The Drake-Kendrick Lamar beef has been nothing short of explosive, dropping diss tracks faster than you can say “Slim Shady”. But who really came out on top? Royce da 5’9” has some words of wisdom.
It all started with J. Cole sparking a “Big Three” debate, then Lamar dissing Drake and Cole on “Like That”. Things escalated quickly with a flurry of diss tracks: Drake’s “Push Ups” and “Taylor Made Freestyle” (later removed due to Tupac’s estate disapproval), Kendrick’s “Euphoria,” “6:16 In LA”, “Meet the Grahams”, and “Not Like Us”, and Drake’s response, “The Heart Part 6”.
This back-and-forth has been epic, and social media has been buzzing, picking sides and dissecting every bar.
While the rappers have been trading blows, Royce da 5’9 reminds us who the real winners are. He took to Instagram with a simple yet powerful statement: “Somebody just asked me, who won?? My reply: THE FANS”.
And Royce has a valid point here. Hip hop fans have been feasting on this lyrical warfare. However, when you look at the numbers, it seems like fans have said their word by simply listening to one side more than theother.
Streaming numbers are through the roof, with Kendrick’s “Not Like Us” topping the Spotify Global charts and shattering records for single-day streams for a solo hip hop song while dethroning Drake’s “Champagne Poetry”. It happened on May 7, when “Not Like Us” gained 11.85 million. The following day, May 8, it broke its own record by earning 12.2 million streams. Meanwhile, Kendrick’s entire back catalogue saw a 49% increase in streams, while Drake’s took a 5% dip.
Ultimately, the Drake-Kendrick Lamar beef has been a win for hip hop. It’s brought excitement and energy back to the genre. So, while the rappers might be trading barbs, fans pick sides and savour every diss track. Whether you’re Team Drake or Team Kendrick, there’s no denying that this is a moment in hip hop history.
So, what are your thoughts? Who won the battle? Let the debate rage on!
