As the kerfuffle between Kendrick Lamar and Drake enters the legal system, it doesn't mean that Aubrey Graham's trolling has come to a halt. Despite being one of the top-selling artists in the world, the OVO head honcho has had quite a rough year. His war of words with K.Dot has dominated Hip Hop conversations since its lyrical launch in the Spring of 2024. Now, Drizzy has set off a controversial lawsuit against UMG regarding allegedly using illegal bots to boost the success of Lamar's "Not Like Us." Some found it surprising, considering the seemingly organic global sensation that the hit track became, but the 6 God doesn't seem to be taking his L in stride.
Yet, there are those who don't believe that Drake suffered a loss in this Rap beef. Granted, it will go down in Hip Hop history as one of the greatest battles between chart-topping artists to date, making it an ongoing hot topic across outlets, podcasts, and social media users looking to spark discussions. A point that no one could ignore is Graham's incessant trolling of his opponent, taking to the internet to drop off photos, comments, gestures, and the like to poke the bear. They are moves that Lamar seemed to reference in his lyrics, but it hasn't stopped Drake from using trolling to show Dot's attacks don't faze him. We've gathered just a handful of Drizzy's attempts at prodding Kendrick during their beef, and some believe that, often, Champagne Papi is his own worst enemy.
Targeting Kendrick Lamar's Manager
In Rap beef, some say anything goes and no one is safe, and Drake made sure to include not only Lamar's family, but to troll the rapper's manager, Anthony Selah. Back in April, Drake added a photo of Selah to his Instagram Story, where he mocked the entertainment executive. In between turtle emojis, he wrote, "Wonder is today the day," seemingly referencing that Kendrick was taking too long issuing a response to a track. That wasn't all—Drizzy popped back up the following day with another image of Selah. This time, it was a photo of the music manager holding two large OVO bags with the caption, "We getting in our bag or nah?" It looks like Lamar's camp certainly was.
"They Have Nothing To Drop"
Although the tension between Drake and Kendrick didn't begin in 2024, it indeed reached its peak this year. Two days after trolling Anthony Selah, DJ Akademiks reposted a message from L.A.'s REAL 92.3's DJ Hed. The media personality didn't take kindly to the way Drake was moving on the internet. “The Canadian ‘responded’ after over a decade of being dared to come outside," Hed wrote. "Still has yet to officially claim said ‘response.’ He’s now taunting Ant in attempts to garner a reaction. If you enjoy microwave meals that’s on you. We prefer cooked food on this side." Akademiks also caught a stray when DJ Hed told him "to post that." Later, Drizzy took to trolling Hed by replying, "Use me as a 'they have nothing to drop' button," egging on the opposition and their supporters.
Compton Community College 'Fit
April was a busy month of trolling for Drake because a little over a week after prodding Selah and firing back at DJ Hed, another photo stirred controversy. The OVO star is known for posing on the 'Gram, showing off his luxury fits, jewelry, and vacations. However, some believed he was throwing shade at Kendrick Lamar by rocking a Compton Community College sweatshirt, a school with which Dot has been actively involved for many years. Further, Lamar has always carried his hometown of Compton on his back throughout his career and activism.
This was a blatant dig, but it didn't do much—other than that, in June 2024, in the throes of the Rap beef, Dot made a surprise appearance at Compton Community College. There, he delivered an inspiring commencement speech. “I wanted to come out here just to tell y’all how much I appreciate y’all. I’m proud of the city of Compton, I’m proud of Compton College, most importantly, I’m proud of the graduates out here,” said Lamar. “I know what it takes. You had a lot of hardship, not only in your house, in your communities, but most importantly, in yourself, and that’s the toughest thing to overcome. We still growing day by day, brick by brick, making sure we develop, not only in the physical form but in the spiritual as well."
Tupac & Snoop A.I. Verses
One of the strangest parts of this Rap beef between these two heavy hitters had to be Drake's "Taylor Made Freestyle." The track perplexed listeners not only due to its A.I.-generated verses from Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur but also because many didn't understand why Drake would think this was a flex. Additionally, it caught the attention of U.S. Senator Tom Tillis from North Carolina. Drizzy and Co. wanted to use the two West Coast, Los Angeles legends' voices to mock Lamar, but it backfired across the board.
Later, Tupac's estate emerged with a reported cease and desist letter, while Snoop shared a video on social media, evidently addressing the controversy. Moreover, Drake decided to remove the song from the internet, avoiding the legal drama. As far as Senator Tillis is concerned, he has long advocated for protecting entertainers' likenesses and voices when addressing the future of A.I. Tillis played a portion of the A.I. verses from "Taylor Made Freestyle" in Congress. He punched the importance of lawmaking surrounding the topic. "So, we've got work to do and legislation addressing the misuse of digital replicas will have a multi-billion dollar implication," said Senator Tillis. "We've got to get it under control."
Wearing A Tupac Shirt Amid Beef Battle
Both Drake and Kendrick Lamar have been outspoken regarding their admiration of the late Tupac Shakur. Both have cited him as an influence, but for some, Dot has exemplified Pac's character and talents. Yet, although Southern California wasn't Shakur's birthplace, he is long hailed as a West Coast G.O.A.T. from the Bay to L.A. This is felt throughout Hip Hop, as artists from California often call on Tupac as their inspiration. This includes Lamar, who never skips a beat to praise the activist, lyricist, and Hip Hop icon as a motivator in his career.
This is why, when in July, Drizzy posed, once again, on the 'Gram to show off another gossip-worthy 'fit. While he trolled Kendrick with the Compton Community College shirt the first time around, he returned with a Tupac look that made fans think he was subliminally targeting Lamar. Drake's "Only God Can Judge Me" t-shirt wasn't exactly subtle, especially considering his A.I. Tupac verse. Lamar mentioned Drake's admiration of Pac during their battle on "Not Like Us." He rhymed, "You think the Bay 'gon let you disrespect Pac, n*gga / I think that Oakland show gon' be your last stop, n*gga."
Custaaaard!
Hip Hop exploded when Kendrick Lamar dropped his surprise GNX, an album hailed as a classic within 24 hours. One word has taken over social media timelines as his lyrics, cadence, and musicality continue to be dissected. On the Lefty Gunplay-assisted "TV Off," Dot yells, "Mustaaaaard," referencing famed L.A. producer DJ Mustard, who is also one of the primary producers of "Not Like Us." The shout from Lamar on the "TV Off" has become a cultural phenomenon, with billion-dollar corporations like McDonalds even jumping in on the fun.
Drake has also seen the hype because he dropped in the comment section of LosPollosTV's Livestream. The discussion was focused on comparing Drake's Certified Lover Boy to Lamar's GNX, and Drizzy slid in with a quick message: "CUSTAAAARRRRRD." He kept things going by asking viewers to back up his trolling with, "We need a donut emoji in the chat custarrrrddddd."
