Kendrick Lamar vs Drake and J Cole | What’s led to the beef between the rappers and have they beefed before?

Friday, March 22nd 2024 was just meant to be another ordinary day in the music industry; “new release Friday” is when the latest singles from the music world drop to streaming services globally but one single in particular has now led to beef between some of the world’s biggest names in hip-hop.

The issues stem from a verse from Future and Metro Boomin’s latest single, “Like That,” in which Kendrick Lamar guests during the track. However, it’s once again a guest verse from the hip-hop artist that has caused an alleged rift between hip-hop’s “Big 3.” Among the vitriol Lamar spits in his verse is the line “If he walk around with that stick, it ain’t Andre 3K” along with the more venomous “Get up with me/ F**k sneak dissin’, first-person shooter, I hope they came with three switches.”

“Motherf**k the big three, n***a, it’s just big me/ N***a bum! What? I’m really like that/ And your best work is a light pack/ N***a, Prince outlived Mike Jack/ N***a bum! ‘Fore all your dogs gettin’ buried/ That’s a K with all these nines, he gon’ see Pet Sematary.”

That verse seems to be a clap-back to a line from Drake and J. Cole collaboration on the track “First Person Shooter” in 2023, where Lamar was named outright in one of the verses: “Love when they argue the hardest MC/ Is it K. Dot, is it Aubrey, or me?/ We the big three like we started a league.”

How has Drake responded to Kendrick Lamar’s verse?

According to Billboard, they believe that a moment during Drake’s latest show at the Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, Florida on Sunday night (March 24 2024). During his performance, Drake took a moment to address the crowd: “I got my f**kin head up high, my back straight, I’m ten f**king toes down. There’s not a n***a on this earth that could f**k with me in my life.

Have Kendrick Lamar and Drake had any beef previously?

Kendrick Lamar and Drake have had a complex relationship over the years, marked by both collaboration and competition - stemming from what some considered a different take on what success means to the pair: Drake has been seen as being more chart-focused as opposed to Lamar viewed as prioritizing artistic integrity in some circles.

Their interaction began positively in 2011 when Kendrick was featured on Drake's album “Take Care,” signalling a budding mutual respect. However, the dynamics shifted in 2013 after Kendrick's aggressive verse on Big Sean's track "Control," where he called out several rappers, including Drake, setting the stage for a competitive feud. Drake initially responded in interviews and subtly through his music, expressing his views on Kendrick's ambitious claims. The two continued this pattern of indirect exchanges and subtle jabs through their music and public statements. Notable moments include Kendrick's freestyle at the BET Awards and various lyrics in their songs that fans and media have interpreted as veiled references to each other

Where can I listen to Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That” featuring Kendrick Lamar?

“Like That” is available to stream now through all leading digital platforms including Spotify and Apple Music.