The Simmering Beef Between Rap Titans
The feud between Kendrick Lamar and Drake has been simmering for over a decade, with both rappers taking subtle jabs at each other through their music and interviews.
The discord between Kendrick Lamar and Drake can be traced back to 2013, when Lamar delivered a verse on Big Sean’s track “Control,” asserting his dominance and challenging his peers, including Drake.
However, the long-simmering tensions erupted again in early 2024, with a rapid-fire exchange of diss tracks that reignited their beef.
It all began on March 26th, when Lamar appeared to take a shot at Drake on the Future and Metro Boomin track “Like That” with the line “Motherf*** the big three, n*****, it’s just big me.”
This was widely interpreted as a reference to Drake being part of hip-hop’s current “big three” alongside Lamar and J. Cole.
J. Cole’s Brief Involvement
J. Cole briefly got involved in the beef, dropping the track “7 Minute Drill” on April 5th in response to Lamar’s “Like That” line.
However, Cole quickly rescinded his diss and announced he was bowing out of the feud during his Dreamville Fest performance, stating his “heart wasn’t in it.”
Drake Strikes Back with “Push Ups” and “Taylor Made Freestyle”
Drake finally unleashed his official response to Lamar on April 19th with the track “Push Ups,” taking shots at Lamar’s pop-leaning features, his stature, and mocking his label’s tour sales.
The legitimacy of Push Ups was initially questioned due to a low-quality online leak, but it was later confirmed by DJ Akademiks and released on streaming platforms.
Just days later, Drake doubled down with another track, “Taylor Made Freestyle,” which controversially featured AI-generated verses from the late Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg.
However, this attempt to get at Kendrick Lamar backfired, with the Shakur estate issuing a cease-and-desist for the unauthorised use of Tupac’s voice and personality, leading to the track’s removal from social media.
While Drake has not publicly commented on Euphoria, his previous works and responses suggest a perspective that values creative expression and pushing the boundaries of hip-hop.
His use of AI technology in “Taylor Made Freestyle” could be seen as an innovative approach to music production, though it has sparked debate within the industry.
The Genesis of ‘Euphoria’
Cover Art and Title Significance
The cover art for Euphoria intriguingly features a screenshot of the Oxford dictionary definition of ‘euphoria’, subtly nodding to the HBO series Euphoria, which is executive produced by Drake.
This choice of cover art and the title itself suggest a layered message, intertwining popular culture references with personal sentiments.
The title ‘Euphoria’ not only points to the television series but also to the relief Kendrick Lamar felt in addressing his feelings towards Drake, marking a significant moment of catharsis for him.
Euphoria Lyric Video: The Explosive Response
Amidst the ongoing lyrical warfare, Kendrick Lamar unleashed his most explosive salvo yet with the surprise drop of Euphoria on May 1st.
The near-six-minute diatribe takes no prisoners, questioning Drake’s authenticity as a rapper, racial identity, parenting skills, and more in ruthlessly personal terms.
Release Details and Lyrics Breakdown
In an unexpected move, Kendrick Lamar dropped his highly anticipated response to Drake’s recent disses on Tuesday, May 1, 2024.
Kendrick Lamar chose a poignant moment for the release of ‘Euphoria’ by dropping the track at 8:24 a.m. Pacific Time, which corresponds to 11:24 a.m. Eastern Time.
This time is a tribute to the late basketball legend Kobe Bryant, whose jersey numbers were 8 and 24.
This homage adds an additional layer of depth to the release, connecting Lamar’s personal inspirations with broader cultural icons.
Musical Opening and Thematic Delivery
The track begins with a unique audio element, utilizing a backward voice clip of Richard Pryor from the 1978 film The Wiz, stating, “Everything they say about me’s true.”
This opening sets a reflective tone for the song, which then transitions into a sharper delivery as Lamar addresses Drake directly, referencing previous diss tracks and their ongoing feud.
The evolution of the song’s intensity mirrors the escalating nature of their rivalry, encapsulated within the sharp lyrical exchanges.
The nearly six-minute track, titled Euphoria, is a scathing diatribe that reignites the long-standing feud between the two rap titans.
Kendrick Lamar wastes no time in launching a full-scale lyrical assault on Drake, accusing him of being a “master manipulator” and a “habitual liar.”
He questions Drake’s authenticity as a rap artist, suggesting he’s more of a “scam artist with the hopes of being accepted.”
“Know you a master manipulator and habitual liar too
But don’t tell no lie about me and I won’t tell truths ’bout you”
The Personal Gets Brutal
As the track progresses, Kendrick Lamar’s disses becomes increasingly personal and brutal. He mocks Drake’s Toronto slang, rumoured plastic surgery, and even questions his fatherhood skills and sexuality.
“I hate the way that you walk, the way that you talk, I hate the way that you dress
I hate the way that you sneak diss, if I catch flight, it’s gon’ be direct
We hate the bitches you fuck, ’cause they confuse themself with real women”
Addressing Drake’s Blackness
In one particularly controversial line, Lamar appears to question Drake’s racial identity, rapping:
“How many more black features ’til you finally feel that you’re black enough?”
A Lyrical Onslaught
On the second verse, Lamar continues, spitting ruthless bars with a gritty flow over classic Teddy Pendergrass soul samples.
As the track builds, he mockingly busts out his version of Drake’s Toronto twang, sounding like he’s been bottling up these disses for years.
Kendrick Lamar raps with seething disdain, using cliched words that sting thanks to his impassioned delivery.
But for all its furious energy, Euphoria lacks a real showstopper punchline to cement it as a historic diss track.
Many lines feel vague or rehashed, like claiming Drake’s girlfriends aren’t “real women” or accusing him of getting surgery to “look less black” (echoing past disses from Rick Ross and others).
Kendrick Lamar even tosses in some eye-roll-inducing gay jokes about Drake’s sexuality.
While adding a high-profile voice amplifies the long-standing criticisms of Drake’s realness and racial identity, it also raises the question of whether Euphoria truly breaks new ground in their drawn-out feud.
The lyrical onslaught continues in the second verse, with Lamar taking aim at Drake’s music, his relationships, and even threatening violence against him and his associates.
“I’ma blick niggas all in they coffin; Yeah, OV-ho niggas is dick riders
Tell ’em run to America, they imitate heritage, they can’t imitate this violence”
The Culmination
The track culminates with Lamar delivering a powerful final blow, stating: “We don’t wanna hear you say ‘nigga’ no more Stop”
This line not only challenges Drake’s use of the controversial word but also serves as a forceful shutdown of their ongoing feud.
Nuanced Perspectives on “Euphoria”
While Euphoria undoubtedly showcases Kendrick Lamar’s lyrical prowess, the track’s content has sparked debates and divided opinions among listeners.
On one hand, many fans have praised Lamar for his raw, unfiltered bars and his willingness to reignite the long-standing feud with Drake.
The diss track’s intensity and aggression have been hailed as a return to the essence of hip-hop beef, devoid of gimmicks or artificial elements.
However, the song’s racial undertones and Lamar’s questioning of Drake’s blackness have generated controversy.
Some listeners argue that such comments perpetuate harmful stereotypes and oversimplify complex issues of racial identity.
Others counter that Lamar is well within his rights to critique what he perceives as Drake’s disingenuous portrayal of black culture.
Beyond the racial discourse, Euphoria has also reignited debates around ghostwriting in hip-hop, with Lamar’s lines seemingly accusing Drake of relying on external writers.
While ghostwriting remains a contentious issue in the genre, some argue that it is a common industry practice, while others view it as a violation of hip-hop’s authentic essence.
Escalation and Response from the Rap Community
The feud, reignited with Lamar’s pointed verse on “Like That”, has drawn responses from key figures in the rap industry.
High-profile artists such as Kanye West, The Weeknd, and Rick Ross have not only commented on but also released tracks that subtly reference the ongoing battle, highlighting its significance within the rap elite.
This collective engagement from such influential artists underscores the feud’s magnitude, positioning it as a central narrative in contemporary hip-hop discussions.
Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Euphoria’: A Verse that Stirred Hip-Hop
Regardless of one’s stance, Euphoria has undoubtedly struck a chord, reigniting conversations about authenticity, racial dynamics, and the role of lyricism in hip-hop.
While some listeners may find the track’s aggressive nature and willingness to reignite the feud entertaining, others critique that Euphoria rehashes familiar criticisms about Drake’s ghostwriting, lack of street credibility, and perceived inauthenticity as a non-Black artist, offering little new ground in a rap beef that has been simmering for over a decade.
Ultimately, Euphoria is a complex work sparking dialogues about authenticity, racial dynamics, and the soul of hip-hop, even if it doesn’t quite attain classic status in the diss track pantheon.
It’s a gloves-off show of lyrical pugilism from Lamar, reigniting his feud with Drake in a characteristically uncompromising fashion.
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Kendrick Lamar Euphoria Lyrics
Intro
Verse
Them super powers gettin’ neutralized, I can only watch in silence
The famous actor we once knew is lookin’ paranoid and now spiralin’
You’re movin’ just like a degenerate, every antic is feelin’ distasteful
I calculate you’re not as calculated, I can even predict your angle
Fabricatin’ stories on the family front ’cause you heard Mr. Morale
A pathetic master manipulator, I can smell the tales on you now
You’rе not a rap artist, you a scam artist with the hopes of being accеpted
Tommy Hilfiger stood out, but FUBU never had been your collection
I make music that electrify ’em, you make music that pacify ’em
I can double down on that line, but spare you this time, that’s random acts of kindness
Know you a master manipulator and habitual liar too
But don’t tell no lie about me and I won’t tell truths ’bout you
Intro
Shoo, shoo, shoo
Shoo, shoo, shoo
Bee, bee, bee, bee, bee, bee
Verse 1
Yeah, I’m out the way, yeah, I’m low, okay
Yeah, the island right here’s remote, okay
I ain’t thinkin’ about no reaper
Nigga, I’m reapin’ what I sow, okay
Got a Benjamin and a Jackson all in my house like I’m Joe, okay
Hellcat, made his homeboys and them type sell they soul, okay
Everybody wanna be demon ’til they get chipped by your throwaway
And I might do a show a day,once a lame, always a lame
Oh, you thought the money, the power or fame would make you go away?
Have you ever played have-you-ever? Okay, nigga, let’s play
Have you ever walked your enemy down like with a poker face?
Have you ever paid five hundred thou’ like to an open case?
Well, I have, and I failed at both, but I came out straight
I hate when a rapper talk about guns, then somebody die
They turn into nuns, then hop online, like “Pray for my city”
He fakin’ for likes and digital hugs
His daddy a killer, he wanna be junior, they must’ve forgot the shit that they done
Dementia must run in his family, but let it get shaky
I’ll park his son
The very first time I shot me a Drac’, the homie had told me to aim it this way
I didn’t point down enough, today, I’ll show you I learned from those mistakes
Somebody had told me that you got a ring, on God, I’m ready to double the wage
I’d rather do that than let a Canadian nigga make Pac turn in his grave
Cutthroat business, you got shit twisted
What is it? The braids?
I hurt your feelings? You don’t wanna work with me no more? Okay
It’s three G.O.A.T.s left, and I seen two of them kissin’ and huggin’ on stage
I love ’em to death, and in eight bars, I’ll explain that phrase, huh
It’s nothin’ nobody can tell me, huh
I don’t wanna talk on no celly, huh
You know I got language barriers, huh
It’s no accent you can sell me, huh
Yeah, Cole and Aubrey know I’m a selfish nigga
The crown is heavy, huh
I pray they my real friends, if not, I’m YNW Melly
I don’t like you poppin’ shit at Pharrell, for him, I inherit the beef
Yeah, fuck all that pushin’ P, let me see you push a T
You better off spinnin’ again on him, you think about pushin’ me
He’s Terrence Thornton, I’m Terence Crawford, yeah, I’m whoopin’ feet
We ain’t gotta get personal, this a friendly fade, you should keep it that way
I know some shit about niggas that make Gunna Wunna look like a saint
This ain’t been about critics, not about gimmicks, not about who the greatest
It’s always been about love and hate, now let me say I’m the biggest hater
I hate the way that you walk, the way that you talk, I hate the way that you dress
I hate the way that you sneak diss, if I catch flight, it’s gon’ be direct
We hate the bitches you fuck, ’cause they confuse themself with real women
And notice, I said “we,” it’s not just me,I’m what the culture feelin’
How many more fairytale stories ’bout your life ’til we had enough?
How many more Black features ’til you finally feel that you’re Black enough?
I like Drake with the melodies, I don’t like Drake when he act tough
You gon’ make a nigga bring back Puff, let me see if Chubbs really crash somethin’
Yeah, my first one like my last one, it’s a classic, you don’t have one
Let your core audience stomach that, then tell ’em where you get your abs from
V12, it’s a fast one, baow-baow-baow, last one
Headshot for the year, you better walk around like Daft Punk
Verse 2
Remember?
Ayy, Top Dawg, who the fuck they think they playin’ with?
Extortion my middle name as soon as you jump off of that plane, bitch
I’m allergic to the lame shit, only you like bein’ famous
Yachty can’t give you no swag neither, I don’t give a fuck ’bout who you hang with
I hate the way that you walk, the way that you talk, I hate the way that you dress
Surprised you wanted that feature request
You know that we got some shit to address
I even hate when you say the word “nigga,” but that’s just me, I guess
Some shit just cringeworthy, it ain’t even gotta be deep, I guess
Still love when you see success, everything with me is blessed
Keep makin’ me dance, wavin’ my hand, and it won’t be no threat
I’m knowin’ they call you The Boy, but where is a man? ‘Cause I ain’t seen him yet
Matter fact, I ain’t even bleed him yet, can I bleed him? Bet
When I see you stand by Sexyy Red, I believe you see two bad bitches
I believe you don’t like women, it’s real competition, you might pop ass with ’em
Let’s speak on percentage, show me your splits, I’ll make sure I double back with you
You were signed to a nigga that’s signed to a nigga that said he was signed to that nigga
Try cease and desist on the “Like That” record?
Ho, what? You ain’t like that record?
“Back To Back,” I like that record
I’ma get back to that, for the record
Why would I call around tryna get dirt on niggas? Y’all think all my life is rap?
That’s ho shit, I got a son to raise, but I can see you don’t know nothin’ ’bout that
Wakin’ him up, know nothin’ ’bout that
And tell him to pray, know nothin’ ’bout that
And givin’ him tools to walk through life like day-by-day, know nothin’ ’bout that
Teachin’ him morals, integrity, discipline, listen, man, you don’t know nothin’ ’bout that
Speakin’ the truth and consider what God’s considerin’, you don’t know nothin’ ’bout that
Ain’t twenty-v-one, it’s one-v-twenty if I gotta smack niggas that write with you
Yeah, bring ’em out too, I’ll clean ’em out too
Tell BEAM that he better stay right with you
Am I battlin’ ghost or AI? Nigga feelin’ like Joel Osteen
Funny, he was in a film called “AI”
And my sixth sense tellin’ me to off him
I’ma blick niggas all in they coffin
Yeah, OV-ho niggas is dick riders
Tell ’em run to America, they imitate heritage, they can’t imitate this violence
What I learned is niggas don’t like the West Coast
And I’m fine with it, I’ll push the line with it
Pick a nigga off one at a time with it
We can be on a three-hour time difference
Don’t speak on the family, crodie
It can get deep in the family, crodie
Talk about me and my family, crodie?
Someone gon’ bleed in your family, crodie
I be at New Ho King eatin’ fried rice with a dip sauce and blammy, crodie
Tell me you’re cheesin’, fam
We can do this right now on the camera, crodie
Ayy, fuck y’all niggas, I don’t trust y’all niggas
I wave one finger and thump y’all niggas like mmm
Field goal, punt y’all niggas,they punk y’all niggas, nobody never took my food
Whoever that’s fuckin’ with him, fuck you niggas, and fuck the industry too
If you take it there, I’m takin’ it further
Psst, that’s somethin’ you don’t wanna do
Outro
Ooh
We don’t wanna hear you say “nigga” no more
We don’t wanna hear you say “nigga” no more
Stop
