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SomeKendrick Lamarfans may not realize that his legendary 2024 beef with Canadian rapper Drake began in 2013 with another surprise guest feature film . Although the Compton - born Kendrick was on good terms throughout the initial years of his come - up in the early 2010s , Kendrick verbally fired at Drake and a handful of other notable rappers – even the late andgreat Mac Miller – on a magnanimous Sean verse in 2013 . This was considered to be a " friendly competition " by Kendrick despite it being an wanton attack on the faces of Hip - Hop . Looking back on it now , Kendrick ’s 2024 feud with Drakemakes much more common sense .
As demonstrated byKendrick ’s 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show , the 22 - time Grammy winner continued his victory tour from hisPop Out : Ken & Friendsconcert andGNXalbumdrop all the way to the world ’s biggest microscope stage . He was brave in recount the most Graeco-Roman lines of his hit call " Not Like Us , " which is widely see one of the greatest Hip - Hop diss rail ever made . Kendrick continues to make account in real - sentence ahead of his 2025 external stadium tour , leaving the residue of the world , including Drake , to sit back and watch . While Drake ’s career is sure enough not over , his bequest will always be marred by Kendrick Lamar .
Kendrick Lamar First Called Drake Out On Big Sean’s “Control”
He Doubled Down With A Direct Shot During The 2013 BET Awards
Just a year after Drake appeared on Kendrick ’s Hellenic hit " Poetic Justice " off ofGood Kid , m. A.A.d . City , Kendrick explode on Big Sean ’s " command , " which was intended to be liberate on his 2013 record album Hall of Fame but was n’t able-bodied to due to taste clearance publication . Regardless , Kendrick ’s " Control " verse made Hip - Hop heads spin with a rapid - fire statement about his view of himself in the rap plot from the top . Kendrick had n’t even releasedTo Pimp a Butterflyyet when his " Control " rhyme derive out , which today seems like not only a declaration of his future achiever but a vaticination .
Kendrick ’s " Control " verse included penetrating lyrics and direct name - dropsof most a dozen of 2013 ’s best Hip - Hop artists .
I ’m usually homeboys with the same n––s I ’m rhymin ' wit
But this is hip hops and them n––s should know what clip it is
And that snuff it for Jermaine Cole , Big KRIT , Wale
Pusha T , Meek Millz , A$ AP Rocky , Drake
Big Sean , Jay Electron ' , Tyler , Mac Miller
I got love for you all but I ’m tryna murder you n––s .
When asked about the " Control " poesy , Kendrick simply write it off as a friendly contender at the clip meant to cheer other doorknocker to play off his grandness . Despite this , Kendrick ’s 2013 BET performance dropped a direct taproom at Drakethat was n’t so well-disposed , " Nothing ’s been the same since they overleap ' Control ' and tucked a sensitive rapper back in his pajama clothes . " This distinguish the true beginning of the Kendrick and Drake feud .
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Kendrick & Drake Had A “Cold War” Of Sneak Disses Throughout The 2010s
Kendrick Called Out Rappers With Ghostwriters In His 2015 Hit “King Kunta”
Although Kendrick has called Drake out for his sneak disses over the age , the Compton rapper has sure enough fired a fair plowshare of indirect shots at Drake during their so - called " Cold War " of the 2010s . Songs such as " Used To " and " 6 PM in New York " off of Drake ’s 2015 mixtapeIf You ’re read This It ’s Too Latehave been rumored to subtly target Lamar , whileKendrick magnificently remark on the conception of ghostwritersin Hip - Hop on his hit single " King Kunta , " which seemed like an obvious a criticism of Drake .
A rapper with a ghost ? What the f – k happened ?
I swore I would n’t tell
But most of y' all sharing taproom like you perplex the bottom rot in a two - man electric cell .
These pernicious disses continued into the former 2020s , although there was never any public beef between Kendrick and Drake seem on the Earth’s surface before 2024 . On his 2022 albumMr . Morale & The Big Steppers , Kendrick bring up Drake and Kanye in the language for " Father Time , " appearing to not sympathize why the two would reconcile their difference after their public beef . While mostly an observance , not a Dis , itdemonstrates how Kendrick was confused about why two of the biggest Hip - Hop artists of the centurywould have bygone be bygones . It acts as a precursor to what was to add up when Kendrick decide to go full - gun at Drake .
Why Kendrick Waited Until 2024 To Ignite His Rap Feud With Drake
Kendrick Needed To Settle The Score After J. Cole & Drake’s “First Person Shooter”
As the premiere example of modernistic Hip - Hop culture , Kendrick necessitate to reaffirm the depth chart after J. Cole and Drake ’s " First Person Shooter " try aggroup themselves with Kendrick as the three safe rappers alive . Kendrick responded a few months after in March 2024 with another surprise feature on Metro Boomin ’s " Like That " featuring Future , in which he completely rejected the conception that he shared any throne with Drake andJ. Cole , the latter of whom was also called out on " Control . "
These 10 career - defining song tell you exactly who Kendrick Lamar , the iconic Hip Hop superstar and Pulitzer Prize winner , is as an artist .
While J. Cole peacefully bend out of the budding conflict , Drake shoot back with " Push Ups " and the ill-considered " Taylor Made Freestyle , " and the balance is history . Kendrick free his first full Drake diss raceway , " Euphoria " and " 6:16 in LA , " which Drake respond to with " Family Matters " only to be eclipsed by the immediate release of Kendrick ’s " fill the Grahams . " By then , the baseball mitt had occur off . Despite Drake ’s in effect effort , " Not Like Us " ended the feud once Drake ’s " The Heart Part 6 " was heavily ridiculed and dislike . at last , Kendrick saw"First Person Shooter " as an opportunity to solidify himself as the modern GOAT , so he did .
How Kendrick’s “Control” Verse Bought Modern Hip-Hop Back To Its Roots
Kendrick Represents The Competitive Spirit Within Hip-Hop History
Kendrick idolizes the keen knocker of all prison term , in particular Tupac Shakur , and has always reach to extend to those tier . The hip-hop biz was very “ partake the wealthiness ” and collaborative during the 2000s and former 2010s , with the most notable beef being a friendly album gross revenue competition between Kanye West’sGraduationand 50 Cent’sCurtis . Kendrick brought Hip - Hop back to the ' ninety era of Tupac vs. The Notorious B.I.G. , aka Biggie Smalls , and breathe in the greatest rap feud since their time . Other rapper have also take aim at Drake , such as Pusha T and Meek Mill , but none have been as effective as Kendrick .
In an age when Hip - Hop has become incredibly commercialized , Kendrick Lamar remarkably brought the writing style back to its roots from the polish ’s high footstall .
as luck would have it , the Drake and Kendrick feud left it all out over taproom , but the intensity and scale of the beef made it massive and much more than a " friendly " competition . Many Drake fan find as though their beef is n’t over , but unless Drake comes back with a massive 2025 exhibit Kendrick for strange transgressions and tops it off with multiple Grammy winnings and a Super Bowl Halftime performance , it ’s going to be near - inconceivable for Drake to tip the scales back in his favor . In an age when rosehip - hops has become incredibly commercialized , Kendrick Lamarremarkably play the genre back to its roots from the culture ’s high pedestal .
