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“Try playing a chord, maybe A minor.”
Kendrick Lamar hangs on to the last letter of “minor” every second on “Not Like Us,” the incendiary song about his fellow rapper Drake , whose raspy voice echoes throughout hip-hop and pop culture.
It was an explosive allegation without evidence that raised questions about Drake’s behavior toward young women — an allegation now being heard around the world. Drake, one of the world’s greatest artists, vehemently denies this.
Since its release on May 4, “Not Like Us” has received widespread attention on social media, been played at NBA basketball games, and become a sensation in DJ booths at parties from London to Los Angeles; from New York to Atlanta, Stung the public consciousness.
It’s just one of nine songs that make up the mind-boggling and escalating conflict between the two modern-day rap titans, which has involved unsubstantiated accusations of domestic violence, secret children and pedophilia, all of which have been deny.
This is a cold war that has been brewing for the past decade and is finally coming to the surface.
“I think we all expected this to happen at some point,” says journalist and content creator Minou Itseli, also known as music blogger Mimi. “They were sending each other indirect shots in their music a lot more than we initially thought. But no one could see the beef getting to this point.”
Both men received praise and criticism for the fight, with fans of both men declaring their favorite the winner.
But who—if anyone—comes out of this looking good?
Considering how quickly this confrontation moves, you’d be forgiven for blinking and missing some details.
It begins with Lamar’s verse on “Like That” by rappers Future and Metro Boomin. Drake responded with push-ups, belittling Lamar’s accomplishments and status as a rap legend. Currently, the song has been played more than 70 million times on Spotify.
Drake’s controversial Taylor Made Freestyle doubles down on AI-generated images of two of Lamar’s heroes – Snoop Dogg and the late great Tupac Shakur -‘s voice spurred him into responding.
Drake also claimed that Lamar didn’t respond to his taunts for fear of disrupting the release of Taylor Swift’s new album. Drake rapped: “Taylor Swift is your new boss” — meaning Lamar’s boss — “and if you want to quit, she’s got to approve.”
The message is clear. Drake disrespects Lamar, who is considered one of the greatest rappers of his generation, and is ready to knock him down.
Joseph “JP” Patterson, editor-in-chief of Complex UK and founder of TRENCH magazine, told the BBC: “I’m probably the only person on the planet who thinks this, but Taylor Made Freestyle is pretty good. .I understand the rap purists’ point of view.
Fans then wait with baited breath to see what’s next. People on social media believe Lamar isn’t ready for a fight because he hasn’t responded yet.
His rebuttal was “Euphoria,” a song that questioned Drake’s parenting skills, rumors about his plastic surgery and use of artificial intelligence.
Lines as simple as “I hate the way you walk, the way you talk, I hate the way you dress” resonated with fans as did Lamar’s fiery speech, which emphasized everything – he meant it – and he didn’t. Like Drake.
It has become so influential that U.S. President Joe Biden used Euphoria in his official TikTok video for his campaign against Donald Trump.
Itseli thinks the song perfectly sums up Lamar’s stance: “It sums up everything he wants to say to Drake,” she shares. “If anyone wants a brief review of Kendrick’s team, you’ll find it all in Euphoria.”
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Next up is Lamar at 6:16 in Los Angeles, where he muses: “Have you ever thought about OVO? [Drake’s record label] Work for me? /Everyone in your team is whispering that you deserved it.
Itsely said Lamar gave the crowd a flawless performance throughout the back-and-forth performance. “Kendrick knew what to bring and gave it his all. He studied what Drake did and made his songs cater to every audience. He gave us wordplay, club hits, concept songs. Drake can’t really compete.
With Lamar’s one-two punch, fans are worried the walls are closing in on Drake. But the Canadian rapper responded with a nuclear reaction.
Family Matters attacks Lamar’s family, claiming that his son is the biological child of Lamar’s creative partner Dave Free and that he has been physically abusive to his wife, Whitney Alford.
“When you put your hands on your daughter, is it self-defense, ’cause she’s bigger than you?” Drake sang, referencing the height difference between Lamar and his wife.
Lamar has denied the claims, but the beef has now entered new territory — and it’s making many observers uncomfortable.
In a culture that prides itself on the limitless nature of lyrical combat, where anything can be said about your opponent, a few barbs felt too much for the audience.
Writing in Pitchfork, music journalist Alphonse Pierre said: “You have to think about the women who are really suffering, who don’t have the power to speak for themselves.
“Drake and Kendrick don’t think about that at all. To them, it’s just the stuff of jokes and parody.”
Since then, the accusations have mounted.
Lamar’s rebuttal was directed at Drake’s son Adonis, his mother Sandra, his father Dennis and an alleged secret daughter (which Drake denies). “You have a gambling problem, a drinking problem, a drug problem and a spending problem,” Lamar told Drake in a calm, almost therapeutic tone.
He also highlighted Drake’s alleged use of the diabetes drug Ozempic to lose weight. According to Lamar, Drake is not who he says he is and is a man beyond repair.
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“Not Like Us,” released later the same day, is filled with accusations against Drake, including “certified lover boy, certified pedophile” and “Say, Drake, I heard you’re like Young people alike, you’re better off never going to a jail cell (suggesting that Drake would be physically abused if he went to prison).
It’s a provocative record, but one the world is listening to, and as of May 11, “Not Like Us” has become the No. 1 song on Spotify’s global charts and has been streamed more than 57 million times since its release. Streaming.
“‘Not Like Us’ is my favorite Kendrick diss track, it’s as brutal as the bop!” Patterson said.
Although “Heart” part six will constitute Drake’s next, and for now, final rebuttal. The rappers appear to be done fighting and ready to move on.
Naturally, fans of both men came out in droves to declare both men victors. Many praised the lyrics for giving the genre a shot in the arm.
Some say Lamar forced Drake to improve his lyrical skills, while others praise the duo for creating an unprecedented moment in rap history.
“All in all, Kendrick won the fight,” Patterson declared. “Both are dragging each other through hell with their lyrical attacks, but there’s no denying who comes out on top. Drake will still be a superstar rapper — and that’s definitely not going to stop him — but he needs to be safe enough , to be able to take all the jokes and jokes and let him win again for the rest of his career.
Itseli agrees with the winner. “This will be remembered as one of the biggest rap beefs of the past few decades. It’s about culture: Kendrick cares about and preserves the essence of hip-hop and goes against people he feels don’t represent it.
“For rap fans, this confirms a lot of what they thought about Drake – that he plays a character; he’s just a character who’s ready to swerve into pop music trends. Kendrick proves that he cares about the art of rap music, And he was able to do it in his sleep, and he did it in such a nuanced way that he earned the respect of many.
Elsewhere, rap commentators including DJ Akademiks and Gillie The Kid sided with Drake, calling him a winner. “The rules of Kendrick’s fight have changed,” DJ Akademiks told Flagrant Podcast.
“Drake was considered intimidated because it took two weeks to reply to ‘Like That,’ but when Kendrick took two weeks to reply to Drake, everyone said he needed time.
“So much of this fight is Kendrick Lamar saying, ‘As a man, I’m going to tear you apart.'” But if what he’s saying is a complete lie, that loses the meaning of what he’s saying.
No matter who you think wins, one thing is for sure. Beef brought joy to the world and enhanced the legacy of two generations of rap artists.
