Rap Rivals: How the Drake-Kendrick Lamar Feud Escalated

[Photo: Getty Images] The Drake and Kendrick Lamar feud has escalated to a new level after Lamar’s release of “Euphoria,” a six-minute diss track aimed squarely at Drake, attacking everything from his biracial identity to his credibility as a rapper. The feud has been simmering for a while, but Lamar’s bold move seems to have pushed it to its most heated phase. & It all started in October 2023, when Drake and J. Cole released their collaboration “First Person Shooter.” In it, J. Cole referred to himself, Drake, and Kendrick Lamar as the “big three” of rap. This statement seemed to irk Lamar, who, in March 2024, responded with a verse on Metro Boomin and Future’s song “Like That,” dismissing the notion of a “big three” and declaring that it’s just “big me.” This was a clear indication that Lamar did not see himself in the same league as Drake and J. Cole, hinting that he was in a class of his own. & In April 2024, the feud gained further traction when J. Cole dropped his diss track, “7 Minute Drill,” aimed at Lamar. He accused Lamar of seeking attention and criticized his latest music releases as “tragic.” However,...