We did some research on the diss tracks so you don’t have to. Here’s the events in chronological order:
10/6/2023 – Drake and J. Cole Lay Groundwork with “First Person Shooter”:
In October, Drake and J. Cole release “First Person Shooter,” asserting themselves alongside Kendrick Lamar as the “big three” of rap, setting the stage for the ensuing drama.
3/22/2024 – Kendrick Lamar’s Verse on “Like That”:
Kendrick Lamar reignites the feud with his verse on “Like That,” where he disses Drake and J. Cole, rejecting the notion of a “big three” and asserting his individual dominance.
4/5/2024 – J. Cole’s Retracted Diss Track:
J. Cole enters the fray with his own diss track against Kendrick Lamar but quickly retracts it. His track criticizes Kendrick’s recent album and accuses him of seeking attention, but Cole later expresses reluctance and pressure to release the diss.
J. Cole is silent since the release and subsequent apology.
4/19/2024 (Leaked on 4/14/2024) – Drake’s “Push Ups” Diss Track:
Drake showcases his multitasking skills with “Push Ups,” targeting Kendrick Lamar, Future, Metro Boomin, Rick Ross, The Weeknd, and even Ja Morant. Despite a fumbled rollout, the track garners attention for its strong bars and witty insults. Anti-Drake fans call it corny.
“I could never be nobody number-one fan
Your first number one, I had to put it in your hand”
Metro Boomin catches a stray. It becomes a memorable quote from the track. Fans yell it at Metro Boomin during concerts.
4/15/2024 – Rick Ross Responds to Drake’s Leak with “Champagne Moments”:
Rick Ross swiftly responds to the leaked Drake diss track, “Push Ups,” with “Champagne Moments.” Ross addresses various rumors about Drake, including ghostwriting allegations and claims about cosmetic procedures, showcasing his classic approach to diss tracks.
4/22/2024 – Drake’s Use of AI in “Taylor Made Freestyle”:
Drake incorporated AI-generated voices of Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur in “Taylor Made Freestyle” to diss Kendrick Lamar. While the tactic was clever, it receives criticism for its reliance on gimmicks and the controversial use of AI in music.
Tupac Shakur’s estate issued a cease-and-desist letter to Drake regarding his diss track against Kendrick Lamar, “Taylor Made Freestyle.”
The estate’s litigator, Howard King, demanded that Drake remove the track within 24 hours or face legal action. The letter condemned Drake’s unauthorized use of Tupac’s voice through AI technology, calling it a violation of Tupac’s publicity rights and an abuse of his legacy.
The diss track, which featured AI-generated verses from Tupac and Snoop Dogg, provoked the estate’s ire due to its disrespectful portrayal of Tupac and its use of his voice to target Kendrick Lamar. King emphasized that Tupac’s estate would never have approved such usage and warned of pursuing legal remedies if Drake failed to comply.
4/23/2024 – Kanye West’s Involvement with the “Like That” Remix
Former billionaire, Kanye West joins the rap beef by producing a remix of “Like That.” His verse criticizes Drake’s deal with Universal Music Group and reignites his feud with Drake.
Ye’s track is largely dismissed as derivative and too self-involved.
It has since been taken down from all major platforms – related to Ye’s anti-streaming movement.
4/30/2024 – Kendrick’s response to Drake with “Euphoria”
Kendrick Lamar fires back at Drake’s diss tracks with “Euphoria,” addressing their feud head-on. Kendrick brings up Drake’s use of AI Tupac, calls him dishonest, and mentions J. Cole, Pusha T. He goes in hard, and there’s a rumored 19-minute unreleased version of the track. Kendrick really hates this guy. The response has garnered praise from Jay Rock and Punch, while Metro Boomin indirectly acknowledges it.
“I like Drake with the melodies, I don’t like Drake when he act tough
You gon’ make a nigga bring back Puff, let me see if Chubbs really crash somethin’
Yeah, my first one like my last one, it’s a classic, you don’t have one
Let your core audience stomach that, then tell ’em where you get your abs from”
Kendrick mixes up Haley Joel Osment and Joel Osteen:
5/3/24 – Kendrick doubles down with “6:16 IN LA”
Kendrick releases another diss track within a week questioning the loyalty of Drake’s inner circle and family. Fans are excited for all the new Kendrick Lamar music.
“A hundred niggas that you got on salary
And twenty of ’em want you as a casualty”
5/3/24 – Drake responds with “Family Matters”
Drake alleges Kendrick Lamar family abuse and targets A$AP Rocky and Rick Ross.
“Always rappin’ like you ’bout to get the slaves freed
You just actin’ like an activist, it’s make-believe
Don’t even go back to your hood and plant no money trees”
“Why you never hold your son and tell him, “Say cheese?”
We could’ve left the kids out of this, don’t blame me
You a dog and you know it, you just play sweet
Your baby mama captions always screamin’, “Save me”
You did her dirty all your life, you tryna make peace”
5/3/24 – Kendrick Gets Dark – Addresses Drake’s family with “meet the grahams” just Minutes after “Family Matters”
Kendrick addresses every member of Drake’s family directly and concludes by addressing Drake directly. Says Drake made a mistake by bringing his family into it. Kendrick’s response to “Family Matters” comes so fast, it’s alleged that he must have a mole in Drake’s inner circle.
“Dear Adonis
I’m sorry that that man is your father, let me be honest
It takes a man to be a man, your dad is not responsive
I look at him and wish your grandpa woulda wore a condom”
Kendrick claims that Drake is hiding a daughter.
Kendrick drops a line that will live on in rap battle history
5/4/2024 – Kendrick Drops “Not Like Us” The Next Day
Kendrick isn’t slowing down. He starts the track with “Pss, I see dead people.” Claims drake is a pedophile. Mustard’s beat is highly praised.
“Once upon a time, all of us was in chains
Homie still double down callin’ us some slaves”“Why you trollin’ like a bitch? Ain’t you tired?
Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A-Minor”
5/4/2024
Fans joke about what J Cole is up to. His decision to remove himself from the beef early on is seen in as a good decision as more dirty laundry gets exposed. Fans apologize for calling him soft.
“J Cole off doing tai chi somewhere”
“J Cole walking his dog in the sunset rn”
“first off I would like to apologize to j cole”
5/5/2024 – Metro Boomin Makes “BBL Drizzy” in Response to Drake’s Line in Push Ups
Producer Metro Boomin makes a beat in response to Drake’s line, “Metro, shut your ho ass up and make some drums, nigga” The beat features a vocal sample repeating “BBL Drizzy.”
Metro offers a free beat to whoever writes the best verse. “#bbldrizzybeatgiveaway”
5/5/2024 – Drake Responds with “The Heart Part 6”
The title is a play on Kendrick’s “The Heart Part 5.” Drake says he planned ahead and intentionally fed Kendrick false information. Says he’s too famous to be a pedophile. (Pictures resurface of Drake with teenagers, fans quote Nice For What “You was even bad in High School.”) Mentions B# which isn’t a real musical term.
The artists are done dropping diss tracks, but the beef is still there. Drake says, “that was fun, now let’s focus on this Summer.”
It’s widely regarded that Kendrick Lamar won the battle, though Drake fans try and defend him in any way they can. Drake has public image rebuilding to do. Eyes are on Kendrick Lamar.
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