You don’t have to like rap to be curious about the increasingly public spectacle between Drake, Kendrick Lamar and Universal Music Group.
Drake (whose real name is Aubrey Drake Graham) is a bi-racial Canadian musician, producer, actor and entrepreneur. The almost 40-year old Torontonian started out as a teenage actor in the TV series “Degrassi: The Next Generation” before shifting to music. A 2009 mixtape “So Far Gone” launched his rap career, which lead to a deal with Lil Wayne’s Young Money label. With hits like “Take Care”, “Hotline Bling” and “God’s Plan”, Drake is known for blending rap and R&B with emotional lyrics, which have dominated streaming, a channel he embraced long before others jumped onto the digital media delivery wagon. His personal net worth is estimated to be $250 million.
This is arguably Drake’s most popular song:
Kendrick Lamar (whose full name is Kendrick Lamar Duckworth) is an African American rapper from a tough neighborhood (Compton, California), who often mixes hip hop with jazz and funk. Initially known as K.Dot, a mixtape (“Overly Dedicated”) caught the attention of Dr. Dre, who signed him to his label Aftermath/Interscope at age 24. Groundbreaking albums like “To Pimp a Butterfly”, “m.A.A.d city” and “DAMN.” showcase his unique blend of storytelling, introspection and social commentary. Lamar has won 22 Grammy awards (Drake has 5) and is the first-ever rapper recipient of a Pulitzer Prize for music (“DAMN.”). Today the 37 year old has an estimated personal net worth of $140 million.
This is arguably Kendrick Lamar’s most popular song:
So what are these 2 men quarreling about?
The hip hop culture has a long history of using “diss” in tracks, which serve as a form of verbal sparring between artists, in order to challenge, disrespect or simply outshine each other. These tracks are typically released in response to perceived slights, rivalry and/or competition, in a culture where lyrical prowess and “battling” are highly valued.
The Drake-Lamar “diss” has included sparring about racial authenticity, musical integrity and alleged personal habits. The icing on the cake has been Lamar’s lyrics which push the boundaries of “diss” and could be construed as implying that Drake is a pedophile. The problem is that the most defamatory lyrics in the 2024 stand-alone battle single “Not Like Us” rapidly achieved a huge audience, won 5 Grammy Awards (Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, Best Music Video), was played during the Super Bowl LIX half-time show and, as of this week, had amassed 1.3 billion streams on Spotify.
Here are a few examples of the references to which Drake has taken offense:
“Certified Lover Boy. Certified pedophile”: Certified Lover Boy is the name of Drake’s 2021 album
“How many teenage girls had Aubrey on they playlist?": Aubrey is Drake’s first name
“You hang with minors and call it mentorship?”: Is the “you” in this phrase Drake?
These lyrics do not feel like just a “diss”. Drake, through his legal team, is arguing that they are a reputation nuke designed to frame him in the most damaging light possible, even if only through implication.
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