One of the ways in which you know that Drake doesn’t have any real friends in the industry is that no one warned him not to f–k with Kendrick Lamar. J. Cole has real friends and they warned HIM. Which is why J. Cole stepped away from the simmering beef weeks ago and publicly apologized to Kendrick. Reportedly, ScHoolboy Q was the one to pull J. Cole aside and have a conversation about how Kendrick was fully prepared to take down Drake, and J.Cole didn’t want to get caught in the crossfire. Now, maybe Drake was warned like that too and he disregarded the warning out of ego and stupidity. As Kendrick has indicated repeatedly, Drake’s crew is compromised.
Within a week, Kendrick dropped “Euphoria,” “6:16 in LA,” “Meet the Grahams” and then “Not Like Us.” These songs have ruined Drake, and they’ve also showed that Kendrick can really do it all. “Not Like Us” is not only an evisceration of Drake personally and professionally (referring to him as both a pedophile AND a colonizer), it’s turning out to be one of the most successful songs of Kendrick’s career. “Not Like Us” is such a huge hit, it dethroned a Spotify streaming record set by Drake. It will likely debut at #1 on Spotify’s global chart.
“Not Like Us” is having a huge cultural impact too – the YouTube reactors are seeing their view numbers explode as they break down the beef and the music, and behind the scenes, Kendrick has removed the copyrights on his songs for the YouTubers, so they can make some money. “Not Like Us” is being played at MLB games and NBA games too – LA Dodger Gavin Lux used the song for his walkup. TNT used the song during the Timberwolves game on Monday.
Meanwhile, there are some fascinating rumors swirling on social media. There’s a rumor that Kendrick was going to release another diss track on Tuesday but he hit pause because there was a shooting at Drake’s mansion in Toronto. Kendrick said in “Not Like Us” that he has a lot more to say and possibly up to five more songs just about Drake.
There’s also a big rumor that the suits are now getting involved and trying to exert pressure on Kendrick to make peace, all because “Certified Loverboy? Certified Pedophiles” is hurting their bottom line. Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian amplified that rumor, but that being said, TMZ has an article disputing it. TMZ’s sources said that UMG (Drake and Kendrick’s shared label) did not insert itself in the beef and no one at Universal would step in like that: “The way it was explained to us … Kendrick and Drake’s beef is between them and completely separate from the business side of things — and UMG just doesn’t think it’s their place to step in either way. So, they didn’t … nor did they ever consider doing so.” It sounds more like everyone knows that Kendrick can’t be controlled, right?
What a time to be alive. https://t.co/gWqGzKkLQ4
— Alexis Ohanian 🇦🇲 (@alexisohanian) May 7, 2024
Gavin Lux is using Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us" as his walk-up song 💀 pic.twitter.com/dQOED5McWD
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) May 7, 2024
not like us 🫡 pic.twitter.com/YfiwrEX99l
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) May 7, 2024
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Instar.
-
- North America Rights Only – Somerset, UK -20220626- Glastonbury Festival 2022 -PICTURED: Kendrick Lamar -PHOTO by: Yui Mok/PA Images/INSTARimages.com Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
-
- North America Rights Only – Somerset, UK -20220626- Glastonbury Festival 2022 -PICTURED: Kendrick Lamar -PHOTO by: Yui Mok/PA Images/INSTARimages.com Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
-
- MTV Video Music Awards (VMA) 2017 Press Room held at the Forum in Inglewood, California.,Image: 347403946, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Kendrick Lamar, Credit line: Adriana M. Barraza / Wenn / Avalon
-
- MTV Video Music Awards (VMA) 2017 Press Room, held at the Forum in Inglewood, California.,Image: 347469755, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Kendrick Lamar, Credit line: FayesVision / Wenn / Avalon
-
- 169429, Kendrick Lamar attends The 2017 MTV Video Music Awards Arrivals. Los Angeles, California – Sunday, August 27th, 2017.,Image: 533173664, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS, DIRECT SALES ONLY UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE IN CAPTION – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: PacificCoastNews / Avalon
-
- New York, NY – Rapper Drake exudes sophistication as he steps out for an evening dinner at his favorite NYC hotspot, Mamo, in SoHo Pictured: Drake BACKGRID USA 13 NOVEMBER 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: BlayzenPhotos / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
-
- New York, NY – Rap icon Drake was seen exiting Zero Bond New York’s social club, after an exclusive evening Pictured: Drake BACKGRID USA 31 MARCH 2024 BYLINE MUST READ: BlayzenPhotos / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
-
- New York, NY – Drake, accompanied by his father Dennis and the recently single Odell Beckham Jr, ignites the night with an electrifying afterparty at Zero Bond following his sensational performance at the Prudential Center in NJ. Drake appeared to be unbothered despite his current rap beef with Kendrick Lamar, Future, and Metro Boomin. Pictured: Drake BACKGRID USA 5 APRIL 2024 BYLINE MUST READ: BlayzenPhotos / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
So Kendrick waived copyright for YT reaction videos. Yeah, UMG and Universal is totally involved and you cannot convince me otherwise.
And also, paying hundreds of millions for music by Drake just shows how dumb some of these execs are.
I’m pretty sure it’s over. Drake basically said he doesn’t want to do this anymore on his last drop. Essentially waving the white flag.
All hail king Kendrick.
King Kendrick!
I don’t think UMG is involved merely because Not Like Us is making them MONEY. Why would they want to squash that? I also don’t think KDot is going to release anything else. He won the battle – and Drake solidified that with that self-report rebuttal song. Sometimes all you have to do is sit back and watch your enemy prove you right. Which is what Drake did.
I’m sure there are some truth to the rumors once money became involved. Kendrick doesn’t release enough and Drake releases too much for them to be okay with people not listening to Drake’s music. But I do think it shows that people in the industry work with Drake because it’s beneficial to them not because it actually shows their affection. I mean you have producers who can charge a half a million dollars a beat creating free beats and offering reward money for people to diss him on. I think Drake was a little shocked at how many people in the industry were perfectly okay with his downfall.
Waaaaaay outside the loop here, but yeah, the general complicity of industry peeps shows zero respect or fondness for him- and you KNOW there’s a *damn* good reason for that.
Waiting for the tea on how the Raptors are going to handle Kendrick’s music at Scotiabank arena??!! Someone going to swoop in and get a ban on it? So embarrassing for Drake.
I do not see how this attack on Drake will hurt his bottom line of women fans who love his I-never-met-a-stripper-or-college girl-I-didn’t-love persona. The pass the champagne fans & the I love Jlo and Sade, too (for the older ladies) fans will never stop loving this guy. They already know about Millie Bobby Brown and do not care.
I’m not a Kendrick fan, either. His attack on biracial Drake’s blackness while marrying a biracial woman and cheating on her with white women is hypocrisy writ large.
This is a battle between misogynists. It’s nevertheless entertaining and a distraction from massive global violence.
@Enthusiast, Kendrick isn’t attacking Drake’s blackness. That is the manipulative narrative Drake put out there. Kendrick sees Drake as a culture vulture. He doesn’t respect the culture he is imitating and making money of. Kendrick refers to Drake’s son as a black man in his song and calls him a King. There are other biracial and non American rappers Kendrick has no issue with. It is the fake persona of Drake that Kendrick is criticizing.
This was not about Drake being biracial. It’s about him cosplaying black American culture, Caribbean culture, black UK culture. He’s a culture vulture, he is also a black man we all know that. He wears AA culture like a custom & takes it off when he’s off to the next culture to colonize. There are so many artist whose careers were derailed by Drake stealing their songs, images etc..
J Cole is also biracial, so is Doja Cat no one called them out because they are them genuine selfs unlike Aubrey.
The one example of him stealing is The Weekend, he doesn’t see it for Drake because he stole the Weekends work. That man has no scruples.
As I stated in the other post, UMG has a $400MILLION deal with Drake. UMG also has some of the worlds biggest artists. Kendrick makes them money, but not like Drake (who releases music frequently) and until Not Like Us, most of the industry was putting their money on Drake. K won a Pulitzer and writes his own raps. Drake is known to use ghostwriters. And until this week, just about everyone in the industry underestimated K. After Drake dropped Family Matters, he and most others thought he won. Then K dropped Meet the Grahams (Drake’s name is Aubrey Drake Graham) and Not Like Us, proving his versatility by releasing the latter as a danceable diss track, something he’s not known for, while Drake is known for club hits. Drake’s good guy reputation, has taken a huge hit so I can believe that UMG is in full damage control mode to protect their $400m investment. He’s been baiting K for years and I’m a firm believer in the adages “don’t start none (mess), won’t be none” and “be careful what you wish for”.
What I love is that UMG isn’t threatening Kendrick with a defamation suit. This is a rare case where you can prove that Kendrick made these claims as a premeditated attack with malicious intent. However, in my opinion, UMG CANNOT prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the FACTS of Kendrick’s allegations aren’t true. The internet is pulling up receipts everywhere, from videos to court filings of someone in Drake’s circle who pled guilty to human trafficking and served time. (Also any defamation suit would lead to a countersuit against Drake, which I assume they don’t want to go there.)
There is a list of rappers who publicly apologized to Kendrick after dissing him or winning an award against him. That is why it is a known joke that he is a boogeyman, hunting his enemies’ dreams if they act against him. Drake has been drunk with power for some time now, that’s why even if he was warned, he wouldn’t listen. It is obvious the industry gathered behind Kendrick, they are ready to see the Canadian rapper to fall, he disrespected too many people, while not possessing enough talent to justify it.
I went down the rabbit hole on this over the weekend and it’s all very fascinating – Kendrick is positively Shakespearean in his ability to roundly destroy someone’s character by way of verse. Not Like Us is a stone cold bop, even for the British white lady of a certain age.
I think Drake will be OK unless underage women start coming forward and talking on the record. With all the QAnon and “groomer” crap, calling someone a pedophile isn’t enough. More people don’t think Drake is cool than did before, but he was never cool.
But my opinion doesn’t matter, I’m in the dance music has become cleaning the house music stage of life.
Removing the copyright so creators can make their coin? That is someone who isn’t afraid to share the wealth and I love it. As another commenter said, I wouldn’t be surprised if there isn’t some angst from the execs about losing money with the copyright removed, but imo it’s very shortsighted because the songs are going to get even MORE play and be in the news even longer. The should easily recoup what they’ve lost.
I have enjoyed reading about the saga here. Keep it up.
Now do one about that asshat Brian McKnight please!!!
It seems like you are clueless on this topic. Like what was said, Kendrick never attacked Drake for being mixed. It was for not being about the culture and using black Americans and black people and culture to profit off of . Example Drake keeps making derogatory comments about black American being slaves and he has do nothing for black people.
Another example Drake made a remake that Kendrick raps like he’s trying to set slaves free like that it’s a bad thing. Only someone like Candace Owens would see that as a negative
Kendrick’s fiancé’s mom is half black and she has a black father so she is mostly black and she grew up with Kendrick in Compton and a part of black culture which Drake was not.