Kendrick Sparks Drama with Drake and J. Cole
In the spring of 2024, Kendrick caused a stir by targeting Drake and J. Cole in a song he did with Future and Metro Boomin called “Like That.” The rappers traded jabs through various songs, with J. Cole briefly jumping in with “7 Minute Drill” before apologizing and removing it. The whole drama reached its peak when Kendrick released the powerful track “Not Like Us.”
Drake Responds with New Freestyle
Drake has started the year with a fresh freestyle that seems to respond to the chaos after Kendrick’s song. Conductor Williams shared this new piece on YouTube, but it vanished soon after. A representative for Drake confirmed the authenticity of the freestyle to Rolling Stone.
“The world fell in love with the gimmicks, even my brothers got tickets/Seemed like they loved every minute, just know this shit is personal to us, and it wasn’t just business,” raps Drake in the first verse. “Analyzing behavioral patterns is somewhat suspicious/Niggas was never happy for me when I run up the digits/Or when I’m breakin’ world records, still as I guzzle the Guinness/Or when I get my fifth Maybach ’cause the color is different.”
Fans are wondering about the real story behind these lyrics.
Possible References in Drake’s Words
While it’s not clear what “tickets” he’s referring to, some think it might be about Kendrick’s Juneteenth concert last year, attended by DeMar DeRozan and LeBron James. Fans have named Drake’s new piece “Fighting Irish,” linked to LeBron’s high school mascot.
It could also hint at Kendrick’s upcoming tour with SZA across North America in April.
“Sure convinced the gang this shit is rooted in love when it isn’t,” continues the Toronto rapper in the freestyle. “I guess now you boys got to abandon your summer tradition/Cold shoulders I gave in the Hamptons, it come with the distance/Figured we was always gon’ be close, like ovens and kitchens/ I was sadly mistaken, the loyalty wasn’t a given.”
Drake also touches on Kendrick’s suggestion in “Meet the Grahams” about him having a drinking problem. He raps, “I don’t have a drinkin’ problem, I got a subtle addiction,” adding that his habits are a mix of his parents’ traits.
In November, the feud escalated to legal matters. Drake accused UMG, both their labels, of boosting “Not Like Us” by collaborating with Spotify to lower streaming rates for better reach. UMG and Spotify dismissed these claims.
