Culture | March 28th, 2024

What a Time to Beef

By: Cordell Jones | Staff Writer

While this is considered the year of the dragon by the Chinese Zodiac calendar, it can be viewed as the year of the beef in the rap world. Coming directly off the heels of the explosive Nicki Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion beef, Drake and J.Cole now have their eyes set on a growing rap beef with fellow rapper Kendrick Lamar. On the freshly released Future and Metro Boomin album “We Don’t Trust You,” Kendrick features on the song “Like That.”

While Future shares subliminal digs to rappers, presumably also Drake, Kendrick Lamar sends direct shots to Drake and J.Cole throughout his feature. With lyrics referencing “First Person Shooter,” which features both Drake and J.Cole, and Drake’s most recent album, “For All The Dogs,” Kendrick made sure his point was made. Where did this beef start from on all sides?

Kendrick’s beef stems from the nature of the rap industry. Kendrick Lamar has, in the past, worked with both rappers and has even teased a collaborative project with J. Cole. However, as the dominance to be the number 1 rapper, Kendrick takes the opportunity to separate himself from the two and assert his position as the best. As both have shared jabs at each other on their rapping skill and ability, this is par for the course for both rappers. While Future’s relationship with the Canadian rapper has yet to be dished out fully, Metro Boomin, collaborator and past long-time collaborator with Drake, have a larger beef.

According to Variety writer Steven Horowitz, Drake was meant to be featured on Metro Boomin’s “Trance” single from his album “Heroes and Villians.” While he sent a verse in for the song, it ultimately got scrapped. Drake’s version leaked online, which then caused fans to wonder why the verse was scrapped from the official release.

Further into 2022, as “Her Loss” was winning during awards season, Metro went to X, formerly known as Twitter, to tweet the following deleted tweet: “Despite H&V having more streams, Her Loss consistently wins rapalbum of the year. It’s evidence that award shows are driven by politics, not merit”.

Metro Boomin’s previously deleted tweet. Photo courtesy of Complex.

This has now spilled out into the release cycle of Metro Boomin’s album, as Metro even tweeted mere minutes before the album was released, he tweeted, “Once you pick a side, stay there.. #WEDONTTRUSTYOU”. This brings more attention to the beef, which is now up for public display.

At the Sunrise, Florida stop of his current tour, “It’s All a Blur 2,” Drake addressed the beef, taking on a more positive, affirming tone rather than directly addressing Drake. More stops on the tour are coming up, and the potential for Drake to drop a song responding to the drama hangs in the balance. Now, only time will tell what this beef will entirely turn into.