2024 was a fantastic year for music, but if you ask anyone who won the feud, they will definitely tell you that it was Kendrick Lamar.
Rappers are known to go at each other’s throats from time to time to showcase their “superior” rapping and writing skills. No one can forget Eminem and Machine Gun Kelly; however, calling that a feud would be an insult to Eminem as Kelly stood no chance in front of the ‘God of Rap’.
However, the feud of 2024 between Kendrick Lamar and Drake will be written in golden letters in the history of rap battles.
This all started when Drake mentioned Lamar in his song with J Cole and called themselves the top trio. In typical rap fashion, Lamar refused to share the top spot and called himself the ‘King’ in response to a single verse.
However, Drake took the verse and ran with it, which is why rap lovers everywhere were gifted with the gold of “Not Like Us” after “Meet the Grahams” by Kendrick Lamar. With “Not Like Us,” Lamar went above and beyond with his research and words. If anyone had a doubt, the song mentions Drake twice, so we know it is about him.
Lamar absolutely brought it tonight! Drake is fuming rn LMAOO pic.twitter.com/AfoWwtPO1v
— MIDNITE (@ISITMIDNITE) February 10, 2025
This song brings out several allegations against Drake and mentions them one by one. Lamar launches into a torrent of criticism directed at Drake’s alleged inappropriate activity with children, including his alleged friendship with actress Millie Bobby Brown, using a variety of analogies and references to his home state of Southern California. Brown’s name is not mentioned in the song, but everyone was aware of them being friends, which was not only unusual but ridiculed.
He also discusses Drake’s private encounters with tennis player Serena Williams, J. Cole, and Lil Wayne. Lamar accuses Drake and his OVO group of being “certified pe–philes” in reference to Drake’s album Certified Lover Boy (2021). Lamar also targeted Baka Not Nice, who was accused of six human tra–icking offenses in 2014 and is still Drake’s friend.
“Certified lover boy? Certified pedophile.”
— Kendrick Lamar on new Drake diss track “Not Like Us” pic.twitter.com/0SmKOJjxDw
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) May 5, 2024
Lamar also challenges Drake’s cultural identity on multiple occasions. He has hinted in the chorus of “Not Like Us” that “rap practitioners” like Drake are not like him and that “one that organically abides by the given morals of Black culture” is better. This was in response to Drake’s not-so-black behavior. Drake is known to shun his “blackness” and take advantage of his white side of the family. However, people are still split when it comes to whether Drake is even black, which Lamar took full advantage of.
Lamar goes on to say that Drake’s depiction of ‘blackness’ makes him resemble Brad “B-Rad G” Gluckman from the 2003 movie Malibu’s Most Wanted and that he makes a caricature of the culture.
In the third verse, Lamar disproves Drake’s assertion that he raps as though he is going to “get the slaves freed” in “Family Matters” by accusing him of abusing the word “slave” and taking advantage of Black Atlanta musicians for financial gain and street cred.
Kendrick Lamar went after Drake with his song and ripped apart every dialogue and assertion of him being the greatest rapper.
Drake’s legal team has released a new statement regarding the lawsuit against UMG over ‘Not Like Us’
“UMG is masquerading as a champion of artistic freedom by calling its actions merely “entertainment,” but there is nothing entertaining about p*dophilia or child abuse in the… pic.twitter.com/AIEM2Q07qg
— Kurrco (@Kurrco) February 10, 2025
Drake responded to the song with “The Heart Part 6,” but it was too late by then. No one was paying anymore attention to him and his attempts to redeem himself were all waste. The Canadian singer went on to sue everyone involved in the song, from the music agency to the distributor, but not Lamar himself, which is very telling.
These songs were dropping like hot cakes without warnings and charting like rap fans have been starving for good music. Which is why the Music Academy could not ignore them. The song ended up winning several Grammys and burning the stage of the Super Bowl Halftime show.
To diss Drake some more, Lamar brought out Serena Williams, who is Drake’s ex, and the gave him a burn, he needs to carry aloe for.
