The Biggest Names in Hip-Hop Are Embroiled in an Epic Beef. What’s Going On?

When rapper Kendrick Lamar’s famed guest verse on “Like That“—a song on the album We Don’t Trust You from rapper Future and prominent hip-hop producer Metro Boomin—catapulted onto the charts in early April and instigated a massive fight among some of the biggest names in hip-hop, fans of the genre knew that the coming beef would be sizzling hot. Drake makes fun of Lamar’s shorter stature, asking “How the fuck you big steppin’ with a size seven men’s on?” Drake goes on to shame Lamar for what he perceives as a bad business deal, using the song’s title and refrain to allege that the head of Lamar’s former label, Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith, was claiming 50 percent of Lamar’s publishing revenue: “cause Top told you drop and give me 50 like some push-ups, huh.” The line is also possibly a double entendre reference to this viral video of Lamar doing push-ups. : “Can’t believe he jumpin’ in, this N**** turnin’ 50/ Every song that made it on the chart, he got from Drizzy.” Though it’s been removed from the final version, the leaked demo also included a line seemingly implicating Ross in Sean “Puff Daddy”/“Diddy” Combs’ current sexual assault allegations and lawsuits, with the line “Every song that made it on the chart he got from Drizzy/ Worry about whatever’s goin on with you and —.” Drake also brings up NBA player Ja Morant, who supported We Still Don’t Trust You via social media, and who has a history of allegedly butting heads with Drake going back to rumors that Morant became romantically involved with Drake’s purported ex. Regarding Morant, Drake rhymes: “Shoutout to the hooper that be bustin’ out the griddy/ We know why you mad, N**** I ain’t even trippin’/ All that lil heartbroken Twitter shit for bitches.” As far as Metro Boomin is concerned, Drake tells the producer to “shut your ho-ass up and make some drums.” Cole comes off the easiest, with Drake simply admonishing Cole’s apology to Lamar, saying, “I don’t care what Cole think, that Dot shit was weak as fuck.” He also addresses everyone, chiding them for ganging up on him by saying it’s “20-v-1,” alleging that their issues were seeds sown long ago, and warning that he knows more dirt than what he divulges on the song. Shortly after Drake’s “Push Ups” was released, Ross premiered his own diss track, called “Champagne Moments”, on DJ Akademiks’ livestream before releasing it on streaming.