On March 22nd, 2024, producer Metro Boomin and rapper Future released the highly anticipated collab album We Don’t Trust You, which features many famous rappers such as Travis Scott, The Weeknd, Playboi Carti, and Rick Ross, as well as Kendrick Lamar. On the song Like That, which features Kendrick Lamar, a lyric rapped by Kendrick says, “Mother**** the big three, *****, it’s just big me.” The big three of rap are thought to be Kendrick Lamar, Drake, and J. Cole, but Kendrick believes that his talent and songwriting skills are far superior to those of Drake and J. Cole. This diss against Drake and J. Cole instantly went viral on social media as many people waited to see if either would respond to Kendrick’s lyric.
As expected, on April 5th, J. Cole dropped his own diss track called 7 Minute Drill, which called Kendrick’s latest music releases “tragic” and said he was just seeking attention with his statement in Like That. Two days later, J. Cole backed out of the feud and told fans that his diss track was the “lamest, goofiest sh*t” and that he has lots of respect for Kendrick.
On April 19th, Drake released his own diss track, Pushups, against Kendrick and responded to his lyrics in Like That. The overall message of this track was that Drake was ready for the rivalry and that he wasn’t afraid of Kendrick at all. This is seen when Drake raps, “I’m ready for the weight.” On the same day, Drake released another track, Taylor Made Freestyle, which Drake uses to showcase his lyrical spontaneity. Drake raps, “I’m the best they made, and they know it,” which shows his confidence against Kendrick’s claims.
Then, on April 30th, Kendrick responded to Drake’s Pushups and Taylor Made Freestyle with the track Euphoria. On this track, Kendrick raps about his joy and personal fulfillment throughout difficult times in the world. This is seen when Kendrick raps, “In a world of chaos, I find my peace.” This displays to listeners that Kendrick is able to rise above his competition. A few days later, on May 3rd, Kendrick dropped another track in response to Drake’s tracks called 6:16 in L.A.. In this track, he reflects on his life and career in Los Angeles. It shows how Kendrick takes pride in his experiences in L.A., and the lyric, “Every corner tells my story,” emphasizes his authenticity and connection to his roots in the city of L.A. This reinforces his position as a genuine artist in contrast to Drake’s commercial persona.
That same day, Drake dropped another track called Family Matters, in which he shares more personal themes related to family and relationships, similar to the themes shared by Kendrick in 6:16 in L.A.. In the lyric, “Family’s the anchor when the world feels heavy,” Drake expresses his vulnerability. It also contrasts with the more competitive nature of his previous tracks but also still asserts his strength and confidence in the rap game.
Then, Kendrick released a second track on May 3rd in response to Drake’s Family Matters called Meet the Grahams. Drake’s legal name is Aubrey Drake Graham, so just the title alone speaks on how Kendrick is starting to take personal attacks at Drake. This track has two sides: one side in which Kendrick speaks about Drake’s family, and the other side, where Kendrick speaks about his own family. In the first lyric of the song, Kendrick raps, “Dear Adonis, I’m sorry that that man is your father, let me be honest.” For reference, Adonis is Drake’s 7-year-old son, and Kendrick is stating that Drake has failed as a father. Later in the song, Kendrick raps about his own family background. “They shaped my path, my drive, my art” demonstrates how Kendrick’s family has helped him become who he is today.
On May 4th, 2024, Kendrick dropped the track that concluded the feud, Not Like Us, which won five Grammys at the 2024 Grammys. While being a good rap production, it contains lyrics that have a deeper meaning after analysis. For example, the lines, “Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophiles” and “Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A minor” accuse Drake of talking with underage women. This relates to an interview with Millie Bobby Brown at the 2018 Emmys, in which she spoke about Drake. Brown talked about her friendship with Drake, saying, “I love him. I met him in Australia, and he’s honestly fantastic and a great friend and a great role model.” Despite this all sounding normal, she went on to add more about the rapper. “You know we text – we just texted each other the other day.” Brown claimed that Drake would say, “I miss you so much,” to a then-14-year-old at the time. Drake was also accused of grooming other young celebrities, such as singer Billie Eilish and model Bella Harris. This Kendrick diss is another direct personal attack against Drake.