The Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef will yield comparisons between both MCs for the rest of eternity, but what about comparing the rivals to other popular duos? DJ Hed recently surprised his The Bigger Picture cohosts Elliott Wilson and Jeremy Hecht with an example of his "accountability" regarding both lyricists' battle. First, he staunchly proclaimed himself as a Los Angeles basketball fan who hates Nikola Jokic. Why? Because Joker doesn't give off the championship-obsessed, competitive, superstar energy that someone like a LeBron James does. Given Hed's K.Dot connection, you might expect him to paint his fav more favorably. But this isn't about the DJ's own perspective.
Basically, DJ Hed posited that some hip-hop fans look at Kendrick Lamar the same way he looks at Nikola Jokić. Drake is (ironically) much more like LeBron James in their approach to their image and status, whereas Kendrick – much like the Serbian draft steal – doesn't care as much about all the theatrics. Of course, Hed also brought up how the Compton lyricist definitely cares about claiming the crown these days, which is a "foreign" energy to admirers and haters alike.
The Bigger Picture
As such, maybe every single detail of this comparison doesn't line up perfectly. Nikola Jokić and LeBron James have never faced off in the NBA Western Conference Finals, which is the most comparable basketball competition to the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle possible for both players. But DJ Hed is talking more about fan perception than his own positive or negative views on these individuals. Also, Jeremy Hecht pointed out how this is an issue of time, as well. The Boy has always been out in the open as "that guy," whereas The Boogeyman was much more selective in when he chose to pop out and claim the title.
In addition, Elliott Wilson compared this rap battle and NBA dynamic to that of Jay-Z and Nas back when their beef was the greatest rap battle of all time. It still is for many folks out there, although Kendrick Lamar and Drake certainly gave them a run for their money. We will see how people react to this basketball comparison. LeBron James never sued Nikola Jokić for defamation, streaming manipulation, and more, though...
