Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake

A Comparative Review of Drake’s Demise

Introduction

This isn't just an exciting time for rap, but for culture as a whole. It's reminiscent of the N.W.A-Ice Cube feud, remembered for Ice Cube's “No Vaseline,” or the legendary Biggie-Tupac rivalry, known for Tupac's “Hit 'Em Up,” to which Biggie refused to respond. In this article, I'll discuss how Kendrick's diss tracks are uniquely devastating and what they could mean for Drake's career. Specifically, I'll discuss the tracks “Like That,” “Euphoria,” “6:16 in LA,” “Meet the Grahams,” and “Not Like Us.”

Getty Images (2024)

Each word Kendrick uses is laden with meaning and rooted in historical and cultural context. This quality defines his music and contributed to his winning the 2018 Pulitzer Prize—the first for an album outside classical and jazz genres. As such, I won't discuss every verse, but the most personally significant takeaways and provide my own commentary where appropriate.

“Like That”

Future opens his verse by emphasizing his adherence to the street code. This could be interpreted as a dig at Drake, given the common criticism that Drake lacks “street cred”. However, Future quickly shifts to boasting about his sexual exploits and influence, suggesting that the diss may not be directed at Drake, especially since Kendrick has openly criticized Drake for these same reasons. References to drugs and flashy jewelry further emphasize Future's lifestyle, though these are critiques Kendrick later aims at Drake. Despite this ambiguity, Future's chorus makes it an apt opportunity to challenge Drake's street credibility, implying that he isn't, in fact, “Like That”; a term to describe someone who puts their money where their mouth is.

Kendrick's feature is electrifying. In “First Person Shooter,” J. Cole references the Big Three: “We started a league, but right now, I feel like Muhammad Ali.” Throughout the song, he emphasizes their status as a "Big 3," but ultimately declares that if anyone comes first, it's him, J. Cole, or Drake. Kendrick's verse bursts in with intensity, addressing the “Big Three” status often associated with him, Drake, and J. Cole. He asserts, “Motherf*ck the big three, n—, it's just big me.”

Drake riffs on “Beat It” during the outro of his diss track, celebrating that he’s now matched Michael Jackson's Hot 100 record with 13 No. 1 hits. However, Kendrick counters with the line “Prince outlived Mike Jack”, comparing their rivalry to the '80s pop Cold War. This sets off a series of disses where Kendrick justifiably compares himself to Prince, emphasizing his cultural significance beyond Drake's catchy hits. Kendrick then hits Drake with a Stephen King reference: 

Before all these dogs get buried. That's a K with all these nines. He gon' see Pet Sematary.

In my opinion, this line can be interpreted in multiple ways, particularly these four:

1. The “AK” could symbolize an assault weapon, while “these 9s” refers to a mere TEC-9 pistol. It's a comparison of a smaller pistol to a powerful machine gun, suggesting the inferior impact of these “dogs” in Kendrick's view.

2. The “K” might represent Kendrick himself, while “these 9s” nods to Drake and J. Cole, who, in Kendrick's eyes, are rated only nine out of ten—falling short of being the G.O.A.T.

3. “That's a K with all these nines” could also play on the word “K-9.” In this context, “Pet Sematary” symbolizes a graveyard for dogs, where families bury their beloved pets in the backyard, unaware that many others have already buried their dogs there.

4. The most obvious reference to the novel “Pet Sematary” is that the animals buried there are revived, but they ultimately turn on their owners. In this sense, Kendrick’s “dogs” have turned on him, making it directly related to the Melly line in the next diss track.

The possibility of multiple interpretations, as we will come to see, is not uncommon for Kendrick—demonstrating not just his wit, but his lyrical dominance.

“Euphoria”

Every word of this diss track is nothing short of devastating, but like I mentioned, I will focus here on the most critical elements. Kendrick likely titled the song “Euphoria,” alluding to the popular TV show about high schoolers that has faced criticism for its portrayal of children, and possibly hinting that Kendrick will criticize Drake for the allegations of dating underage women, especially given Drake's role as the show's Executive Producer. Now, a search for “Drake” and “Euphoria” may yield Kendrick's track as the top result, tainting Drake's contributions to the show. In the intro, Kendrick says:

Tommy Hilfiger stood out, but FUBU never had been your collection. I make music that electrifies 'em, you make music that pacifies 'em.

During the '90s and 2000s, rumors circulated that Tommy Hilfiger was racist and didn't approve of hip-hop artists wearing his brand. As a result, many in the hip-hop community abandoned Hilfiger in favor of brands like FUBU (“For Us, By Us”), which was specifically owned and produced by Black designers. Kendrick implies later that Drake isn't “Black enough” and says “I hate the way that you dress,” possibly linking this to the rejection of FUBU. As for the latter half, the majority of Kendrick’s discography has been devoted to activism and moral evolution, evident in his Pulitzer Prize win. With this line, he suggests that Drake's music, often criticized as “meaningless” or “repetitive,” lacks the cultural significance that Kendrick and many other “greats” strive for—his work merely soothes rather than challenges listeners. This connects directly to Kendrick's “Prince outlived Mike Jack” line from his previous diss track, “Like That,” and to two other lines later in this track. The first line reads:

How many more Black features 'til you finally feel that you Black enough?

The second line, which happens to be my favorite, states:

We hate the b*tches you f**k, 'cause they confuse themselves with real women.
And notice, I said we, it's not just me, I'm what the culture feelin'.  

At this point, it becomes clear that Kendrick intends to use his cultural dominance as a diss, and like the title, he's foreshadowing his later accusations of pedophilia. Until this point in the song, the track maintained a calm disposition, but gained momentum with a beat reminiscent of the intro to “Family Ties,” another one of his songs. The energy peaks shortly after he says, “Don't tell no lies about me, and I won't tell truths 'bout you.” This stylistic decision to gradually intensify the disrespect, in my opinion, was brilliant.

This half of the diss track delivers most of the onslaught. The first, and perhaps most ambiguous, line to consider is:

Have you ever paid five-hundred thou' like to an open case? Well, I have, and I failed at both, but I came out straight.

Initially, I thought this could be hinting at Drake's legal trouble with Laquana Morris, where he settled the sexual assault case for $350,000 (NZ $532,000). However, Kendrick intended to imply that he himself had faced similar issues, as he says, “Well, I have.” The best guess is that he's referring to a lawsuit filed against him by producer Terrance Hayes over copyright infringement on the 2017 song “LOYALTY.” Hayes claimed Kendrick's song copied his 2011 composition entirely. Despite the initial accusation, Hayes dropped the lawsuit with no explanation or mention of a settlement, hinting that there was an undisclosed agreement behind the scenes. Kendrick could be alluding to the true settlement amount in this line.

Somebody had told me that you got a ring, on God, I'm ready to double the wage
I'd rather do that than let a Canadian n— make Pac turn in his grave.  

In 2023, Drake bought 2Pac's custom diamond and ruby ring at auction for $1,016,000 USD. Kendrick expresses a willingness to pay twice that amount to prevent Drake from tarnishing Pac's legacy. Adding fuel to the fire, Drake's second diss track against Kendrick, “Taylor Made Freestyle,” used artificial intelligence to mimic verses by both 2Pac and Snoop Dogg. Pac's voice, revived posthumously, could be particularly troubling to Kendrick, as Pac has been consistently cited as one of his biggest idols and inspirations from both musical and social justice standpoints. The estate of 2Pac quickly threatened legal action against “Taylor Made Freestyle,” embroiling it in controversy.

'Yeah, f**k all that pushin' P, let me see you push a T'
and 'I know some sh*t about n—s that make Gunna Wunna look like a saint.'

These lines are closely related. In the first, Kendrick nods to the notorious feud between Pusha T and Drake. After Drake released the diss track “Duppy Freestyle” in 2018, Pusha T responded with “The Story of Adidon,” exposing Drake for secretly fathering a child with a pornstar. In a December 2019 interview, Drake admitted he lost that battle to Pusha T. This makes it exciting to see Drake's response to Kendrick, as his latest diss track is infinitely worse.

“Pushin' P” is a term popularized by Gunna in his song of the same name, and Drake used it in “Rich Flex” with the line, “I'm steady pushin' P, you n— pushing PTSD.” Meanwhile, Kendrick referenced PTSD in “Euphoria,” saying, “Think I won't drop the location? I still got PTSD. Motherf**k the big tree…” In the second line, Kendrick may be using Gunna's reputation as a snitch from the YSL RICO case to suggest that Drake may have a similar, if not worse, past.

The second half of the song creates a more precise, explicitly personal definition of hatred:

This ain't been 'bout critics, not about gimmicks, not about who the greatest  
It's always been about love and hate, now let me say I'm the biggest hater  
I hate the way that you walk, the way that you talk  
I hate the way that you dress  
I hate the way you sneak diss, if I catch flight, it's gon' be direct.

True to his word, Kendrick continues by directly dissing Drake, pointing out his surgical abs:

Let your core audience stomach that  
Didn't tell 'em where you get your abs from.

He also highlights Drake's disrespect of women:

When I see you stand by Sexyy Red, I believe you see two bad b*tches  
I believe you don't like women, that's real competition, you might pop ass with 'em.

Points out that he is a negligent father:

…I got a son to raise, but I can see you don't know nothin' 'bout that
Wakin' them up, know nothin' 'bout that  
And tell 'em to pray, know nothin' 'bout that  
And givin' 'em tools to walk through life like day by day, know nothin' 'bout that  
Teachin' them morals… you don't know nothin' 'bout that  

Grounds his alleged use ghostwriters and confirmed use of AI in “Heart on my Sleeve”:

Ain't 20-v-one, it's one-v-20 if I gotta smack n—s that write with you  
...  
Am I battlin' ghost or A.I.?

Finally, he warns Drake against escalating the feud and, again, condemns his use of the n-word:

If you takin' it there, I'm takin' it further  
Psst, that's somethin' you don't wanna do  
We don't wanna hear you say n— no more  
We don't wanna hear you say n— no more.

We didn't discuss these last accusations in detail because Drake responded with “Family Matters,” prompting Kendrick to escalate things.

“6:16 in LA”

This is Kendrick's second diss track aimed at Drake within a week, following “Euphoria,” and was released before Drake could respond. “6:16 in LA” samples Al Green's “What a Wonderful Thing Love Is,” significant since Drake's uncle, Teenie Hodges, was Green's guitarist and a songwriter from Memphis. The track was produced by Sounwave and Jack Antonoff, Taylor Swift's closest collaborator, which is notable given its apparent response to Drake's “Taylor Made Freestyle.”

"6:16” is a clear nod to the timestamp song format Drake popularized, like “6PM in New York” from If You're Reading This It's Too Late and “8am in Charlotte” from his recent album For All the Dogs. However, fans believe “6:16” is a multi-layered reference that may include:

• June 16 is Father's Day, aligning with Kendrick's criticism of Drake's relationship with his son and, later, his father.

• June 16 is Tupac's birthday.

• Euphoria, executively produced by Drake, premiered on June 16.

• Corinthians 6:16, a Bible verse about prostitution, is notable because Drake's child's mother, Sophie Brussaux, is a former porn star.

• June 16 was the date of a Kendrick Lamar concert in Toronto, Drake’s hometown.

Throughout the song, Kendrick subtly hints that he knows Drake's secrets. The track feels like an eerie warning, expanding on the closing verses of “Euphoria.” Because it's primarily a warning, albeit a complex one, I've analyzed it only briefly. Kendrick begins by contemplating whether he should liken himself to celebrity drama, but suggests that such an opportunity only arises when you, like himself, are morally sound:

My God, my confession is yours, but  
Who am I if I don't go to war?  
There's opportunity when livin' with laws  
I discover myself when I fall short.

I believe he’s not only explaining why he chose to make a diss track but also why other rappers have not—that is, for fear of hypocrisy. This verse, I think, is philosophically rich, touching on issues that contemporary philosophers discuss today, namely the issue of desert. Moral desert is an ethical concept concerning, simply put, whether bad people deserve bad things to happen to them. It has direct implications for theories of punishment, including prison and violent retribution. If I’m right, Kendrick seems to conclude that engaging in this beef is not only morally permissible but divinely commanded. This could be related to his latest track "Not Like Us," where he mentions, "...the truth of the matter, here was God’s Plan to show you the liar." But it might also reference Drake’s 2018 song "God's Plan."

One of the alleged vague references to what Kendrick knows about Drake, as well as his distrust in Drake's friends, is found in these lines:

Conspiracies 'bout kash doll? That's not even the leak  
Find the truths like cash dog, I just need you to think  
Are you finally ready to play have-you-ever? Let's see  
Have you ever thought that OVO was workin' for me?

The mention of Kash Doll might relate to the “open case” mentioned in “Euphoria,” where jewelry worth $500,000 was stolen from her. When Kendrick says, “That's not even the leak,” I believe he means to suggest that this event wasn't the reference. Kendrick implies throughout the song that some members of Drake's OVO camp are conspiring against him, even suggesting there is an “opp”, or a mole, in his inner circle. This becomes clear in these lines:

If you were street smart, then you woulda caught that your entourage is only to hustle you  
A hunnid n—s that you got on salary, and 20 of 'em want you as a casualty  
And one of them is actually, next to you.

And finally:

everyone inside your team is whispering that you deserve it.

“Euphoria” was deeply disrespectful, perhaps one of the most offensive tracks I'll ever hear, but these lines were chilling.

“Meet the Grahams”

This piece isn't accurately described as a diss track; it's psychological warfare. Before diving in, there are a few things to note. Like “Euphoria” and “6:16 in LA”, “Meet the Grahams,” and “Not Like Us” were released back-to-back before Drake could respond. However, “Meet the Grahams” was dropped only thirty minutes after Drake's diss track “Family Matters.” The timing, title, and content of Kendrick's track have convinced many that there is, in fact, an “opp” inside Drake's OVO camp leaking information to Kendrick. This can be seen as payback for Drake's previous back-to-back releases of “First Person Shooter” and “Push Ups”, taunting Kendrick for taking too long to respond before “Euphoria” was released. 

For reasons beyond me, Drake responded to these two diss tracks with “Family Matters,” containing lyrics criticizing Kendrick's height and half-Black wife. This seems to be his tu toque reaction to “Euphoria,” where he believed Kendrick was attacking his biracial identity and questioning his right to use the n-word. However, the rap community and even Drake himself misunderstand Kendrick's intention. When Kendrick suggested that Drake isn't “Black enough,” he wasn't questioning his genetics but rather his cultural contributions.

Drake has been at the forefront of popularizing Black culture for a non-Black audience, which is why his contributions (or lack thereof) come under scrutiny. While there's nothing inherently wrong with making rap music more accessible, rap is deeply rooted in African American culture. From its beginnings to today, rap has conveyed the African American experience. To be considered a “GOAT,” you have to be in touch with this culture, and as we've previously discussed, Drake simply isn't. 

A video shows a teenage Drake on a dating show, calling Toronto street slang “ignorant.” I believe this is why Kendrick not only mocks his Toronto accent in "Euphoria," but, more generally, calls him a phony and a poser. Kendrick criticizes Drake for selectively using his “Blackness” in a disingenuous way, now overusing his Toronto accent to capitalize on a market that demands street credibility. This is evident in the song's conclusion when Kendrick says, “You lied about your accent and your past tense, all is perjury,” and calls Drake a “master manipulator.” 

Because this criticism seemed to go over Drake's head, I predict it could be future ammo. Kendrick also suggests that Drake feels the need to prove his Blackness with, “How many more Black features 'til you finally feel that you Black enough?” It's not the same criticism Rick Ross made of Drake; instead, it's about Drake's own insecurities. J. Cole is also half-Black, yet neither Kendrick nor anyone else questions his Blackness for this reason. 

The cover art is rumored to include items belonging to Drake's father and “Aubrey Drake Graham” is Drake's full name, not only shedding light on the choice of the title “Meet the Grahams,” but also foreshadowing Kendrick's intention to address each family member in a letter-like format. Kendrick directs messages to Drake, his son Adonis, and his parents, Dennis and Sandi Graham, even alleging that Drake is hiding an illegitimate daughter and son. In his message to Adonis, Kendrick offers fatherly advice, outlining Drake's mistakes and how they might affect Adonis as he grows up. He concludes with:

And you nothing like him, you'll carry yourself as king  
Can't understand me right now, just play this when you eighteen.

In the verse dedicated to Drake's mother, Kendrick calls Drake a master manipulator who uses his mother to prove his worth, and claims Drake isn't generous enough with his money, urging her to “...ask for more paper, and more paper.” He blames her for her son's gambling addiction, “psychopath intuition,” and raising a “horrible f**kin' person.” Kendrick warns that things will (as if it hasn't already) get serious, directly addressing her with:

Sandra, sit down, what I'm about to say is heavy, now listen  
Mm-mm, your son's a sick man with sick thoughts, I think n—s like him should die.

He then accuses Drake of sexualizing and hating Black women, keeping multiple “ho-VO”, or OVO, members with registered sex offenses on payroll, and even pedophilia. He concludes his message to her by urging anyone who cares about their family to keep them away from Drake and his associates. He also warns that women playing Drake's music should remember they are “playing” the young women around them.

In his letter to a mysterious baby girl, who I believe is Drake's hidden daughter, Kendrick provides advice for a little girl with an absent father. He calls Drake a narcissist and misogynist, detailing things a father should be doing with her, such as:

...teachin' you time tables or watchin' Frozen with you  
Or at your eleventh birthday, singin' poems with you.

This is significant because this alleged daughter is thought to be eleven. Fans have also pointed out that the character Eleven, from Stranger Things, played by Millie Bobby Brown, is a close friend of Drake’s. Controversy erupted in 2023 regarding their friendship, who was in his thirties while she was a minor. Furthermore, Kendrick accuses Drake of being a bad role model for “baby girl,” saying, “he be in Turks, payin' for sex and poppin' Percs, examples that you don't deserve.” The Turks and Caicos reference comes from Drake's line in “Amen,” where he says, “Church like a priest, Turks for the week.” Later, Kendrick directly addresses Drake, saying, “You got gamblin' problems, drinkin' problems, pill-poppin' and spendin' problems... Solicitin' women problems, therapy's a lovely start."

One of the most disrespectful aspects of Kendrick addressing Drake’s family by name is that he gave them gut-wrenching, fatherly advice in place of Drake. This is best seen in the current address to “baby girl”:

I wanna tell you that you're loved, you're brave, you're kind
You got a gift to change the world, and could change your father's mind
'Cause our children is the future, but he lives inside confusion
… 
I never wanna hear you chase a man 'cause his failed behavior
Sittin' in the club with sugar daddies for validation
You need to know that love is eternity and trumps all pain
I'll tell you who your father is, just play this song when it rains

In the final address to “Aubrey,” he is addressing Drake directly. After psychoanalyzing Drake similarly, he finishes with an overview of his moral shortcomings. Here are the lyrics:

On the previous discussion of his inauthenticity:

The skin that you livin' in is compromised in personas

On his misogyny and insecurity around women:

Can't channel your masculine even when standin' next to a woman

On his treatment of sexual partners: 

You a body shamer, you gon' hide them baby mamas, ain't ya?
You embarrassed of 'em, that's not right, that ain't how mama raised us

On the multiple lies he’s exposed about Drake:

Take that mask off, I wanna see what's under them achievements
Why believe you? You never gave us nothin' to believe in

Including but not limited to:

'Cause you lied about religious views, you lied about your surgery
You lied about your accent and your past tense, all is perjury
You lied about your ghostwriters, you lied about your crew members
…
You lied about your son, you lied about your daughter, huh
You lied about them other kids that's out there hopin' that you come

And, finally, the mic drop:

You lied about the only artist that can offer you some help
f**k a rap battle, this a long life battle with yourself

“Not Like Us”

Kendrick drops yet another diss track before Drake can respond, where he primarily solidifies his accusations of pedophilia. The cover art features a Google Maps image of Drake’s home with multiple location markers symbolizing registered sex offenders. These markers follow the federal color code, differentiating the severity of offenses with red, pink, and green. Red, as depicted on the cover art, represents the most severe category—offenses concerning children:

Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young
…
To any b*tch that talk to him and they in love
Just make sure you hide your lil' sister from him
…
Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophiles

I believe this is the choice behind the title “Not Like Us,” implying that pedophiles are different from other human beings on a chemical level—a claim backed by recent research:

Tryna strike a chord and it's probably A-Minor
They not like us, they not like us, they not like us
They not like us, they not like us, they not like us

A-Minor, in music theory, is a key signature, though this play on words is the most iconic line from this feud that describes Drake's affinity for persons under eighteen, or children. Notably, Kendricks annunciation of “minor” spans 5.24 seconds. The next line, too, confirms the interpretive meaning of a claim made in “Meet the Grahams.” That is, that Drake capitalizes on black culture when convenient for him:

You run to Atlanta when you need a few dollars
No, you not a colleague, you a f**kin' colonizer

Unsurprisingly, he also includes a threat:

Rabbit hole is still deep, I can go further, I promise

Conclusion

If I had to summarize each track with just a few words: “Like That” was bait, “Euphoria” was a warning, “6:16 in LA” was a warning shot, “Meet the Grahams” was Drake's funeral, and “Not Like Us” was his dancing on Drake's grave. Kendrick’s diss tracks were so horrifying that even the rap community respects J. Cole’s decision to bow out early. Fans nationwide have begun questioning their loyalty to Drake on ethical grounds, sharing reaction videos on social media. One YouTube streamer even teared up upon hearing “Meet the Grahams.” On Saturday night, DJs in cities like Miami, L.A., and Chicago played “Not Like Us” in clubs, where partygoers paused to analyze the lyrics despite the catchy tune.

Late last night, Drake responded to Kendrick with “THE HEART PART 6,” denying the allegations, claiming that he fed Kendrick the information, and insisting that he is “too rich” to be a pedophile and that, if he were, he “would have been arrested.”Notably, Drake adds, “I don't wanna diss you anymore, this really got me second-guessing.” If this is his attempt to surrender, it's confusing given that he maintains he shared the information with Kendrick. 

Though inconceivable, at the end of his last track, Kendrick suggests that things could worsen for Drake. In “Meet the Grahams,” he references prison life, declaring, “Him and Weinstein should get f*cked up in a cell for the rest of their life.” In “Not Like Us,” he issues a similar warning: “You better not ever go to cell block one.” This suggests Kendrick might not be finished yet, leaving us to wonder how (or if) Drake will respond and attempt to recover.