Feud between rappers Kendrick Lamar and Drake, ‘diss tracks’ dominate charts
In two weeks, rival rappers Kendrick Lamar and Drake have released eight songs, taking each other to task. The artists do not shy away from anything. Accusations of sex with minors and domestic violence, among other things, are repeated in the so-called diss tracks that dominate the worldwide charts.
“It’s been a long time since such big names in hip-hop have competed against each other. For rap fans, this is a real treat,” says Dave Vanderheijden. He is the founder of Hiphop In Je Smoel. On his website, every development in this beef, as a musical feud is called in hip-hop, is closely followed.
Heavyweights
The two main characters, Kendrick Lamar and Drake, are both heavyweights in the music industry. Lamar is an American rapper from Compton who has won seventeen Grammys and a prestigious Pulitzer Literature Prize.
Drake, who goes by the name Aubrey Drake Graham, is a Canadian rapper who is commercially the most successful hip-hop artist of the last decade. With thirteen number 1 hits he is on par with Michael Jackson.
In the early days of Lamar’s career, Drake lent a helping hand. Lamar will be the support act for his 2012 tour.
In the same year, Poetic Justice was released, on which both rappers can be heard:
In the years that followed, both rappers grew into the greatest of their generation. In the song Control, Lamar makes no secret of the fact that he considers himself the absolute best. He also says in an interview who he leaves behind in the rankings, including Drake. But he in turn says that Lamar does not outclass him in any way.
What follows are little pinpricks, also called sneakdissses, that both rappers have hidden in their songs for years. But they don’t cause much fuss.
The big three
That changes when another rapper with a considerable track record, J. Cole, releases the song First Person Shooter last October. In it he lists who he believes are the big three of the rap world: himself, Drake and Kendrick Lamar. Much to the dismay of Lamar, who makes it clear on the song Like That that he has the sole claim to the throne.
Then the diss tracks follow each other in rapid succession, with the past two weeks as the boiling point. Lamar calls Drake a pedophile and Drake says Lamar is guilty of domestic violence.
Outdoing each other with intense allegations is a foundation of the diss track, Vanderheijden knows. “That competitive spirit is inextricably linked to hip hop. From break dancing to graffiti: you want to show that you are the best. To prove that, as a rapper you tear down the other person as creatively as possible with rude lyrics. Not because you necessarily mean it , but because you want to show that you have mastered the art of rapping.”
Drake’s store defaced
But it does not always remain sporty. In the past, beefs between rappers often resulted in (deadly) violence. Two incidents at Drake’s Toronto home this week are also causing controversy. A security guard was shot and seriously injured on Wednesday. Less than twenty-four hours later, the police overpowered an intruder at the home, reports showbiz site TMZ.
It is unclear whether this is related to the argument between the rappers. The defacement of Drake’s store in London with the title of Lamar’s most recent diss was a clear signal.
“You have no control over how listeners respond to your tracks. But I do see that Drake and Lamar clearly show that they want to fight this beef out musically. They have only bombarded each other with music. Hopefully listeners will see that too” , says Vanderheijden.
Billion streams
Taken together, the songs already have almost a billion streams on Spotify. The songs are extensively dissected in countless videos on social media and there is even a special Wikipedia page set up for it.
Vanderheijden: “As a fan, it is fantastic to see how much it makes when two world stars return to the essence of hip-hop. Because even though the industry has grown into a billion-dollar business, they show that at its core it is still about rap.”