Drake vs Kendrick Lamar Beef: Timeline of Their Feud

The Drake vs Kendrick Lamar beef is a saga filled with lyrical jabs, escalating diss tracks, and deeply personal accusations. This article offers a comprehensive timeline of their beef, tracing the key moments from early collaborations to the present day’s fiery exchanges.

Drake vs Kendrick Lamar Beef

Nov. 2011: Kendrick Lamar Featured on Drake’s Take Care Album

The relationship between Drake and Kendrick Lamar began amicably when Drake featured Lamar on his album Take Care. Kendrick delivered a confident verse on “Buried Alive Interlude,” crediting Drake’s OVOXO team for boosting his ego.

“So blame it on Mr. OVOXO / The reason why I’m breathin’ all the vanity I know.”

Feb. 2012: Drake Invites Kendrick Lamar to Open on Club Paradise Tour

Drake further extended his support by inviting Kendrick Lamar to open for his Club Paradise Tour. The tour also featured A$AP Rocky as an opening act. This decision was significant, as Drake later referenced in his song “4 PM in Calabasas,” noting that he advocated for Lamar and Rocky against suggestions to include an R&B artist instead; “When they told me take an R&B ni**a on the road / And I told ’em no and drew for Kendrick and Rocky.”

Oct. 2012: Collaborations on A$AP Rocky’s “F**kin’ Problems” and Kendrick Lamar’s “Poetic Justice”

Their collaborative spirit continued as both appeared on A$AP Rocky’s “F**kin’ Problems” alongside 2 Chainz. Later, Drake featured on Kendrick’s track “Poetic Justice” from his debut album good kid, m.A.A.d city. Both songs enjoyed commercial success, with “Poetic Justice” reaching No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, this marked the last direct collaboration between the two.

Aug. 2013: Kendrick Lamar Takes Aim at Drake on Big Sean’s “Control”

Kendrick’s feature on Big Sean’s “Control” shook the rap world as he called out several rappers, including Drake: “I got love for you all, but I’m trying to murder you nas / Trying to make sure your core fans never heard of you nas.”
Drake initially dismissed Kendrick’s ambitious claims, hinting at a simmering rivalry while gracing the cover of Billboard:
“I know good and well that [Lamar]’s not murdering me, at all, in any platform. So when that day presents itself, I guess we can revisit the topic.”

Oct. 2013: Drake vs Kendrick Lamar beef

Kendrick delivered another blow during a BET Awards cipher, rapping:
“Nothing’s been the same since they dropped ‘Control’ / And tucked a sensitive rapper back in his pajama clothes.”

Dec. 2013: Drake Addresses Kendrick Lamar in VIBE Magazine

In a VIBE Magazine cover story, Drake addressed his shots at Kendrick and stood his ground, saying, “I think he’s a f**king genius in his own right, but I also stood my ground as I should.“

2015-2016: Subtle Shots Fired From Both Sides

During these years, the tension persisted with Kendrick calling out Drake’s ghostwriting allegations in “King Kunta.” He penned the verse:
“I can dig rapping / But a rapper with a ghostwriter? What the fk happened?”
Drake responded on The Game’s “100,” noting, “I would have all of your fans / If I didn’t go pop and I stayed on some conscious st.” Kendrick also criticized Drake on Dr. Dre’s Compton album, with chilling lyrics on “Deep Water”:
“They worry him to death, but he’s no vegetarian / The beef is on his breath, inheriting the drama better than / A great white, ni**a, this is life in my aquarium.”

Oct. 2023: Drake & J. Cole Link Up on “First Person Shooter”

Drake and J. Cole collaborated on “First Person Shooter,” where Cole mentioned the “Big Three” of Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and himself: “Love when they argue the hardest MC / Is it K-Dot? Is it Aubrey? Or me? / We the big three like we started a league / But right now, I feel like Muhammad Ali.“
Kendrick took offense to this comparison.

Mar. 22, 2024: Kendrick Goes Full Attack Mode on Future & Metro Boomin’s “Like That”

Kendrick fired direct shots at Drake and J. Cole on “Like That,” notably dismissing the “Big Three” concept:
“Motherfk the big three, na, it’s just big me.”
He also referenced Drake’s album For All the Dogs, rapping:
“‘Fore all your dogs gettin’ buried / That’s a K with all these nines, he gon’ see Pet Sematary.”

Mar. 24, 2024: Drake Responds During His It’s All a Blur – Big as the What Tour

Drake seemingly responded to Kendrick’s diss during his Florida tour stop:
“A lot of people asking me how I’m feeling. I’mma let you know how I’m feeling. […] I know that no matter what, there’s not a man on this earth that could ever fk with me in my life.”

April 2024: Drake Releases Diss Tracks “Push Ups” and “Taylor Made Freestyle”

Drake released “Push Ups,” mocking Kendrick’s stature and association with Top Dawg Entertainment. He rapped: “How the f**k you big steppin’ with a size-seven men’s on?“

In “Taylor Made Freestyle,” Drake used AI vocals of Tupac and Snoop Dogg to diss Kendrick. However, he had to remove the track after a cease-and-desist letter from Tupac’s estate.

April 30, 2024: Kendrick Strikes Back With “Euphoria”

Kendrick released the six-minute diss track “Euphoria,” referencing Drake’s use of the N-word, fashion sense, and authenticity:
“I hate the way that you dress / I hate the way that you sneak dissin’.“

May 3, 2024: Kendrick Drops “6:16 in LA”

Kendrick dropped “6:16 in LA,” calling out Drake’s team for allegedly leaking information. He claimed that some OVO members wanted Drake as a “casualty”: “Have you ever thought that OVO was working for me? / Fake bully, I hate bullies / You must be a terrible person.”

May 3, 2024: Drake Releases Third Diss Track “Family Matters”

Drake fired back with “Family Matters,” alleging that Kendrick had a strained relationship with his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and even suggesting infidelity: “You the Black messiah wifin’ up a mixed queen / And hit vanilla cream to help out with your self-esteem / On some Bobby sh—, I wanna know what Whitney need.”.

May 4, 2024: Drake vs Kendrick Lamar beef, Kendrick Replies!

In “Meet the Grahams,” Kendrick calls Drake a “deadbeat” father and claimed he is hiding another child besides Adonis. He also alleged alcohol and gambling issues within the OVO camp.

May 4, 2024: Kendrick Drops “Not Like Us”

Kendrick continued his attack with “Not Like Us,” accusing the OVO camp of harboring pedophiles and mocking Drake’s “Certified Lover Boy” persona. The Mustard-produced track included lines like: “Say, Drake, I hear you like ’em young / You better not ever go to cell block one.”

May 5, 2024: Drake Addresses Allegations on “The Heart Pt. 6”

Drake released “The Heart Pt. 6,” denying Lamar’s allegations about a secret daughter and framing it as a setup to see if Kendrick would take the bait.

The feud between Drake vs Kendrick Lamar beef has deepened over the years, from subtle jabs to all-out lyrical warfare. As the rappers continue to lob accusations and diss tracks, the beef remains one of the most intense in recent hip-hop history. Despite the escalating severity of their allegations, the rap community awaits the next chapter in this unfolding saga.

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