The Complete Timeline of the Drake and Kendrick Lamar Feud
Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s rivalry has emerged as one of the most infamous in rap history, though their past was not always characterized by animosity.
Prior to Lamar’s breakout on a major label with his 2012 album Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, things were amicable. He featured on Drake’s 2011 album Take Care and later opened for him on the Club Paradise tour in 2012. That same year, they provided guest verses on ASAP Rocky’s “F—in’ Problems,” and Drake appeared on Lamar’s track “Poetic Justice.”
However, in the following year, tensions surfaced, starting with Lamar’s verse on Big Sean’s “Control.” Since then, the feud has intensified, showing no signs of resolution.
Continue reading for an in-depth timeline chronicling the conflict between Drake and Lamar:
August 14, 2013
The feud ignited when Lamar targeted Drake and other prominent rappers in his verse on Big Sean’s “Control.” He included lyrics that read, “I’m usually homeboys with the same n—-s I’m rhymin’ with / But this is hip-hop, and them n—-s should know what time it is / And that goes for Jermaine Cole, Big K.R.I.T., Wale / Pusha T, Meek Millz, ASAP Rocky, Drake / Big Sean, Jay Electron’, Tyler, Mac Miller / I got love for you all, but I’m tryna murder you n—-s.”
Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s ongoing lyrical feud has reached such heights that it threatens to shake the hip-hop community to its core. In recent weeks, their competitive exchanges have become more personal.
Following the release of Lamar’s verse, Drake maintained that he remained unfazed, stating to Billboard, “I got dinner and kept it moving. I didn’t really have anything to say about it.” He added, “It just sounded like an ambitious thought to me. I know good and well that Kendrick’s not murdering me, at all, in any platform.”
September 24, 2013
Drake launched his third studio album, Nothing Was the Same, which featured the track “The Language.” Many speculated it was in response to Lamar’s “Control,” particularly with lyrics like, “I don’t know why they been lyin’ but your s— is not that inspirin’ / Bank account statement just look like I’m ready for early retirement.”
October 15, 2013
During the BET Hip Hop Awards, Lamar seemingly took a shot at Drake in his freestyle, rapping, “Yeah, and nothing been the same since they dropped ‘Control’ / And tucked a sensitive rapper back in his pajama clothes.”
December 17, 2013
Drake joined Juicy J on a remix of Future’s song “S—” and fired back at Lamar with lyrics hinting at their ongoing rivalry, rapping, “I hear you talk about your city like you run that.” In response to Lamar’s mention of him on “Control,” he added, “And if a n—- say my name, he the hot s— / But if I say the n—- name, he still the hot s—.”
Shortly after, Vibe featured a cover story with Drake where he insisted that “The Language” was not a direct reply to “Control.” He articulated, “I don’t ever want to get into responses… It’s just me talking my s—. I never once felt the need to respond to that record.”
The tension between Drake and Kendrick Lamar keeps the hip-hop world buzzing. The situation escalated when Metro Boomin collaborated with Future for a track that seemingly connected to their feud.
Drake expressed he hadn’t seen Lamar since the BET Hip Hop Awards, but felt things would be amicable upon their next encounter. He stated, “I have no ill feelings toward that guy… We haven’t seen each other [since the BET cypher], but I’m sure we’ll see each other and it’ll be cool.”
March 15, 2015
Lamar released his third studio album, To Pimp a Butterfly, which included a standout track, “King Kunta.” The line “I can dig rapping, but a rapper with a ghost writer? What the f— happened?” raised eyebrows, with fans speculating if it was aimed at Drake’s authenticity as a lyricist.
June 26, 2015
Drake made a guest appearance on The Game’s “100,” where he appeared to mock Lamar’s image of socially conscious lyricism by declaring, “I would have all of your fans / If I didn’t go pop and I stayed on some conscious s—.”
October 6, 2023
Although the rivalry simmered with few overt confrontations after “King Kunta” and “100,” it reignited in 2023 alongside the release of Drake’s album For All the Dogs. In the track “First Person Shooter,” J. Cole referenced the debate surrounding who is the top MC, stating, “Love when they argue the hardest MC / Is it K.Dot? Is it Aubrey? Or me?”
Drake notably boasted about his stature, saying he was “big as the Super Bowl,” a bar he would later seem to regret.
March 22, 2024
Five months later, Lamar took aim at Cole’s lines about the “big three” in “Like That,” featured on Future and Metro Boomin’s album We Don’t Trust You. He spat, “Motherf— the big three, n—-, it’s just big me,” reaffirming his dominance.
If you’re perplexed by the ongoing tension between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, Dua Lipa provided some clarification during her hosting stint on Saturday Night Live on May 4.
Two days later, Drake appeared to respond during a performance in Florida, proclaiming, “A lot of people ask me how I’m feeling. … I got my f—ing head up high, my back straight, I’m 10 f—ing toes down in Florida.”
April 5, 2024
J. Cole released a diss track aimed at Lamar titled “7 Minute Drill” on his mixtape Might Delete Later. He featured evocative lyrics like, “Your first s— was classic, your last s— was tragic.” However, Cole retracted it shortly afterward, issuing an apology.
April 12, 2024
Future and Metro launched their album We Still Don’t Trust You, which included tracks that hinted at escalating tensions, with features from ASAP Rocky and The Weeknd. Both artists appeared to take subtle digs at Drake.
April 13, 2024
The lyrical battle intensified with the leak of Drake’s “Push Ups,” provoking Lamar by alluding to his height and referring to him as a “pipsqueak.”
April 19, 2024
Drake followed up with “Taylor Made Freestyle,” indirectly targeting Lamar’s collaboration with Taylor Swift. The track initially drew attention for featuring an AI-generated sample of Tupac Shakur, but the controversy led to a cease-and-desist from Shakur’s estate, prompting Drake to withdraw the track from public circulation.
April 30, 2024
Lamar retaliated with “Euphoria,” which was a nod to the HBO series by the same name (which Drake produces). The track was filled with barbs directed at Drake, including lines about his physical demeanor and his music persona.
May 3, 2024
In a fresh exchange, Lamar released “6:16 in LA,” while Drake countered with “Family Matters.” Lamar’s track insinuated that there was a mole in OVO, feeding him information about Drake, while in “Family Matters,” Drake alleged infidelity on Lamar’s part.
May 4, 2024
Lamar released “Meet the Grahams” and “Not Like Us,” which observers largely agreed indicated a significant escalation in their quarrel. In “Meet the Grahams,” Lamar claimed Drake has an undisclosed daughter, while in “Not Like Us,” he made shocking accusations of impropriety against Drake.
May 5, 2024
Drake countered these claims with “The Heart Part 6,” a title reflecting Lamar’s ongoing series. He asserted that he set Lamar up to receive false intel about the supposed secret daughter, rapping, “We plotted for a week and then we fed you the information.”
The feud reached a pivotal point when Metro Boomin released the “BBL Drizzy” sample, urging artists to create their raps over the laid beat. (The title references a joking comment from Rick Ross about Drake’s alleged cosmetic surgery).
In an unexpected twist, J. Cole expressed regret over his recent diss aimed at Kendrick Lamar, as he addressed fans during his set at Dreamville Festival on April 7 after releasing his album Might Delete Later.
May 24, 2024
Drake featured in a guest spot on Sexxy Red’s track “U My Everything,” which contains a sample from “BBL Drizzy.”
June 19, 2024
Lamar commanded attention on Juneteenth during his Pop Out concert, performing “Not Like Us” repeatedly. VIPs included athletes LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden, along with actors Ayo Edebiri and LaKeith Stanfield.
July 4, 2024
Lamar unveiled the music video for “Not Like Us,” featuring a provocative scene of him assaulting an owl puppet — a nod to Drake’s OVO brand, which is symbolized by an owl.
September 8, 2024
In a significant announcement, the NFL confirmed that Lamar would headline the Super Bowl LIX halftime show, marking a notable achievement as he would officially be recognized as “big as the Super Bowl,” surpassing Drake.
September 11, 2024
As the NFL faced criticism for not selecting Lil Wayne as the halftime performer, Drake took to Instagram, sharing photos of Wayne, further stirring the pot regarding his own rivalry with Lamar.
October 1, 2024
Addressing rumors, Drake denied allegations that he sent a cease-and-desist letter to Lamar regarding the performance of “Not Like Us” during the halftime show, clarifying, “The rumors are completely false.”
November 22, 2024
Lamar surprised audiences by releasing his sixth studio album, GNX, produced by noted collaborator Jack Antonoff. The opening track, “Wacced Out Murals,” touched on his halftime controversy while hinting at the unresolved tension with Drake, remarking, “I never peaced it up, that s— don’t sit well with me.”
November 25, 2024
Drake then filed a legal complaint claiming that Lamar’s label, Universal Music Group — which is also Drake’s label — was allegedly involved in schemes to inflate the popularity of “Not Like Us.” The lawsuit detailed a variety of supposed strategies, from hiring bots to misdirecting users through Siri. UMG firmly rejected these claims, stating that they adhere to ethical practices in promotional strategies.
The tension between Drake and Kendrick Lamar took an unexpected turn as Lamar dropped the diss “6:16 in LA,” just days after his earlier release, further entangling Taylor Swift into the ongoing drama.
November 26, 2024
Drake filed an additional motion against UMG in Texas, accusing them of using payola practices to promote “Not Like Us” through iHeartRadio. He alleged defamation, claiming the lyrical content of the song falsely painted him as a sex offender.
December 20, 2024
Spotify intervened, countering Drake’s claims and refuting their involvement in any inflated streaming figures connected to UMG’s alleged practices.
In a further statement, Drake’s legal team asserted that Spotify’s distancing from UMG indicated that there was something to hide regarding the claims made.
January 3, 2025
The new year commenced with Drake releasing another freestyle touching on his ongoing dispute with Lamar. This discord was characterized in lyrics hinting at friendships (like with LeBron James) attending Lamar’s events. Drake claimed it was all personal and well beyond just business.
January 14, 2025
Drake later withdrew his original legal claim against UMG regarding the alleged manipulation of “Not Like Us”’s popularity, voluntarily taking down the action without incurring costs to either party.
A separate lawsuit regarding defamation, however, remained active.
January 15, 2025
Just a day after rescinding the initial suit, Drake pivoted to filing a federal lawsuit against UMG for defamation and harassment, asserting that Lamar’s actions had precipitated real threats to his safety and that of his property.
UMG countered Drake’s allegations, defending their support of his music and outright rejecting claims that they would ever seek to harm him or any artist.
February 9, 2025
In a culmination of anticipation around Lamar’s performance of “Not Like Us” at the Super Bowl, he hosted a surprise guest, rumored ex of Drake, Serena Williams, as she joined him on stage during the performance. Both artists share roots in Compton, California, adding an extra layer to their on-stage chemistry.
Drake and Williams had a rumored relationship back in the early 2010s. While they never officially confirmed their connection, Drake once revealed that his song “Too Good” from Views was inspired by her.
February 14, 2025
Drake subtly referenced his feud with Lamar in his collaborative album with PartyNextDoor, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, released just after the Super Bowl. Notable tracks like “Gimme a Hug” featured lyricism reflecting on the ongoing competition.
Additionally, in “Brian Steel,” Drake humorously announced his dietary shift to being “vegan now,” after a prior line requested “all the beef on the side.”
