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The Drake and Kendrick Lamar feud has escalated to a new level after Lamar’s release of “Euphoria,” a six-minute diss track aimed squarely at Drake, attacking everything from his biracial identity to his credibility as a rapper. The feud has been simmering for a while, but Lamar’s bold move seems to have pushed it to its most heated phase.
It all started in October 2023, when Drake and J. Cole released their collaboration “First Person Shooter.” In it, J. Cole referred to himself, Drake, and Kendrick Lamar as the “big three” of rap. This statement seemed to irk Lamar, who, in March 2024, responded with a verse on Metro Boomin and Future’s song “Like That,” dismissing the notion of a “big three” and declaring that it’s just “big me.” This was a clear indication that Lamar did not see himself in the same league as Drake and J. Cole, hinting that he was in a class of his own.
In April 2024, the feud gained further traction when J. Cole dropped his diss track, “7 Minute Drill,” aimed at Lamar. He accused Lamar of seeking attention and criticized his latest music releases as “tragic.” However, just two days after the release, J. Cole backtracked, saying he felt pressured to respond because “the world wanna see blood.” His quick retreat suggested that he might not be entirely committed to the feud or simply felt uncomfortable with its direction.
Drake entered the scene on April 13, 2024, when his response to Lamar, “Push Ups,” leaked online before its scheduled release. He targeted Lamar’s height and mocked his mainstream collaborations with pop stars like Taylor Swift and Maroon 5. The leak not only fueled the feud but also dragged other artists, like Rick Ross and The Weeknd, into the fray, with Drake dissing them as well.
Shortly after “Push Ups,” Rick Ross retaliated with “Champagne Moments,” throwing shade at Drake’s alleged cosmetic procedures, including a nose job and ab surgery, and resurrecting the ghostwriting accusations that have plagued Drake’s career. Drake’s response was to release another diss track, “Taylor Made Freestyle,” on April 19, 2024. This time, he used AI-generated voices of Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur to mock Lamar, daring him to respond and hinting that more diss tracks were on the way.
In the midst of this chaos, Kanye West also joined the feud with a remix of “Like That,” taking shots at Drake’s music and his record deal with Universal Music Group, suggesting that his camp was ready for the “elimination of Drake.” This unexpected alliance added another layer of intensity to the ongoing feud.
Lamar’s “Euphoria” dropped on May 1, 2024, and went straight for Drake’s jugular, criticizing his biracial background, questioning his fatherhood, and labeling him a “scam artist.” The track, with its brutal lyrics and relentless pace, made it clear that Lamar wasn’t backing down. Drake’s apparent response came the next day with an Instagram story featuring a clip from the movie “10 Things I Hate About You,” seemingly mirroring a part of “Euphoria” where Lamar lists reasons he hates Drake.
With both rappers ramping up the intensity of their diss tracks, it’s clear that the feud between Drake and Lamar is far from over. Fans are now eagerly awaiting Drake’s next move, curious to see if he will strike back with another track or escalate the feud in some other way. Given the history of rap beefs, this one could go down as one of the most intense and unpredictable.
