Why are Drake, Kendrick Lamar at odds? Intense rivalry explained
What's the story
Two of Hollywood's most popular rapper-singers, Kendrick Lamar and Drake have been enjoying a permanent spot in the headlines for the last few days.
Albeit, the reasons are far from perfect.
The two have been engaged in a seemingly never-ending feud, marked by the release of increasingly personal and provocative diss tracks.
Why are the two fuming at each other? Let's break the feud down.
Beginning
This is how it all began
Per Vulture, the friction emanated in March 2024 with the song Like That, a collaboration between Future, Metro Boomin, and Lamar.
In this track, Lamar asserted his individuality from being categorized with Drake and J. Cole as part of a "Big Three," stating emphatically, "It's just big me."
Soon after, Drake responded to Lamar's assertions with his own diss track, Push Ups, where he criticized Lamar's collaborations with pop artists such as Maroon 5 and Taylor Swift.
Counterstrike
Drake's further retaliation through 'Taylor Made Freestyle'
The conflict further caught speed when Drake also took a dig at rapper Rick Ross, leading Ross to release his own diss track accusing Drake of undergoing plastic surgery!
It only gets weirder from here.
While awaiting Lamar's response, Drake released yet another (now deleted) song titled Taylor Made Freestyle, where he used AI to re-generate the voices of Lamar's idols Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg to criticize him.
Shakur's estate reacted quickly with a cease and desist letter.
Retort
Lamar's rejoinder: 'Euphoria' and '6:16 in LA'
Finally, Lamar responded to Drake's tracks with his own song, Euphoria, where he blew Drake's parenting skills to pieces, while also attacking his rumored plastic surgery and rapping ability.
"You not a rap artist, you a scam artist with the hopes of bеing accepted," the lyrics said.
Shortly after, Lamar released another track titled 6:16 in LA, mocking Drake's style of titles and claiming to have insiders within Drake's label.
"Everyone inside your team is whispering that you deserve it."
Accusations
'Family Matters' and 'Meet the Grahams' followed soon after
Drake fired back with Family Matters, insinuating that Lamar's child was fathered by his manager Dave Free and alleging infidelity and abuse in Lamar's relationship with his fiancée Whitney Alford.
As if on cue, Lamar released Meet the Grahams, where he apologized to Drake's son Adonis for having Drake as a father and even accused that Drake has a secret daughter.
Drake then wrote on Instagram, "Can someone find my hidden daughter pls and send her to me..."
Continuation
Lamar's serious accusations and Drake's latest response
The feud aggravated with Lamar's Not Like Us, where he made another round of serious accusations against Drake, including pedophilia and disrespect toward Shakur.
"Certified Lover Boy, certified pedophiles," the track said.
In his latest response, The Heart Part 6, Drake suggested that the rumor about his hidden daughter was initiated by his own team.
He also strongly denied pedophile allegations.
The friction between these two artists shows no signs of abating.