A Comprehensive Timeline of Feuds Between Drake, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole And More

If you’re not up to date with the latest in hip-hop, you might be curious about the ongoing feud involving Drake, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Future, Metro Boomin, Rick Ross — and even Uma Thurman. This feud has been simmering for a while, but it hit the headlines when Kendrick Lamar, collaborated with Future and Metro Boomin on ‘Like That’, their recent chart-topping hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

In ‘Like That’, the Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper took shots at both J. Cole and Drake, sparking a rapid escalation in tensions. For those trying to keep track of the verbal sparring among these rap giants, here’s a detailed timeline of the lyrical exchanges in the studio and on social media between Lamar, Drake, and the rest of the cast, starting from the release of ‘Like That’ and even before.

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Drake and J. Cole dropped ‘First Person Shooter’ 

Lamar’s verse in ‘Like That’ triggered responses, initially sparked by J. Cole and Drake’s track ‘First Person Shooter’ from Drake’s recent album, For All the Dogs. The song, climbing to the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100, sees Cole juxtaposing himself with Drake and Lamar, referring to them as the “big three.”

He rhymes, “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.”

Drake Reacts to Alleged Leaked Diss Track ‘Push Ups’

Despite Drake not confirming its authenticity, a diss track known as ‘Push Ups (Drop and Give Me 50)’ made its way onto social media, as reported by Rolling Stone. Initially thought by some fans to be AI-generated, the track was subsequently unveiled in CDQ (high-quality audio) by DJ Akademiks. 

Within the song, which has seen various versions emerge, Drake refers to Kendrick Lamar as a ‘pipsqueak’, mentions his shoe size, and appears to poke fun at Lamar’s past collaborations with artists like Taylor Swift and Maroon 5.

J. Cole releases ‘7 Minute Drill’

J. Cole’s track ‘7 Minute Drill’, featured on the album, took a direct shot at Kendrick Lamar, critiquing his album’”Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.’ In the lyrics, Cole referred to Lamar’s earlier work as ‘classic’ but deemed his recent output as ‘tragic’, suggesting a decline in quality. He also implied that Lamar’s acclaimed album ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’ was boring and put listeners to sleep.

The verse continued with Cole likening Lamar’s career trajectory to that of “The Simpsons,” implying a decline in relevance over time. Cole asserted that he, on the other hand, was hitting his prime and surpassing Lamar, positioning himself as the new frontrunner in the rap scene.

‘Like That’ by Kendrick Lamar, Future and Metro Boomin Drops

Lamar’s response to J. Cole’s “big three” comment came through in his verse on ‘Like That’, a track from Metro Boomin and Future’s collaborative project ‘We Don’t Trust You.’ This response, arriving five months after Cole’s initial statement, showcased Lamar’s disdain for being grouped into the big three category, as he boldly declared “motherf— the big three,” asserting that it’s just him that matters.

Furthermore, Lamar didn’t hold back when addressing the broader hip-hop landscape. He expressed his frustration with what he perceived as sneak disses in ‘First Person Shooter’, emphasising his disdain with the line “f— sneak dissin’, first-person shooter, I hope they came with three switches.”

Future and Metro Boomin release another joint album, ‘We Really Don’t Trust You’

Days after J. Cole seemed to retract his diss aimed at Kendrick Lamar, Future and Metro Boomin released a new album featuring collaborations with prominent artists like The Weeknd, A$AP Rocky, and even Cole himself.

One track from the album, titled ‘All to Myself’, includes a notable line from The Weeknd: “They could never diss my brothers, baby/When they got leaks in their operation/I thank God that I never signed my life away.” The line has drawn attention from media outlets like Complex, with speculation that it alludes to The Weeknd’s past connections with Drake.

J. Cole Issues Apology for ‘7 Minute Drill’

During his appearance at the Dreamville Festival held in North Carolina, the Grammy-winning artist took a moment to address the audience, candidly discussing the impact of publicly criticising Lamar. 

He expressed that such actions disrupt his sense of inner peace and do not align with his personal values, stating that it feels unsettling to his spirit. Additionally, he openly admitted to underestimating Lamar’s body of work and the magnitude of his talent, highlighting a moment of introspection and acknowledging the complexity of his emotions at the time.

Rick Ross Swiftly Fires Back with ‘Champagne Moments’ in Response

Rick Ross swiftly retaliated against Drake’s diss with his own track, ‘Champagne Moments’, accompanied by a barrage of social media clap backs. The song was initially teased on DJ Akademik’s Twitch stream.

In ‘Champagne Moments’, Ross, aged 48, accuses Drake of employing “ghostwriters,” labels him a “white boy,” and alleges that mentor Lil Wayne “gave you the juice.” Furthermore, Ross asserts that Drake underwent plastic surgery to reduce the size of his nose and mentions unfollowing Drake on social media due to an altercation involving fellow rapper French Montana.

Drake and Rick Ross’ Social Media Feud Escalates with Uma Thurman’s Involvement

Following their recent releases, Drake and Ross have engaged in a heated exchange on social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter. Ross, in response to “Champagne Moments,” took to X (formerly Twitter) to challenge Drake, stating, “If we keep it gangster, when you see me you check me.” He also urged Drake to respond or admit to not responding, using the hashtag “#BBLDrizzy.”

Meanwhile, Drake shared a post on Instagram, revealing a playful text exchange with his mother, Sandi Graham. In the exchange reported by Billboard, she jokingly questioned Drake about rumours of a nose job, expressing mock surprise and humorously referencing Drake’s past decisions like getting tattoos.

-Sushmita Sarkar