Kendrick Lamar lit the rap world on fire on Juneteeth. He put on an electric performance during the "Ken and Friends" concert. He not only brought out a staggering roster of guests, but he used his platform to take a few more shots at Drake. The Compton rapper performed the diss record "Euphoria," and rather than stick to the script, he decided to tweak lyrics and send a new message directly to the 6 God. The message? Don't ever disrespect 2Pac.
Kendrick Lamar got rid of the "Euphoria" line "Matter of fact, I ain't even bleed him yet, can I bleed him." In its place was a line far more scathing, and one that verified what we all suspected. He doesn't respect Drake. "Give me Tupac’s ring back and I might give you a little respect," he rapped. The ring in question was bought by Drake back in 2023. The Toronto rapper purchased the artifact for $1 million, according to Billboard. He's flaunted the ring on Instagram and worn it during several interviews. Drake made a similar purchase when he netted $2.6 million worth of Pharrell's jewelry. He even flaunted the latter during the "Family Matters" video. Neither of these purchases sat well with Kendrick Lamar.
Kendrick Lamar Confirmed He Doesn't Respect Drake
The Compton rapper has made it clear that 2Pac is a musical idol. The notion that Drake owns one of Pac's prized possessions has informed some of Lamar's angriest bars. "You think the Bay gon' let you disrespect 'Pac, n**ga?," he asked on "Not Like Us." Dot's reverence for 2Pac dates back to before he started rapping. He claimed to have visited the set of the "California Love" video as a kid. Years later, he used a rare interview from 'Pac to close out his legendary album To Pimp a Butterfly. Dot also penned a tribute to the late rapper in 2015. "I was 8 yrs old when I first saw you," he recalled. "I couldn’t describe how I felt at that moment. So many emotions. Full of excitement. Full of joy and eagerness. 20 yrs later I understand exactly what that feeling was. Inspired."
Kendrick Lamar brought the 'Pac experience full circle during the "Pop Out" show. He invited Dr. Dre onstage, and together they performed "California Love" together. Dre rapped his verse, of course, and then Dot took over for 2Pac. Talk about carrying the torch. Kendrick Lamar's love for 2Pac has taken a bit of a backseat in 2024. He's dedicated the last six months to hating on Drake, and he continued to do so at the "Pop Up" show. Lamar sold t-shirts with a reference to his now iconic "New Ho King" bar from "Euphoria."
