Kendrick Lamar, the Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper, has thrown down the gauntlet, taking aim at fellow rap heavyweights like Drake and J. Cole.
Lamar’s unexpected appearance on Future and Metro Boomin’s latest album “We Don’t Trust You” ignited a fiery debate about the lyrical genius and legacy of the artists.
Lamar’s incendiary verse on the track, “Like That“, directly confronts Drake and J. Cole’s recent lyrical jabs. Referencing lines from Drake and J. Cole’s collaboration “First Person Shooter,” Lamar challenges their assertions of being part of the “big three” in contemporary rap.
“Motherfuck the big three, n—a, it’s just big me,” Lamar proclaims, asserting his dominance in the rap game.
Lamar’s verse goes further, taking aim at the quality of his competitors’ music, and boldly declaring that his legacy will outlast their influence. Drawing a comparison to music icons, Prince and Michael Jackson, Lamar asserts his place in the pantheon of music history.
“Your best work is a light pack / N—a, Prince outlived Mike Jack / N—a, bum, ‘fore all your dogs get buried / That’s a K with all these nines, he gon’ see Pet Sematary,” Lamar spits, leaving no doubt about his confidence and ambition.
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This isn’t the first time Kendrick Lamar has courted controversy with his lyrical prowess. In 2013, he caused a stir with his verse on Big Sean’s “Control,” where he called out several prominent rappers and declared his intention to dominate the rap game.
The track “Control,” performed by Big Sean and featuring Kendrick Lamar and Jay Electronica, was released on August 14, 2013, and served as a promotional single for Big Sean’s album “Hall of Fame.”
Despite its impressive reception and critical acclaim, the song was omitted from the album due to clearance issues with its samples. Notably, “Control” includes samples from Jay-Z’s “Where I’m From,” Quilapayún and Sergio Ortega’s “El pueblo unido jamás será vencido,” and Terrace Martin’s “Get Bizy”.
Following its release, “Control” received widespread praise from music critics, particularly for Kendrick Lamar’s verse, which was described as a significant moment in hip-hop history. Various publications, including Complex and Rolling Stone, hailed Lamar’s performance as one of the best of the year.
However, the verse also stirred controversy due to Lamar’s direct call-outs to other rappers, proclaiming his dominance and sparking feuds with artists like Drake and Big Sean.
In response to Lamar’s verse, numerous rappers released their own tracks, either directly addressing Lamar’s challenge or offering their take on the situation. The aftermath of “Control” led to a surge in Lamar’s popularity, as evidenced by the significant increase in his social media following and Wikipedia page views.
