Beef Between Kendrick Lamar and Drake: A Timeline
Since Kendrick Lamar took aim at Drake with his verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That” in March, the Compton and Canadian rappers have engaged in a beef unlike any before. Let’s take a look at the major developments in their ongoing battle since late March.
How it all started
Before becoming rivals, Drake and Kendrick Lamar were peers and collaborators. Drake featured Lamar on his seminal 2011 album, “Take Care,” which established their initial friendship. They worked together on several songs, and Lamar even opened for Drake on his Club Paradise tour in 2012.
However, tensions started to rise in 2013 when Lamar dropped a verse on Big Sean’s track “Control,” calling out several rappers, including Drake, by name. Despite the resulting controversy, Drake downplayed the situation in subsequent interviews, not giving it much importance.
The March 26 Diss: “Like That”
In March, Kendrick Lamar’s verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That” intensified the beef. Lamar directly mentioned Drake in his lyrics and mocked him, referencing his recent album “For All the Dogs.” This diss made it clear that the feud was no longer friendly competition.
Most shocking line: Kendrick Lamar’s “Motherfuck the Big Three, nigga, it’s just big me.”
April 13: Drake Fires Back with “Push Ups”
Drake didn’t waste time responding to Lamar’s diss. In his song “Push Ups” from his album “We Still Don’t Trust You,” Drake took aim at Lamar and other rappers who were against him. The feud escalated further with this diss.
April 19: Drake Coaxes Kendrick to Respond on “Taylor Made”
Drake, trying to provoke a response from Lamar, referenced the use of AI-generated fake tracks to confuse the public. In his song “Taylor Made,” Drake claimed that Lamar was afraid to release music while Taylor Swift was promoting her album.
April 30: Kendrick Lamar Lets His Hate Flag Fly on “Euphoria”
In his intense and lengthy song “Euphoria,” Kendrick Lamar unleashed his anger and dissed Drake for various reasons. Lamar criticized Drake’s collaborations with Lil Yachty, made allegations about Drake’s physical appearance, and criticized his parenting skills. The song revealed the depth of Lamar’s dislike for Drake.
May 3: Kendrick Doubles Down on “6:16 in LA”
Kendrick Lamar dropped another diss, “6:16 in LA,” alleging that someone in Drake’s circle was leaking personal information about him. Lamar claimed that the leak was a deliberate attempt to harm Drake emotionally. This diss intensified the feud even further.
May 3: Drake Teases Another Diss with a Sequel to “Buried Alive Interlude”
On Instagram, Drake teased a sequel to Kendrick Lamar’s song “Buried Alive Interlude” from his album “Take Care.” This teaser indicated that Drake had prepared a response to Lamar’s previous disses.
May 3: Drake Takes an Even Darker Turn with “Family Matters”
In a surprising turn, Drake released “Family Matters,” a diss track that not only targeted Kendrick Lamar but also took shots at other artists such as Metro Boomin, Future, Rick Ross, The Weeknd, and A$AP Rocky. The song and its accompanying video were filled with personal attacks and intense visuals.
Most shocking line: “Dreams come true, crodie, this is where you die”
May 4: Kendrick Is Ready for Drake with “Meet the Grahams”
Kendrick Lamar’s song “Meet the Grahams” appeared to be a response to Drake’s “Family Matters.” Lamar accused Drake of various questionable behaviors, including being an absentee father and having connections with individuals leaking personal information. The song crossed multiple boundaries and shocked fans.
Most shocking lines: “But I would like to say it’s not your fault that he’s hidin’ another child/Give him grace, this the reason I made Mr. Morale”
May 4: Kendrick Hits Another Double-Back with “Not Like Us”
Kendrick Lamar didn’t hold back with his third diss track, “Not Like Us.” In this song, he accused Drake and his crew of being sexually violent and referred to them as “certified pedophiles.” The track included homophobic remarks and continued to target Drake’s connections in the music industry.
Most shocking lines: “Why you trollin’ like a bitch? Ain’t you tired? Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A-Minor”
May 6: Drake Hits Back with “The Heart Part 6”
Drake’s response came in the form of “The Heart Part 6.” He denied any involvement in leaking misinformation about Kendrick Lamar and clarified that Lamar’s fans misunderstood the situation. Drake accused Lamar of lacking fact-checking and using his alleged 11 year-old daughter as a means of attacking Drake.
Most shocking lines: “And Whitney, you can hit me if you need a favor/And when I say I hit you back, it’s a lot safer”
