The longstanding rivalry between hip-hop titans Kendrick Lamar and Drake has intensified over the past year, marked by a series of diss tracks and legal confrontations that have captivated the music industry.
The discord traces back to March 2024, when Kendrick Lamar featured on Future and Metro Boomin’s track “Like That,” delivering pointed lyrics aimed at Drake and J. Cole. This collaboration, part of the album We Don’t Trust You, served as a direct response to J. Cole’s “First Person Shooter,” wherein Cole referred to himself, Drake, and Lamar as the “big three” in rap.
In retaliation, Drake released “Push Ups” and “Taylor Made Freestyle,” the latter controversially utilizing AI-generated vocals of Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg. This move prompted legal threats from Shakur’s estate, leading to the track’s removal. Lamar countered with “Euphoria,” “6:16 in LA,” and “Not Like Us,” the latter becoming a cultural phenomenon and topping charts.
The feud spilled into the courtroom when Drake filed a defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) in January 2025. He alleged that Lamar’s accusations in “Not Like Us” led to real-world harm, including safety concerns for his family. UMG has moved to dismiss the suit, labeling it a “misguided attempt” to address the fallout from the rap battle.
While Lamar’s diss tracks have garnered critical acclaim and commercial success, earning multiple Grammy Awards, Drake’s responses have faced mixed reactions, with some critics suggesting a decline in his public image.
This high-profile feud underscores the competitive nature of the hip-hop industry, where lyrical prowess and personal rivalries often intersect, influencing both artistic expression and public perception.
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