The highly-anticipated video for Kendrick Lamar's Drake diss track, "Not Like Us," has be released with quite a few surprises.
In the nearly six-minute video, which was filmed in Compton and includes a cameo from the record's producer, DJ Mustard, among other prominent West Coast figures, the visuals also feature a rare appearance by Lamar's fiancée, Whitney Alford, and their two young children: daughter Uzi and son Enoch.
While the song, which charted the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks, and the subsequent video are a pointed response at Drake, the visuals offered a bit more levity, showing a sweet moment between Lamar, Alford and their children as they danced around in what appeared to be the family's home.
Though the video featured moments of West Coast unity, showing a supportive crowd reciting lyrics to Lamar's infamous song, the visual maintained its original purpose: to take a direct jab at Drake.
Among multiple Easter eggs, there were several visual references to owls, the bird associated with Drake’s OVO label. This includes a scene where Lamar is seen smashing an owl piñata, while a disclaimer floats across the screen reading, “no OVHoes were harmed during the making of this video.”
The release of the video comes just a few weeks after Lamar performed "Not Like Us" multiple times during a live show on Juneteenth.
Lamar's "Not Like Us" video and his recent performance are just the latest examples in the once again reignited saga between him and Drake after the rappers released numerous diss tracks about each other started to heat up in March before reaching a tilt in May.
Hip-hop fans may remember a time when the two rappers were more like buddies than rivals, even collaborating and touring together.
So what caused the rift between Drake and his one-time pal Lamar? Read on to learn a timeline of one of rap's most enduring feuds.
2011: Lamar appears as a guest on Drake's album 'Take Care'
Early in his career, Kendrick Lamar appeared as a guest artist on the song “Buried Alive Interlude” on Drake's second studio album, "Take Care," released in November 2011.
February 2012: Drake invites Lamar to be his opening act on his 'Club Paradise Tour'
Drake followed that up by inviting Lamar and A$AP Rocky to be the opening acts on his "Club Paradise Tour," which launched in February 2012.
October 2012: The two rappers collaborate on the track 'Poetic Justice' from Lamar's album 'Good Kid, M.A.A.D City'
Drake and Lamar collaborated on the song "Poetic Justice" featured on Lamar's studio album "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City," released in October 2012.
The same month, Drake and Lamar appeared as guests on A$AP Rocky’s song “F----- Problems."
August 2013: Lamar takes a shot at Drake and other rappers on Big Sean’s 'Control'
Tensions began when Lamar called out Drake and 11 other rappers by name when he appeared as a guest on Big Sean's song "Control" in August 2013.
“I got love for you all but I’m trying to murder you n----/ Trying to make sure your core fans never heard of you n----/ They don’t want to hear not one more noun or verb from you n---- ," he rapped on the track.
Full of swagger over his rising success, Lamar also declared himself both “King of New York” and “King of the Coast” on the track.
August 2013: Drake shrugs off Lamar's verse in an interview
Two weeks after "Control" is released, Drake reveals in a cover story for Billboard that Lamar's nasty name-check didn't upset him.
"It just sounded like an ambitious thought to me. That’s all it was," Drake told the publication. "I know good and well that (Lamar)’s not murdering me, at all, in any platform."
September 2013: Drake says it's 'all love' between him and Lamar
Drake reportedly doubled down on the soundness of his friendship with Lamar during a live #CRWN interview with Elliott Wilson of RapRadar on Sept. 22, 2013, in New York, according to Vibe.
After conceding that Lamar's biting guest verse on "Control" was a "moment to talk about," Drake said the two rappers saw each other at the MTV VMAs soon after the song was released.
“I saw him five days later at the VMAs and it was all love,” Drake recalled.
October 2013: Lamar disses Drake again in his BET Hip-Hop Awards cypher
Lamar appeared to be taking aim at Drake again in his BET Hip-Hop Awards cypher in October 2013.
Lamar's performance came within days of Drake releasing his September 2013 album “Nothing Was the Same."
“Nothing’s been the same since they dropped ‘Control’/ And tucked a sensitive rapper back in his pajama clothes/ Ha ha joke’s on you, high-five… I’m bulletproof/ Your shots never penetrate/ Pin the tail on the donkey, boy you been a fake," he rapped.
December 2013: Drake tells an interviewer he feels like he's being 'baited' by Lamar
Speaking to Vibe in December 2013, Drake revealed that he felt as though he was being "baited" by Lamar on the "Control" verse.
“Where it became an issue is that I was rolling out an album while that verse was still bubbling, so my album rollout became about this thing. What am I supposed to say? Nah, we’ll be buddy-buddy?" asked the rapper.
"Mind you, I never once said he’s a bad guy (or) I don’t like him. I think he’s a f----- genius in his own right, but I also stood my ground as I should.
"And with that came another step, which then I have to realize I’m being baited and I’m not gonna fall," he said. "(Michael) Jordan doesn’t have to play pickup to prove that he could play ball, no offense. But I’m not gonna give you the chance to shake me necessarily, ’cause I feel great. There’s no real issue."
2014 - 2020: The two rappers take shots at each other on several more diss tracks
The beef between the two rappers continued for several more years as they released or appeared as guest artists on several more diss tracks taking shots at each other.
By 2020, the bad feelings appeared to have faded away. But not for long.
October 2023: J. Cole collaborates with Drake on 'First Person Shooter'
In October 2023, Drake collaborated with fellow rapper J.Cole on a track called "First Person Shooter." J. Cole brags about his rapping prowess on the track, referring to himself, Drake and Lamar as the "Big Three," singling himself out as Muhammad Ali, or in other words, the greatest of all.
For his part, Drake boasted about his own popularity as a music star, comparing himself to Michael Jackson.
March 2024: Lamar blasts Drake and J.Cole on 'Like That'
In March 2024, Lamar responded to "First Person Shooter" by blasting Drake and J.Cole in guest verses on Metro Boomin and Future's collaborative track “Like That," which rose to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Lamar laughed off the idea of a "Big 3," insisting there was only a "Big Me," and then ridiculed Drake for likening himself to Michael Jackson by insisting he would be Prince in the scenario.
"Prince outlived Mike Jack," he rapped.
April 19, 2024: Drake calls Lamar a 'pipsqueak' on 'Push Ups'
A fired-up Drake blasted back at Lamar the following month with the diss track "Push Ups," on which he addressed the diminutive rapper as “pipsqueak" and asks him, "How the f--- you big steppin’ with a size-seven men’s on?"
Drake also put down his old rival's music collaborations with pop artists. "Maroon 5 need a verse, you better make it witty/ Then we need a verse for the Swifties," he raps.
"Push Ups" notably sampled beats from The Notorious B.I.G.’s 1997 track “What’s Beef?”
April 30, 2024: Lamar releases 'Euphoria'
On April 30, Lamar released a furious six-minute track called "Euphoria," continuing his rift with Drake, who just happens to have served as an executive producer on the TV series “Euphoria,” according to IMDb.
Lamar, who’s won a Pulitzer Prize for his music, bashes the more commercially successful Drake on the track, rapping, “I make music that electrify ’em, you make music that pacify ’em.”
May 3, 2024: Lamar follows up with '6:16 in LA'
Days later, Lamar released “6:16 in LA” on his Instagram page. The song's title pokes fun at Drake’s time-and-location-themed songs, such as “6PM in New York," "9AM in Dallas,” and “4PM in Calabasas."
Lamar name-checks OVO, the independent music label owned by Drake, on the song.
"Have you ever thought that OVO was working for me?/ Fake bully, I hate bullies/ You must be a terrible person/ Everyone inside your team is whispering that you deserve it," he raps as he continues to imply that key insiders at OVO are Team Lamar.
This song notably samples Al Green's “What a Wonderful Thing Love Is," which the soul singer seemingly acknowledged by tweeting out his original track on the same day of Lamar's track.
May 4, 2024: Drake responds with third diss track, 'Family Matters'
Drake responded to Lamar’s “6:16 in LA” diss track with a record called “Family Matters.” In his nearly eight-minute diss, which was accompanied by a music video that showed New Ho King Chinese restaurant Kendrick referenced on “Euphoria,” Drake takes shots at Kendrick’s relationship with his fiancée, Whitney Alford, alleging abuse and infidelity.
“You the Black messiah wifing up a mixed queen/ And hit vanilla cream to help out with your self-esteem/ On some Bobby s---, I wanna know what Whitney need,” he spits, before later adding, “When you put your hands on your girl, is it self-defense ’cause she’s bigger than you?”
Drake also took verbal shots at other rappers he’s reportedly beefing with, including A$AP Rocky, The Weeknd, Metro Boomin, Future and Rick Ross.
May 4, 2024: Kendrick Lamar responds to Drake with scathing diss, 'Meet the Grahams'
Soon after Drake’s “Family Matters” arrived, Kendrick Lamar returned with a blistering response called “Meet the Grahams.”
In the 6 1/2-minute track, Lamar seemingly calls out Drake for being a deadbeat dad and alleges he’s hiding another child, a daughter, from the world.
“You lied about your son, you lied about your daughter, huh, you lied about them other kids that’s out there hoping that you come,” he raps.
He also takes shots at Drake’s family, alleged alcohol abuse, a gambling addiction and that the Toronto rapper used Ozempic for weight loss and had cosmetic surgery.
“Get some discipline, don’t cut them corners like your daddy did. F--- what Ozempic did. Don’t pay to play with them Brazilians, get a gym membership,” he raps.
May 4, 2024: Kendrick Lamar follows up 'Meet the Grahams' with 'Not Like Us'
Kendrick Lamar didn't wait for Drake to respond to his third diss track, "Meet the Grahams," opting to release a fourth targeted diss track at Drake with "Not Like Us.'
The track, which is currently the No. 2 trending video on YouTube, is a 4 1/2-minute verbal attack on the Toronto rapper, taking aim at his alleged predilection for young women and his recent legal drama with Tupac's estate after releasing his “Taylor Made Freestyle” diss track at Lamar, which featured an AI-generated Tupac voice.
On the track, Kendrick raps, “Say, Drake, I hear you like ‘em young/ You better not ever go to cell block one,” and later adds, “Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophiles,” a nod to Drake’s 2021 album, “Certified Lover Boy,” that seemingly accuses the rapper of pedophilia.
Later in the song, which also challenges Drake's street credibility and reputation, Kendrick also takes Drake to task about his “Taylor Made Freestyle” diss track, rapping, "You think the Bay gon’ let you disrespect Pac, n----? I think that Oakland show gon’ be your last stop, n----.”
May 5, 2024: Drake drops 'The Heart Part 6'
Drake's newest diss track about Lamar shot to the top of the YouTube trending chart after its release on May 5. In the nearly 5 1/2-minute song, Drake denied Lamar's previous allegations of pedophilia and also alleged he made up information about having a secret 11-year-old daughter for Lamar to use in a song.
Lamar has yet to comment or release a response to "The Heart Part 6," but Drake rapped on the track he was waiting for words from Lamar.
"You know, at least your fans are gettin’ some raps out of you/ I’m happy I could motivate you/ Bring you back to the game," Drake said. "Just let me know when we’re gettin’ to the facts/ Everything in my s--- is facts/ I’m waitin’ on you to return the favor."
May 8, 2024: Seth Rogen reacts to the rappers' feud
Actor and comedian Seth Rogen weighed in on beef between the two rappers when he hosted "Seth Rogen Smokes the Bowl," an event for his Alzheimer’s charity Hilarity For Charity.
While taking the mic, Rogen shared his thoughts about the ongoing feud between Drake and Lamar.
First, he said: “If you’re a rap fan, there’s some crazy sh-t going on right now.”
While updating the audience on what's been going on, Rogen joked that Lamar and Drake have been writing "mean rhymes about each other, which is an objectively funny way to fight with another person."
The comedian then said that Drake started to get "defensive" once Lamar called him a "bad father" and that Lamar dissed saying that the "In My Feelings" rapper should be a "registered sex offender" in one of his songs.
"That changed the tone of the whole conversation pretty dramatically," Rogen said. "Drake was caught off guard and then he started writing raps and his raps were, like, defensive now all of a sudden, which is a funny thing to hear."
"You don't hear defensive rapping that often. Rap is usually pretty aggressive. You don't hear rap that's like, I am a good father. I should not be registered. I would say as soon as you are asserting in a rap song that you should not be a registered sex offender, you've lost the rap battle," he said.
May 13, 2024: Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us' lands at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100
Billboard reported on May 13 that Lamar's "Not Like Us" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This marks the Compton rapper's fourth Hot 100 No. 1. Additionally, his track "Euphoria" went from No. 11 to No. 3 on the same chart.
However, Drake’s diss track "Family Matters" debuted at No. 7 on the same chart. Since this is Drake's 78th song to be included in the top 10 on the Hot 100 chart, it makes him the artist with the most top 10 entries, per the magazine.
May 16, 2024: Kendrick Lamar and Drake receive competing nominations at the 2024 BET Awards
Kendrick Lamar and Drake will be going head to head at the 2024 BET Awards as the two have been nominated for best male hip-hop artist and best collaboration.
For best collaboration, Drake is nominated for “Rich Baby Daddy” with SZA and Sexyy Red, while Lamar is nominated for his guest verse on the remix of Beyoncé’s “America Has a Problem.”
Drake is also nominated for album of the year for "For All The Dogs (Scary Hours Edition), best male R&B/pop artist, video of the year, among others.
Their nods came after Lamar’s track “Not Like Us” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Released on May 4, the song was the Compton rapper’s latest diss track in the ongoing feud.
“Not Like Us” marks Lamar’s fourth Hot 100 No. 1. Additionally, his track “Euphoria” went from No. 11 to No. 3 on the same chart.
However, one of Drake’s diss tracks also saw some success. The Canadian native’s song “Family Matters” debuted at No. 7 on the same chart. This is Drake’s 78th song to be included in the top 10 on the Hot 100 chart, making him the artist with the most top 10 entries, per the magazine.
June 19, 2024: Kendrick Lamar adds a new verse to his Drake diss track at L.A. concert
Lamar threw some fuel on the fire when he debuted a new verse to "Euphoria," his hit diss track of Drake, at his "The Pop Out - Ken and Friends" concert in Los Angeles on Juneteenth.
“Give me Tupac’s ring back and I might give you a little respect,” Lamar rapped.
Lamar was referring to Drake's $1 million purchase of a crown-shaped ring filled with rubies and diamonds that once belonged to legendary rapper Tupac Shakur, who was killed in 1996. The ring, which is the most valuable hip-hop artifact ever sold according to Smithsonian Magazine, features a crown with rubies and diamonds.
The buyer remained a mystery until Drake was seen showing it off in an interview at a New York City strip club, according to Billboard.
In a separate issue, Shakur’s estate threatened to sue Drake in April over his diss track about Lamar called “Taylor Made Freestyle.” The track appeared to use an artificial intelligence-generated version of Shakur’s voice, prompting a cease-and-desist letter from an attorney representing the late rapper’s estate.
The track was then removed from Drake’s X and Instagram accounts.
