Kendrick Lamar has taken aim at rap rivals Drake and J. Cole in a new song, claiming that instead of representing the “big three” of the genre, he's just “the big me.”
“Like That” appears on Future and Metro Boomin's new collaborative album We don't trust you.
Lamar is one of several stars who made guest appearances on the recording, along with The Weeknd, Travis Scott, Playboi Carti, and Rick Ross.
However, it was Lamar's appearance that made headlines, as he responded directly to J. Cole's verse on “First Person Shooter” from Drake's 2023 album. For all dogs.
In that song, Cole sang: “Love when they're arguing with the toughest MC / Is it K-Dot?” Is it Aubrey? or me? / We are the big three like we started the league, but now I feel like Muhammad Ali.
Lamar is known by his nickname K-Dot, while Aubrey is Drake's birth name.
(From left) Kendrick Lamar, Drake and J. Cole
(Getty)
The trio is considered by many critics to represent the most talented and commercially successful rappers of the past decade.
However, on “Like This” Lamar rejects the idea that they are comparable artists.
“Fuck the big three, no, it's just big I“, he sings. “N***a, boom, what? I really like this/And your best work is a light package.”
He goes on to compare their rivalry to the beef in the 1980s between Prince and Michael Jackson.
On “First Person Shooter”, Drake compared his chart success to that of Michael Jackson. On “Like This,” Lamar points out: “No, Prince has outlived Mike Jack.”
Lamar and Drake have previously exchanged barbs on several occasions, but this appears to be the first time Cole has attacked Cole.
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Drake and Cole are currently co-headlining the “It's All A Blur” tour together, which Lamar sarcastically refers to as “a gang on top, but it can't be legit.”
In a two-star review for For all dogs, The IndependentNadine Smith wrote: “Instead of relaxing and settling down as he approaches his 40s, Drake's new album For all dogs He sees him behaving more than ever, in ways that reek not only of insecurity, but outright misogyny.
“When he sings that he's 'putting them in my phone like sardines' in 'First Person Shooter,' his outright disdain for women stares you right in the face,” she added.
In a five-star review of Lamar's latest album Mr. Morale and the Great Walkers, The IndependentBen Bryant described the record as “a tender work from the defining poet of his generation.”
“Lifelong beer expert. General travel enthusiast. Social media buff. Zombie maven. Communicator.”