Drake, Kendrick Lamar Beef Explained: A Timeline

In 2011, Drake evolved from becoming the polarizing rookie to a complete-fledged superstar, trumping expectations with his debut outing. Though he hoisted outstanding chart stats following his Thank Me Later campaign, concerns lingered about no matter if he could elevate his game to the subsequent level. Take Care was the resounding answer to critics, as he pivoted back to his popular So Far Gone roots and invited a number of large-name guests along for the ride, 1 becoming the extremely-touted neophyte Kendrick Lamar.

Coming off Section 80, Lamar was arguably the subsequent West Coast savior to steer the ship, and Drake took benefit of his momentum by enabling him to shine on his “Buried Alive Interlude.” Lamar’s ego was on ten, detonated by the co-sign of Drizzy, rapping: “So blame it on Mr. OVOXO/ The cause why I’m breathin’ all the vanity I know.”

Drake extended his hand once again to the burgeoning Lamar, who garnered rave testimonials for his look on “Buried Alive” by bringing him alongside A$AP Rocky as the opening acts for his Club Paradise Tour. Drake later rapped about his choice to fight for Rocky and Lamar as his openers on 2016’s “4 PM in Calabasas,” recalling “When they told me take an R&ampB ni–a on the road/ And I told ’em no and drew for Kendrick and Rocky.”

Following Drake’s Club Paradise Tour, A$AP rounded up some of his rap comrades from Drizzy’s trek, like the six God, K. Dot, and two Chainz for “F–kin’ Difficulties.” Following that firestarter, Kendrick and Drake would group up once again, but this time on the former’s debut album. Like “Fuckin’ Difficulties,” “Poetic Justice” would be a industrial accomplishment, peaking at No. 26 on the Billboard Hot one hundred. Sadly, that would mark the final collaboration amongst Drake and Lamar. 

Kendrick continued applying stress on Drake when he and TDE visited the BET Hip-Hop Awards in 2013 and participated in the cipher. More than the menacing “Shook Ones” instrumental, K. Dot engaged in target practice: “Nothing’s been the similar considering that they dropped ‘Control’/ And tucked a sensitive rapper back in his pajama clothing/ Ha ha joke’s on you, higher-five… I’m bulletproof/ Your shoots never ever penetrates/ Pin the tail on the donkey, boy you been a fake.”

Throughout a cover story with VIBE Magazine, Drake addressed his shots at Kendrick on “The Langauge” and why he felt compelled to stand his ground against The Compton MC.

“Where it became an concern is that I was rolling out an album when that verse was nevertheless bubbling, so my album rollout became about this issue. What am I supposed to say? Nah, we’ll be buddy-buddy? Thoughts you, I never ever as soon as mentioned he’s a negative guy [or] I do not like him. I believe he’s a f–king genius in his personal suitable, but I also stood my ground as I should really. And with that came an additional step, which then I have to comprehend I’m becoming baited and I’m not gonna fall. Jordan does not have to play pickup to prove that he could play ball, no offense. But I’m not gonna give you the likelihood to shake me necessarily, ’cause I really feel wonderful. There’s no genuine concern.”

Throughout these years, Kendrick and Drake exchanged a handful of jabs, most notably K. Dot, when he took aim at Drizzy on “King Kunta” and named him out more than his ghostwriting allegations. “I can dig rapping/ But a rapper with a ghost writer? What the f–k occurred?” he penned. Drake countered back on The Game’s “100” the similar year, rapping: “I would have all of your fans/ If I didn’t go pop and I stayed on some conscious s–t.” 

Kendrick’s onslaught continued on Dr. Dre’s Compton album, exactly where he fired a lot more shots on “Darkside / Gone” and “Deep Water.” The latter was the a lot more chilling of the two: “They liable to bury him, they nominated six to carry him/ They be concerned him to death, but he’s no vegetarian/ The beef is on his breath, inheriting the drama much better than / A wonderful white, n—a, this is life in my aquarium.”

Drake and Cole produced history when they scored their initial Hot one hundred. No. 1 song collectively (and Cole’s initial of any type) with “First Particular person Shooter.” This would be their initial collaboration considering that 2013’s “Jodeci Freestyle.” The track is triumphant, as they share the spotlight and boast about becoming stadium-status MCs. Unbeknownst to him, Cole woke up the sleeping bear in Lamar when he was saluting the triumvirate of him, K. Dot, and Drake, saying: “Love when they argue the hardest MC/ Is it K-Dot? Is it Aubrey? Or me?/ We the large 3 like we began a league/ but suitable now, I really feel like Muhammad Ali.”

Kendrick didn’t hold back when offered the baton on Future &amp Metro Boomin’s “Like That.” He fired a complete clip of shots at each Cole and Drake, most notably the latter. “F–k sneak dissin’, initial-particular person shooter/ I hope they came with 3 switches,” Lamar snarls when speaking on the chart-topping collaboration amongst the “Evil Ways” MCs. He continued demolishing each rappers when he denounced the “Big 3” of him, Cole and Drake, by saying: “Motherf–k” the large 3, n—a, it is just large me.” He punctuated his verse by calling back to Drake’s For All the Dogs album, rapping: “For all your dogs gettin’ buried/ That is a K with all these nines, he gon’ see Pet Sematary.”

A week right after it initially leaked and then got premiered by DJ Akademiks, Drake brought his Kendrick Lamar diss track “Push Ups” to streaming solutions on April 19. The six God mocks Kendrick’s compact stature — notably his foot size with the cover art — and his deal with Major Dawg Entertainment. K. Dot wasn’t the only target as Drake seems to aim at Rick Ross, The Weeknd, Metro Boomin, Future and a lot more on the track.

Drake doubled down on his initial stab at Lamar when he released his “Taylor Created Freestyle” on Instagram. Drake upped his creativity by utilizing A.I. vocals to rap in the voices of Tupac and Snoop Dogg on his respective verses. By playing the function of Kendrick’s influences, Drake expressed disappointment in the pgLang rapper mainly because he hadn’t but responded to “Push Ups.” He even cited the release of Taylor Swift’s new album, The Tormented Poets Division, as the cause K. Dot pushed back his anticipated retort. 

Drake’s move came at a cost, as Tupac’s Estate, a important player in the late rapper’s profession, threatened to sue him if he didn’t get rid of the song from his social media accounts. The tension and drama escalated, and Drake obliged and scrubbed the track off his pages. 

All it took was a tweet from Kendrick Lamar to restart the feud, as he released his comeback track “Euphoria.” The six-minute diatribe was scathing, showcasing a bloodthirsty Lamar calling out Drake for utilizing the N-word, questioning his style sense, his hip-hop merits and more. 

“Yeah, Cole and Aubrey know I’m a selfish n–a/ The crown is heavy, huh/ I pray they my genuine close friends, if not, I’m YNW Melly/ I do not like you poppin s–t at Pharrell, for him I’ll inherit the beef/ F–k all that pushin p, let me see you Pusha T, you much better off spinning once again on him you believe about pushing me/He’s Terrence Thorton I’m Terence Crawford I’m whooping feet,” he spewed.

Significantly less than 72 hours right after “Euphoria” arrived, Kendrick Lamar ambushed Drake once again and attempted to go “Back to Back” with his second diss song of the battle, “6:16 in LA.” In the early morning of Could three, Kendrick unveiled his lyrical bomb. This time, he fired straight at Drake’s camp, claiming the OVO boss has a mole dishing out dirt on him. “Have you ever believed that OVO was operating for me?/ Fake bully, I hate bullies/ You should be a terrible particular person/ Absolutely everyone inside your group is whispering that you deserve it/Can’t Toosie Slide up out of this 1, it’s just gon’ resurface.”

Lamar’s onslaught continued, calling out Drake’s brethren when he mentioned his close ones are stabbing him behind his back. “100 n—as that you got on salary/ and 20 of them want you as a casualty/ and 1 of them is truly/ is subsequent to you / and two of them is virtually tied to your life style,” he spews.

Drake’s eviscerating “Family Matters” reply arrived on YouTube about 14 hours right after Kendrick Lamar delivered his “6:16 in LA” diss track. Drizzy picks up exactly where he left off to finish “Push Ups” and snipes at Lamar and his alleged fractured partnership with fiancee Whitney Alford, which he claims is filled with infidelity.

“You the Black messiah wifing up a mixed queen/ And hit vanilla cream to assist out with your self-esteem/ On some Bobby sh—, I wanna know what Whitney need to have,” he spews.

Drake later turns his sights to his other opps in the music game when dissing A$AP Rocky, The Weeknd, Metro Boomin, Future and Rick Ross.

The accompanying music video finds Drake heading to the New Ho King Chinese restaurant Kendrick referenced on “Euphoria.” Watch it beneath.

Mere minutes right after Drake’s “Family Matters” arrived, Kendrick Lamar returned fire with the blistering “Meet the Grahams.”

As the clock struck midnight on the East Coast on Could four, K. Dot released his third Drake diss track this week. Household appears to be the prevalent theme as he calls out Drizzy for becoming a “deadbeat” father and alleges that Drake is hiding an additional kid apart from Adonis.

“You lied about your son, you lied about your daughter, huh, you lied about them other children that is out there hoping that you come,” Lamar raps, claiming Drake has a child girl.

Kendrick continues to warn Drake and alleges that he’s got troubles with alcohol, gambling and contests there are pedophiles inside the OVO camp. He also lists off all of Drake’s alleged lies when it comes to his son, ghost writers, cosmetic surgeries and a lot more. “F— a rap battle, this a lifelong battle with your self,” K. Dot snipes.

Kendrick’s third diss track of the week is no doubt his most scathing following “6:16 in LA” and “Euphoria” on what’s turned out to be a historic evening in hip-hop.