat. The track climbed the charts, Lamar secured the Superbowl halftime show, snagged five Grammys for the song, while Drake found himself entangled in a defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group. When it comes to head-to-head clashes between the two rappers, Lamar has emerged the unequivocal victor.
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef: What's the latest?
Kendrick Lamar's show-stopping performance at Super Bowl on Sunday was, for many, a victory lap following his knock-out blow in a long-running beef with fellow rapper Drake. The Compton star's entire half-time set seemed to swiftly build to a performance of Not Like Us, his Grammy-winning takedown of Drake which was one of last year's biggest hits... but is also now the subject of a potential libel case brought by the Canadian. Drake was performing in Australia on Sunday, dishing out cash to several of his fans at a Melbourne show, before the whole world tuned in to watch his rival. The origins of the argument go back more than decade. But here's a quick reminder of where we are now and how we got here over a heated 12 months: In March last year, producer and former Drake collaborator Metro Boomin' and rapper Future released a collaborative album called We Don't Trust You. Hidden in the tracklisting was a song called Like That with an uncredited verse by Kendrick Lamar... and it was explosive. In it, Lamar took aim at rapper J Cole's previous claim - that himself, Kendrick and Drake were "the big three" - proclaiming: "big three - it's just big me". After years of tension, the fuse had been lit. Soon after, Drake appeared to address Kendrick's verse at a concert in Florida. He told the crowd: "I know that no matter what, it's not a [person] on this earth that could ever [expletive] with me in my life!" Two weeks later, J Cole offered his own reply to Kendrick's verse, on a track called 7 Minute Drill, but he soon realised it had been a huge "mis-step". Speaking on stage at the Dreamville Festival in North Carolina, he apologised for the song, praised Lamar's back catalogue and asked for forgiveness. Drake then released a song called Push Ups (Drop and Give Me 50), in which he took aim at Lamar's height, calling him a midget (he's 5ft 4in tall) and a record label puppet who's forced to collaborate with pop artists. "Maroon 5 need a verse, you better make it witty / Then we need a verse for the Swifties," he cajoled. He also took issue with Lamar's position in the hip-hop hierarchy, suggesting other artists had overtaken him. More rappers, including Kanye West and Rick Ross got drawn into the feud. But Drake's attention was solely focused on Lamar. The Toronto star goaded his US adversary by dropping yet another diss track called Taylor Made Freestyle, which suggested Lamar was too cowardly to release music in the same week as Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department. What's more he used artificial intelligence to deliver the insults in the voices of Lamar's heroes, Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg. Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl show was one big tease Taylor Swift, Lionel Messi, Jay-Z and Trump among big names at Super Bowl Eagles demolish Chiefs to deny them Super Bowl three-peat Lamar finally responded with a full-blown, six-minute riposte on record. Titled Euphoria (a reference to the HBO show where Drake serves as an executive producer), it saw him brand Drake as "predictable", a "master manipulator" and a "habitual liar", while calling his sparring partner's parenting skills into question. "Let me say I'm the biggest hater," he rapped. "I hate the way that you walk, the way that you talk, I hate the way that you dress." Less than 72 hours later, he followed up with a second song called 6:16 in LA. In it, he claimed that someone inside Drake's organisation was leaking damaging information. "You must be a terrible person/ Everyone inside your team is whispering that you deserve it." In May, Drake shot back with a song called Family Matters, which took the feud to new heights. On the track, he speculated that Lamar might be a perpetrator of domestic abuse (the star has never faced such an allegation). Within 20 minutes, Lamar retaliated with a third diss track, Meet The Grahams, which opened with the ominous warning: "You [messed] up the minute you called out my family's name". Each verse was addressed to one of Drake's closest family members, listing the rapper's supposed failures. Among the claims, he said Drake had secretly fathered second child, and was addicted to gambling, sex and drugs. Drake responded on Instagram by asking whoever had his "hidden daughter" to hand her back, adding that Lamar's claims were a "shambles". But the Californian wasn't finished and he dropped a fourth diss track, Not Like Us, in which he accused Drake of having relationships with underage women. "Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young / Tryna strike a chord and it's probably A minor," he rapped. Drake hit back a day later, angrily denying the accusations and daring Lamar to reveal proof. "Drake is not a name that you gonn' see on no sex offender list, easy does it / You mentioning A minor … B sharp and tell the fans: Who was it?" Lamar's pop-orientated Not Like Us became a big summer club hit - picking up 21 million streams in its first three days of release. It went on to earn one billion streams on Spotify and later five Grammy Awards, at last month's ceremony, including song of the year. Things took a darker turn, when a security guard outside Drake's house was shot although there is no proof it was connected to the rappers' feud. However, the vandalism of Drake's OVO shop in London apparently was. At one star-studded gig in Los Angeles in June, which was intended as a show of unity for the West Coast rap fraternity, Lamar played his biggest diss track five times. Fast forward to January this year, and Drake decided to sue the Universal Music Group (UMG) for defamation and harassment, over its release of Not Like Us. In papers filed in New York, Drake's lawyers accused the record label of launching "a campaign to create a viral hit" out of a song that made the "false factual allegation that Drake is a criminal paedophile, and to suggest that the public should resort to vigilante justice in response". In response, Universal, which has been Drake's label for more than a decade said his claims were not only untrue but "illogical". It also accused the star of trying to "silence" Lamar, who shares the same label, by taking their rap battle to the courts. "Throughout his career, Drake has intentionally and successfully used UMG to distribute his music and poetry to engage in conventionally outrageous back-and-forth 'rap battles' to express his feelings about other artists," the label said. "He now seeks to weaponise the legal process to silence an artist's creative expression and to seek damages from [Universal] for distributing that artist's music." Which brings us to the Super Bowl. A couple of minutes into his half-time show, Lamar said: "I want to play their favourite song... but you know they love to sue." In the build-up to the big event, there had been questions over whether he would, or even could play it, legally-speaking. Lamar leaned into the dilemma, teasing the song during his set, before finally giving the audience what they wanted. When the song finally played, Kendrick self-censored the most contentious lyric. But he looked directly into the camera with a mischievous grin as he called out Drake's name; and left intact the song's notorious double-entendre: "Tryin' to strike a chord and it's probably A minor." That lyric echoed around the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, indicating that no amount of legal action could ever hope to diminish the song's popularity. In playing it, Lamar was expected to have reached more than 120 million TV viewers who had tuned in to see the game, as well as the likes of Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Taylor Swift, Sir Paul McCartney and Stormzy who were inside the stadium. The performance was further heightened by the surprise appearance of tennis star Serena Williams, reportedly an old flame of Drake's. Williams, a Compton kid like Kendrick, performed the Crip Walk - a notorious Los Angeles dance move - as the headliner prowled the stage. In a review of the gig, the Guardian said the Pulitzer prize-winning rapper "delivered the final blow to his diss track nemesis". While over in the US, Variety noted how Lamar had quite literally declared "game over" in the battle. On Monday, Lamar announced a joint UK and Europe stadium tour with SZA, who joined him on-stage on Sunday night, which will take in Glasgow, Birmingham, London and Cardiff from July this year. Drake does not currently have any UK tour dates scheduled for 2025.
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar: A complete timeline of the rappers' beef
Drake and Kendrick Lamar, once collaborators early in their careers, are now actively beefing. Their feud reached a fever pitch in May 2024, when Lamar dropped the diss track "Not Like Us." Now, Drake is suing Universal Music Group for allowing the song's release. Drake and Kendrick Lamar's explosive feud has captivated the hip-hop world — but as Drake notes in his diss track "Push Ups," the two have an even more tangled, contentious history than meets the eye. "That fucking song y'all got did not start the beef with us," Drake raps. "This shit been brewing in a pot, now I'm heating up." The song in question is Future and Metro Boomin's hit single "Like That," released on March 22, 2024. It features Lamar issuing a challenge to both Drake and J. Cole, considered by many to be the three biggest rappers working today. Lamar's taunt ignited a diss-track war in April and May, with Drake and Lamar hurling eight more diss tracks back and forth. At first, fans delighted in a whiff of fresh beef. Diss battles are common in hip-hop, as rappers use them to showcase their reflexes, tenacity, and songwriting skills. Feuds can also be a savvy marketing tactic to help artists boost streams and sales. "Like That," for instance, reigned atop the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks, and "We Don't Trust You" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Later, both Drake and Lamar climbed Hot 100 with various jabs, including "Push Ups," "Euphoria," and "Family Matters." However, as Drake and Lamar continued to clash, Drake escalated his attacks to the courts, launching a legal complaint against Spotify and suing Universal Music Group (his own label's umbrella company), accusing both of artificially inflating streams of Lamar's fan-favorite diss track "Not Like Us." How did we get here? Here's everything to know about Drake and Lamar's relationship, both past and present. Hannah Getahun contributed to an earlier version of this story. Drake and Lamar may have started out as friends, or at least trusted colleagues. They released two collaborations in 2011 ("Buried Alive Interlude" on Drake's album and "Poetic Justice" on Lamar's album) and teamed up with A$AP Rocky for the 2012 hit "F**kin' Problems." Lamar also opened for Drake's Club Paradise Tour in 2012. Their bad blood likely began when Lamar declared he was better than all the rising rap stars, including Drake and J. Cole, during a guest verse on Big Sean's 2013 song "Control." "And that goes for Jermaine Cole, Big K.R.I.T., Wale, Pusha T, Meek Millz, A$AP Rocky, Drake, Big Sean, Jay Electron', Tyler, Mac Miller / I got love for you all, but I'm tryna murder you n*****," he rapped. Drake apparently responded on his own song, "The Language," from the 2013 album "Nothing Was the Same" — though he didn't call out Lamar by name. "I don't know why they been lying but your shit is not that inspiring," Drake raps. "Bank account statement just look like I'm ready for early retirement / Fuck any n**** that's talking that shit just to get a reaction." Since then, Drake and Lamar have seemed to make small digs at each other in both music and interviews. In 2015, Lamar released "King Kunta" as a single from his acclaimed album, "To Pimp a Butterfly." In the song, he mocks an unnamed "rapper with a ghostwriter." Although Lamar hasn't confirmed who the "King Kunta" lyric is about, Drake has been repeatedly accused of using ghostwriters by rappers like Meek Mill and Pusha T. Drake released his collaboration with J. Cole, "First Person Shooter," as a single from his latest album, "For All the Dogs." In the braggadocious song, J. Cole references Lamar as "K-Dot" (his former stage name) and Drake as "Aubrey" (as in Aubrey Graham, his legal name) when listing the biggest names in hip-hop: "Love when they argue the hardest MC / Is it K-Dot? Is it Aubrey? Or me? / We the big three like we started a league, but right now, I feel like Muhammad Ali." Drake ends the song by comparing his success to that of the late Michael Jackson, one of the best-selling artists in history. "First Person Shooter" debuted atop the Hot 100 in October 2023, earning Drake his 13th No. 1 song on the chart, the same total as Jackson. Five months later, Lamar's verse in "Like That" directly references those lyrics, as well as the song's title. "Fuck sneak dissin', first-person shooter, I hope they came with three switches," Lamar raps. "Motherfuck the big three, n****, it's just big me." J. Cole didn't comment on Lamar's "Like That" verse until April 5, 2024, when he released a 12-track EP, "Might Delete Later," featuring Gucci Mane, Ari Lennox, and others. The first verse of the final track, "7 Minute Drill," appears to be a direct response to Lamar, who Cole implies is losing popularity. "He still doing shows, but fell off like the Simpsons / Your first shit was classic, your last shit was tragic / Your second shit put n***** to sleep, but they gassed it / Your third shit was massive and that was your prime / I was trailing right behind and I just now hit mine," Cole raps. Fans believe Cole is referencing 2012's "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City" ("classic"), 2022's "Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers" ("tragic"), 2015's "To Pimp a Butterfly" ("gassed"), and 2017's "Damn" ("massive"), respectively. However, two days after the song was released, Cole apologized to Lamar during his performance at the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, North Carolina. "I just want to come up here and publicly be like, bruh, that was the lamest, goofiest shit," Cole said in a video shared on X. "And I pray that y'all are like, forgive a n**** for the misstep and I can get back to my true path. Because I ain't gonna lie to y'all. The past two days felt terrible." Cole said he felt conflicted because he respects Lamar but felt pressure from his peers and fans to respond. Cole said releasing "7 Minute Drill" (and the discourse it inspired) didn't "sit right with my spirit," adding that he hoped Lamar, who he describes as "one of the greatest motherfuckers to ever touch a fuckin' microphone," wasn't hurt by his words. Representatives for Lamar and Cole did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. On April 12, 2024, Future and Metro Boomin released their second collaborative album, "We Still Don't Trust You." While neither rapper directly dissed Drake, they enlisted The Weeknd and A$AP Rocky to do their bidding. In the eighth track, "All To Myself," The Weeknd references his decision not to sign with Drake's OVO label earlier in his career, which reportedly led to a falling out between the two Canadian stars. "They could never diss my brothers, baby / When they got leaks in they operation / I thank God that I never signed my life away / And we never do the big talk / They shooters makin' TikToks / Got us laughin' in the Lambo," The Weeknd raps. On the later track, "Show of Hands," Rocky references the rumor that he had sex with Sophie Brussaux, the mother of Drake's son, before Drake did. "N***** in they feelings over women, what, you hurt or something? / I smash before you birthed, son, Flacko hit it first, son," Rocky raps. Rocky and Drake had appeared to be friends until the "F**kin' Problems" rapper began to date Rihanna, who previously had a will-they-won't-they relationship with Drake. However, Rocky's diss wasn't exactly unprovoked. In "Fear of Heights," the fourth track on "For All the Dogs," Drake mocks both Rocky and Rihanna, implying sex with his ex-girlfriend was "average" and saying Rocky "can't leave" because they have children together, evoking a classic sexist trope known as "baby trapping." One day after the release of "We Still Don't Trust You," Drake dropped his response, setting off a back-and-forth exchange of barbs in diss tracks that would last through the spring. Drake spends most of the four-minute track dissing Lamar, although he reserves a few shots for Future, Metro Boomin, J. Cole, The Weeknd, and Rick Ross. Ross quickly recorded and released a response, "Champagne Moments," in which he calls Drake a "white boy," claims the rapper got a nose job, and accuses him of stealing his flow from Lil Wayne. This track is best known for Drake's ill-advised use of AI to generate verses from the late Tupac Shakur, aka 2pac, and Snoop Dogg. Many fans criticized this move, particularly as Shakur was unable to consent. Snoop Dogg responded to the song with a jokey Instagram video in which he reacts to messages about Drake using his voice. On April 24, 2024, Billboard reported that Shakur's estate had sent Drake a cease-and-desist letter for abusing his likeness, calling it a "blatant abuse" of his legacy. Two days later, Drake removed "Taylor Made Freestyle" from social media and streaming platforms. After laying low for much of April, Lamar surprise-released "Euphoria," a scorching six-minute diss track aimed explicitly at Drake. Days later, Lamar released another diss track on his Instagram. The title may refer to Shakur's birthday, June 16, or possibly Father's Day, which ties into Lamar's insults about Drake's parenting skills. The same day, Drake released this seven-and-a-half-minute response to Lamar's back-to-back diss tracks, along with a music video that depicts a red minivan similar to the one on the cover of Lamar's "Good Kid, M.A.A.d City," being driven across the border to Canada and destroyed. Later in the video, Drake is shown having dinner at the same Chinese restaurant Lamar raps about in "Euphoria." Lamar dropped "Meet the Grahams" less than an hour after Drake released "Family Matters." The song is framed as an open letter to Drake's family, with Lamar directly addressing his then-6-year-old son, Adonis, his mother, Sandra, and his father, Dennis. The next morning, Lamar unleashed another diss track: his crown jewel, "Not Like Us." Throughout the four-and-a-half-minute diss track, Lamar accuses Drake of pedophilic behavior and associating with questionable people, including Baka Not Nice, a rapper signed to OVO who pleaded guilty to assault in 2015. (As Business Insider previously reported, Drake's entourage has a history of violence, but he has never been publicly accused of sexual misconduct.) The cover art for "Not Like Us" is an aerial shot of Drake's home in Toronto, covered in pins that resemble those used by sex offender registries. Drake's response to "Meet the Grahams" and "Not Like Us" denies many of Lamar's claims in the track and says he's "disgusted" by the suggestion that he's "fucking young girls." He also says Lamar's team is filled with "clowns" who are feeding him false information. The song's title is a reference to Lamar's "The Heart" series. Drake also seemed to suggest he's bowing out of the feud with Lamar. On May 7, 2024, a spokesperson for the Toronto Police Service confirmed to BI that Drake's security guard suffered a gunshot wound while standing outside his front gates. There were also reports of several people trying to break into the property. Amid the incidents, Drake complained on Instagram about the media helicopters surrounding his home. On June 19, 2024, Lamar hosted a one-off concert to celebrate Juneteenth called "The Pop Out: Ken & Friends," which was live-streamed on Amazon Prime Video and Twitch. The event featured up-and-coming West Coast rappers and major Californian stars, including Dr. Dre, Jay Rock, and Tyler the Creator. Lamar closed the night with his own set, kicking it off with "Euphoria." During the performance, Lamar added a new line, "Give me Tupac's ring back and I might give you a little respect," referring to reports that Drake had bought a ring that belonged to Shakur. Later in the set, Lamar performed "6:16 in LA" and "Like That." Lamar ended the night by performing "Not Like Us" five times in a row (six including an instrumental version). He was joined onstage by a crowd of West Coast performers, athletes, and gang members. The concert was widely hailed as Lamar's victory lap. Exactly two months after releasing "Not Like Us," which debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100, Lamar released a music video packed with references to Drake. During one scene, Lamar is joined by his fianceé, Whitney Alford, and their two young children. The video ends with Lamar putting an owl in a cage; the logo for Drake's label, OVO, is an owl. After months of silence, Lamar surprise-released the 12-track album on November 22, 2024. While "GNX" doesn't include any explicitly anti-Drake tracks like "Euphoria" or "Not Like Us," it includes several apparent references to their feud and its ripple effects. "Snoop posted 'Taylor Made,' I prayed it was the edibles / I couldn't believe it, it was only right for me to let it go," Lamar raps in the album's opening track, "Wacced Out Murals." The album's 10th track is called "Heart Pt. 6," allowing Lamar to reclaim the title from Drake. "GNX" garnered positive initial reviews from critics, rounding off a transformative and triumphant year for Lamar. On November 25, 2024, Drake took his feud with Lamar into legal territory. Drake's company, Frozen Moments, filed a pre-action petition in a New York court against Universal Music Group (UMG) — the record company that owns Lamar's label Interscope and Drake's label Republic Records — as well as the streaming giant Spotify. The petition accuses both UMG and Spotify of using illicit methods, such as bots and payola (otherwise known as "pay-for-play"), to inflate streams of "Not Like Us." The filing also claims that "Not Like Us" caused Drake to suffer "economic harm." Hours after the filing made headlines, Billboard unearthed another action by Drake's company, filed the same day in Texas court. The second petition claims that UMG "funneled payments" to the radio conglomerate iHeartRadio in order to boost spins of "Not Like Us." Drake's lawyers alleged that UMG could have blocked "Not Like Us" from being released because it "attacked the character of another one of UMG's most prominent artists, Drake, by falsely accusing him of being a sex offender, engaging in pedophilic acts, harboring sex offenders and committing other criminal sexual acts," per Billboard. "The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue," a spokesperson for UMG told BI. "No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear," the spokesperson added. Representatives for Lamar and Drake did not immediately respond to BI's requests for comment. A representative from Spotify declined to comment. In a defamation lawsuit filed January 15 in federal court, Drake claimed UMG "approved, published and launched a campaign to create a viral hit out of a rap track" which was "intended to convey the specific, unmistakable and false factual allegation that Drake is a criminal pedophile, and to suggest that the public should resort to vigilante justice in response," per The New York Times. The suit also accuses UMG of valuing "corporate greed over the safety and well-being of its artists," citing the security guard who was injured outside Drake's home as an example of the song's repercussions. (The cover art for "Not Like Us" is a photo of Drake's home in Toronto, covered in red sex-offender markers.) Drake withdrew his November legal action filed in New York against UMG and Spotify in favor of filing the new defamation suit in federal court. Representatives for Drake and UMG didn't immediately respond to requests for comment from BI. Lamar was the most-awarded artist at the 67th annual Grammy Awards, where "Not Like Us" swept its nominations for best music video, best rap song, best rap performance, record of the year, and song of the year. Lamar did not mention Drake by name in either of his televised speeches, but much of the crowd sang along to "Not Like Us" as he made his way to the stage. Lamar did praise "all the West Coast artists," calling them "the cats that inspired me to be the emcee I am today." "This is what it's about, man, because at the end of the day, nothing more powerful than rap music," Lamar said while accepting song of the year. "I don't care what it is. We are the culture that's gonna always stay here and live forever." One week after the Grammys, Lamar took the field in New Orleans to headline the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show. Lamar performed a medley of recent hits, including "Euphoria" and "Not Like Us" as the penultimate song. Although Lamar omitted the word "pedophile" from the broadcast, he clearly rapped several lines that reference his nemesis, including "Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young" — while looking directly at the camera — and "Tryna strike a chord and it's probably A minor," which appeared to have the whole crowd singing along. At one point during the song, the camera cut to Serena Williams crip walking — an interesting choice for a guest given that she and Drake sparked dating rumors back in 2015. Seven years later, Drake mocked the star athlete and her husband, Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian, in in the 2022 track "Middle of the Ocean." In "Not Like Us," Lamar chastises Drake for disparaging Williams: "N**** better not speak on Serena." At the end of Lamar's halftime performance at Caesars Superdome, lights in the crowd spelled out the words, "Game over." This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Read the original article on Business Insider
