Drake dropped his long-awaited album “For All The Dogs” On Oct. 6, 2023. On the album’s 6th track, “First Person Shooter,” featuring J. Cole, Cole said,“Love when they argue the hardest MC/Is it K.Dot? Is it Aubrey [Drake]? Or me?/ We the big three like we started a league/But right now I feel like Muhammad Ali,” claiming he, Kendrick Lamar and Drake were the three greatest rappers of their generation.
Kendrick rejected this notion, and in a 2024 collab with Future and Metro Boomin, Kendrick directly says he’s coming after Drake and Cole rapping, “F*** sneak dissin’, first person shooter” referencing the song on which he was named. He then proceeds to say, “Motherf*** the big three, it’s just big me,” taking a shot at the others saying they aren’t on his level.
Kendrick then proceeds to come at Drake specifically, comparing himself to Prince and Drake to Michael Jackson saying “Prince outlive Mike Jack/bum, fore all your dogs gettin’ buried/that’s a K with all these nines/he gon’ see Pet Sematary,” referencing Drake’s album and seemingly also taking shots at people who associate with him. Metro Boomin, who produced the song, posted on X “once you pick a side stay there.. #WEDONTTRUSTYOU,” which in return brought in many harsh opinions from critics asking why he was getting involved in the beef.
- Cole responded with “7 Minute Drill,” a song off of a surprise mixtape, targeting Lamar directly. “Your first s*** (good kid, m.A.A.d city) was classic, your last s*** (Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers) was tragic/Your second s*** (To Pimp a Butterfly) put me to sleep, but they gassed it/Your third s** (DAMN.) was massive and that was your prime.” Everyone of those albums (excluding Mr Morale, released after the list) however, were in Rolling Stone’s top 500 albums of all time, with TPAB ranking 19th. J. Cole later deleted the song saying at his Dreamville festival it was “the lamest s*** I did in my f*****’ life” and saying Kendrick was “one of the greatest motherf——s to ever touch a microphone” and now seems to be trying to stay away from the beef.
Drake however, dropped a track on April 19, leaked a couple days before, which took shots at nearly everyone, including rappers that weren’t even involved with this at all. First, he takes a hilarious shot at Kendrick, saying “How the f*** you big steppin’ with a size seven men’s on?” with the single’s cover also being a size 7 shoe sticker, referencing Mr. Morale and also Lamar’s 5”5 stature. In dissing Drake, a stray bullet lands directly at Anthony “Top Dog” Tiffith, Lamar’s former label’s head, saying “cause Top told you drop and give me 50 like some push-ups, huh,” alleging he took 50% of his revenue. Another stray hits Kendrick’s fiance Whitney Alford, with him saying “I be with some bodyguards like Whitney,” supposedly a shot at how due to his stature he wouldn’t be able to defend his wife.
Future, who allegedly dissed Drake as well, gets hit directly with “Your first number one, I had to put it in your hand,” referencing how Drake’s song featuring Future, “Way 2 Sexy” was Future’s first number one hit.
Drake seems to be on a generational trolling run, taking shots at NBA player Ja Morant and even saying “Shoutout to the hooper that be bustin’ out the griddy.” He then took shots at Morant for allegedly dating one of his exes.
Rick Ross then gets hit for supporting “Team Kendrick” with the former child actor saying, “Can’t believe he jumping in, he turnin’ 50.” He then takes two more shots at Ross alleging he made him and also entangling his name with Diddy and his current charges. “Every song that made it on the charts you got from Drizzy/Worry about whatever’s going on with you and Diddy.” Ross then responded by posting on social media alleging Drake has received plastic surgery, calling him “BBL Drizzy.”
This whole beef is hilarious considering how many people have gotten involved with it. Rappers involved include Lupe Fiasco, Birdman, the Game and French Montana. Also involved is “Kill Bill’s” Uma Thurman, who, after a photo from the movie was posted by Drake on his Instagram story ,posted on her story with her costume from the movie asking “@champagnepapi Need this?” which he responded with “yes pls.”
As some of the top rappers in the game today continue to fight over pointless things, we can always appreciate how good the music we get from the beef is.