Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance on Sunday night delivered multiple messages, but for social media users, one stood out: Don’t challenge Kendrick Lamar.
In his diss track Not Like Us, Lamar continues the accusations against Drake that he introduced in Meet the Grahams, a song released just a day earlier. The track implies serious allegations, with Lamar rapping, “Say, Drake, I hear you like ’em young / You better not ever go to cell block one.”
He also takes aim at Drake’s 2021 album Certified Lover Boy, quipping, “Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophiles.”
One of the most debated lines in the song further emphasizes Lamar’s attack: “Why you trollin’ like a b—? Ain’t you tired? / Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A-minor.”
The cover art for the single intensifies the controversy, as it features an aerial view of Drake’s Toronto estate, altered to resemble a sex offender registry map, marking locations of convicted offenders.
Beyond these allegations, Lamar also critiques Drake’s cultural identity, accusing him of leveraging Black artists from Atlanta to enhance his street credibility. He further references past interactions involving J. Cole, Lil Wayne, and Serena Williams.
Fans and critics alike viewed this track as a defining moment in the ongoing feud, solidifying Lamar’s dominance in the battle.
By late 2024, Drake responded with legal action, filing a defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), the record label he shares with Lamar. The lawsuit claimed that UMG failed to prevent the release of Not Like Us, despite its allegedly harmful and defamatory content. Drake argued that the label not only allowed the song to be distributed but also promoted it, further damaging his reputation.
A month later, the legal dispute escalated, with Drake asserting that UMG’s inaction had not only impacted his public image but also jeopardized his personal safety.
