Lord Jamar is not one to hold back his opinions. The latest to get a bit of his mind is Drake, who he believes should not be permitted to say the N-word.
“I could see you going back to the white people when nobody is around and saying ‘Yeah, I say n***a in my rhymes and they don’t say anything to me,’” Jamar suggested. “‘That’s because they think I’m one of them, but I’m really one of you.’
“You’ve got to choose a lane, bro. Choose a lane. He wants to be everything to all people it seems like, and you can’t do that. You’ve got to pick a side.”
Lord Jamar says he doesn’t like how Drake uses the n-word and suspects that Drake talks negatively about black people to white people.
In 2016, Drake hosted the ESPYs. He was praised for his performance and comedic timing. In 2024, however, Serena Williams made the ESPYs an anti-Drake affair. The tennis superstar took the stage during the event and addressed the elephant in the room. She was referenced (positively) in the diss track “Not Like Us,” and she gave the love right back to Kendrick Lamar by dancing to the stage in the middle of her speech. Serena Williams also suggested that Drake is going to have a difficult time living the song down.
Serena Williams was the host for the 2024 ESPYS, so the chances were high that she was going to make a joke about the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar battle. She didn’t waste any time. “If I’ve learned anything this year,” she noted. “Its that none of us should ever pick a fight with Kendrick Lamar…” The song “Not Like Us” then kicked in, and Williams danced while the crowd looked on in delight. The real blow was dealt after the song came to an end, though. Serena Williams then used Drake as an example of what can happen when someone challenges K. Dot. “He will make your hometown not like you,” she explained. “The next time Drake sits courtside at a Raptors game, they’re gonna Forest Gump him, seats taken…”
Serena Williams And Drake Were Romantically Linked For Years
Serena Williams just crip walked at the ESPY Awards to ‘Not Like Us’ making fun of Drake
“and if I’ve learned anything this year, its that none of us should ever pick a fight with Kendrick Lamar… he will make your hometown not like you, the next time Drake sits courtside at a… pic.twitter.com/KAwTdm4uWR
Serena Williams and Drake have a complicated personal history. They were seen together throughout 2011, which is when rumors swirled that the two were dating. Their friendship lasted several years, and the two allegedly left the 2015 US Open semi-finals together. Williams and Drake ended their friendship sometime before 2017, as the former married Alexis Ohanian and welcomed a child. Drake is believed to address the split in the song “Nothings Into Somethings.” The rapper also took aim at Ohanian in “Middle of the Ocean” from 2022. “Sidebar,” he raps. “Serena, your husband a groupie. He claim we don’t got a problem but. No, boo, it is like you comin’ for sushi.”
Serena Williams wasn’t a fan of Drake’s bars. Neither was Kendrick Lamar, evidently. He blasted Drake for talking badly about the tennis icon on the aforementioned “Not Like Us.” The bond between K. Dot and Williams tracks, given their shared Compton upbringing. “I’m glad DeRoz’ came home, y’all didn’t deserve him neither,” Dot spits. “From Alondra down to Central, n**ga better not speak on Serena.” Drake’s trash-talking came back to haunt him, and Williams just handed him another embarrassing moment on a stage he once dominated.
Kendrick Lamar’s metaphorical beatdown of Drake was so bad, it’s still getting referenced months later in all kinds of contexts outside of hip-hop. For instance, Ken’s fellow Comptonite, Serena Williams, name-dropped him while dancing to his song “Not Like Us” during her monologue as host of the 2024 ESPY Awards.
“If there’s anything I’ve learned this year,” she joked, “it’s that none of us — not even me — should ever pick a fight with Kendrick Lamar.” The show’s DJ took the opportunity to play a clip of the song, allowing Williams the chance to reference one of her own viral moments and do a little C-walk before continuing, “He will make your hometown not like you. The next time Drake is at a Toronto Raptors game, they’re going to Forest Gump him,” she laughed, launching into an approximation of the country bumpkin accent of that film’s protagonist’s bullies. “‘Seat’s taken.’”
Serena Williams crip waking to ‘Not Like Us’ and clowning Drake on stage at the ESPYs pic.twitter.com/y3CUZGmYWO
It wasn’t the first time she’s referenced the song recently. During a panel at the 2024 Essence Fest, she called “Not Like Us’ the song of the summer (prompting Uproxx’s own Derrick Rossignol to take a swing at identifying all the candidates for that honor). “I love that song,” she said. “It’s like the hit of the summer. When they play that jam, I’m jamming.”
Poor Drake. It wasn’t too long ago, that he was the only makin’ ’em laugh at the ESPYs. Live long enough, you will become the villain (although, again, he brought all this on himself).
The Compton star’s alleged disconnect from the world, which became a trademark of sorts for him, also led to a disconnect with Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha fans who demand their stars to be ever-present and at the top of their to keep their crown. Two years later, Lamar finds himself in the good graces of these young fans following his win in the epic, rapid-fire rap battle against Drake. Through his diss tracks, especially “Not Like Us,” Lamar not only reconnected with the world and remained present, but he also proved that he always had his ears to the streets.
For example, in the “Not Like Us” video, Lamar references a Drake TikTok dance video — something a rapper who goes “months without a phone” wouldn’t notice. In the end, it made for an entertaining war that also made Lamar a more appealing figure for Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha rap fans who had yet to connect with him.
When Lamar announced Morale, he did so by quoting a tweet by self-labeled “hip-hop enthusiast” SK (@raptalksk) who claimed that “Kendrick Lamar is officially retired” due to the lengthy absence fans endured before the album’s release. SK, a college freshman at the time of that tweet, captured the general sentiment of Gen-Z and Alpha rap fans who’d yet to see Lamar be the star that their elders claimed he was. Lamar wasn’t as active and ever-present as his contemporaries – Drake and J. Cole – or modern-day stars like Travis Scott, Future, and Young Thug, nor was his music universally loved like the aforementioned names.
Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha rap fans live in an era where their favorite entertainment is readily and consistently available, and new editions quickly arrive to replace the previous ones. In the past decade, Lamar didn’t care to cater to their desires, but in his battle with Drake, Lamar prioritized their interests knowing that it was key to beating his opponent.
Unlike any other time in his career, Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha rap fans became Kendrick Lamar’s main audience during the height of his beef with Drake. “Not Like Us,” Lamar’s final entry in the battle, is a joyful dance on Drake’s metaphorical grave and a victory lap that mocks the rapper with comedic vitriol, a perfect delivery for Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha fans. Lines like “Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A minor” and “Freaky-ass n****, he a 69 God” and the “OVOHoe” chant quickly became rallying cries in young fans’ newfound love for Lamar in the mainstream world. With “Not Like Us,” Lamar successfully recruited a new generation of rap fans who’d failed to appreciate him as one of rap’s elites. It’s the same crowd that Drake typically catered to with his music, especially that of the past half-decade.
It was a smart move from Lamar who is just two years removed from the mixed reception Morale received. Yes, the album topped the charts and went on to win a Grammy for Best Rap Album the following year, but it wasn’t held in the same regard by this young generation. It extended a streak of difficulty Lamar had in roping in Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha.
To Pimp A Butterfly, arguably his best album, is often deemed his worst by this young crowd. DAMN. trended in the right direction, but Morale erased that progress – not that Lamar desired to go out of his way and recruit this crowd. That changed with “Not Like Us.” Lamar reportedly removed copyright claims on the song for a limited time which allowed streamers – mostly made up of Gen-Z and Alpha members – to freely use the record for any content they desired, even commercial purposes.
Just like that, “Not Like Us” skyrocketed to the top of the charts and entered itself into the song of the summer conversation while becoming the biggest hit of Lamar’s career. To this day, videos with the song continue to go viral on social media. Whether it be at clubs, birthday parties, other artists’ concerts, in weather reports, or Twitch streams from this generation’s favorite streamers, “Not Like Us” has become inescapable. It’s a successful move by Lamar pulled right from Drake’s playbook as the Toronto native employed the same tactics with his Meek Mill diss track “Back To Back.”
Lamar pushed the agenda further by performing the song five consecutive times at his The Pop Out — Ken & Friends show before releasing an epic music video for the song three weeks later. The same Kendrick Lamar who would release an album, drop music videos, and go on tour, before retreating to his Compton cave, is now outside and in the face of everyone willing and unwilling to watch just as the young generation called for him to be.
“Not Like Us” and Kendrick Lamar’s rap beef with Drake placed the star right back in the good graces of young rap fans. How long Lamar will be there remains unknown, but at the very least, their eyes are on him as they await his next move. Rumors of new music on the way from Lamar have picked up steam by the day as some hint at a massive “Not Like Us” remix while others point the rapper’s sixth album is on the way.
The latter seems to be the most likely as the “Not Like Us” video begins with a brief preview of an unreleased song complete with thumping, bass-rattling production that Lamar glides over with a catchy flow. The preview was met with support from all generations as they begged Lamar to release the song. This is all a result of “Not Like Us,” a record that unlocked the Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha rap fan generations for Kendrick Lamar who will have his biggest audience yet for the most anticipated era of his career.
Gordo has really come up in the 2020s. He’s been a DJ for nearly twenty years, but his collabs with Drake have introduced him to a whole new audience. Unsurprisingly, Gordo and Drake have stayed in touch, and continued to collaborate. The former went as far as to suggest that a new collab is going to drop by the end of the week. He posted a video and a photo with the text: “July 12” written over them. The content in both posts is either a supreme case of trolling or a true tease of new Drake.
The video that Gordo posted on his Instagram was taken from the Flagrant podcast. The producer does not appear in the video, but Andrew Schulz and the rest of the panel make reference to him working with Drizzy. “[Drake] does something like that,” the panelist explained. “He did it with Gordo. He saw that this is what people are f**cking with and did it.” The aforementioned photo is even more blatantly meant to evoke the 6 God. It’s a photo of Drake’s Toronto mansion, taken from the inside of a vehicle. July 12 is written across the top of both posts, which aligns with standard Friday rollout for new music.
It’s worth noting that Gordo has cried wolf before. In May, the producer posted a photo alongside Drake with the caption: “You guys reader for summer 2024…” It stirred up so much hype that the IG photo was reposted by DJ Akademiks. As we all know, there was no new Gardo and Drake that followed. A generous reading would be that the release was delayed, and that the song Gardo was referencing is actually the one he’s teasing for July 12. If this Friday comes and goes with nothing from either artist, however, then Gordo credibility as a source will start to wane.
Gordo isn’t the only one claiming new Drake music is on the way. DJ Akademiks claimed that fans should get ready during a Twitch stream on July 8. In contrast to Gordo, Akademiks’ claim was plain and simple. “Drake new music otw,” he told his viewers. “And it’s fye… trust me.” The internet personality has been so adamant about the impending release that he’s actually shot down rumors from other outlets. When fans theorized that Drake would be sampling Michael Jackson’s “Man In the Mirror,” Ak stomped on the story. “Not true,” he tweeted. The good news is, fans won’t have to wait much longer.
The American public is more invested in the ongoing Drake-Kendrick Lamar beef than the upcoming presidential election. Unlike the upcoming presidential election, however, the Drake-Kendrick beef has a clear winner. Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” ostensibly ended it, but the “Not Like Us” victory lap is relentless.
Now, even Siri has chosen a side — emphasizing the certified loser of this rap rapture.
HipHopDX’s Jeremy Hecht recorded himself asking Siri to play Drake’s Certified Lover Boy on Spotify, and instead, Kendrick Lamar whispers, “Psst, I see dead people,” which is the intro to “Not Like Us.”
As is my journalistic duty, I also asked Siri to play Certified Lover Boy, Drake’s September 2021 album, on Spotify, and Siri played “Not Like Us.” However, the second time I tried it, Siri did play Certified Lover Boy, so it would appear that Siri’s pettiness is limited to one attempt — or Spotify corrected the glitch. Hilarious, nonetheless.
“I mean, love Drake, love Drake, you always could play him,” DeRozan told Fox 40’s Sean Cunningham in response to whether Drake songs can be played during his games with the Sacramento Kings, his new team. “Kendrick’s been a friend of mine — family, damn near family for a long time, for a while. We from the same city, grew up damn near in the same neighborhood. So, it’s always been there. It hasn’t always been publicized, but that’s basically family.”
With a mix of street reality and melodic sense, Lil Durk, whose real name is Durk Derrick Banks, has made quite a name for himself. At the start of this decade, he arose from Chicago’s drill scene by dropping tapes like Life Ain’t No Joke and Signed to the Streets. Many rappers talk about violence, but Durk raps about what he has seen happen.
It took strength and change for Durk to go from being known only on underground mixtapes to becoming famous worldwide. When “Like Me” emerged as part of his 2015 album Remember My Name, it proved that he was good at making songs people liked. Fans started paying attention, so he did more projects such as Lil Durk 2X, which showed off his skills even more, with stories about life being complex sometimes and emotions getting intense too often, represented mainly through gritty narratives.
Though his reputation may be grounded in tales of struggle, there is no denying that this South Side representative has had commercial triumphs. Collaborating with other artists gave him international recognition, but one example would be when Drake featured him on their single, “Laugh Now Cry Later.” Here, we’re looking at five essential tracks that anyone who calls themselves a Durk fan already knows and anyone getting into his catalog needs to hear.
1. “Dis Ain’t What U Want” (2013)
“Dis Ain’t What U Want” was the single that put Lil Durk on the map in 2013. Taken from his mixtape Signed to the Streets, it features Durk’s combination of hard street lyrics and harmonious flow. The track reflects life in Chicago, where he talks about violence and the daily struggles he and his people face. Paris Bueller produced this heavy-hitting beat, which only serves as a backdrop for Durk’s powerful delivery. This makes it one of his most popular songs with fans and critics.
The success of “Dis Ain’t What U Want” marked a turning point for Lil Durk, who became recognized within drill music as more than just another voice from the streets of Chicago. It also received widespread radio play outside city limits, thus showing off his ability to express himself genuinely through music while also opening doors for future projects with other artists in different genres.
2. “My Beyoncé” (Featuring Dej Loaf) (2015)
“My Beyoncé” is a unique song in Lil Durk’s discography. The track features Dej Loaf from Detroit and represents a romantic turn in Durk’s usual street-themed, hard-edged style. It was included in his mixtape 300 Days, 300 Nights and quickly became one of the fans’ favorites. No one can deny that Durk and Dej Loaf were in perfect harmony while recording this song. They both talked about love and faithfulness, resulting in a contemporary rap ballad about relationships that strikes chords with people.
Collaborating with Dej was an important step for Lil Durk as he showed himself as a versatile artist through this feature alone. As “My Beyoncé” proved, he can write tracks suitable for radio stations without sacrificing his realness. The single also gave him much wider recognition than just being loved by drill music enthusiasts. This record will always serve as evidence that Durk has infinite potential when it comes to evolving or experimenting with his craft. It further proved him to be a complex figure among other hip-hop artists today.
3. “Laugh Now Cry Later” (With Drake) (2020)
One of the most significant collaborations in Lil Durk’s career, “Laugh Now Cry Later,” was released in 2020. It also featured global superstar Drake. The lead single of Drake’s forthcoming album Certified Lover Boy, “Laugh Now Cry Later,” has shown how well Durk can mix his style with mainstream pop-rap. Further, Cardo and G. Ry have done a great job producing this song. It combines smooth, catchy beats with soul-searching lyrics that make you think about life.
“Laugh Now Cry Later” was more than just another feature for Lil Durk. It also marked a turning point for him regarding visibility within the mainstream music industry. This joint reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and people got even more curious about who Durk was as an artist. It became clear that he had no limits after this track blew up.
A powerful 2020 collaboration between three of the most influential voices in today’s hip-hop scene, “3 Headed Goat” features Lil Baby and Polo G. The song is off Lil Durk’s fifth album, Just Cause Y’all Waited 2. With this song title, they pay homage to their dominance over rap by incorporating three styles and levels of lyricism into one track. Aviator Keyz & Cicero handled production for the record, which has a heavy-hitting beat with melodically speaking undertones that are easy on the ears – perfect for all three rappers to flex their skills.
This joint was an instant hit, capturing the hearts of both fans and critics alike. It showcases Lil Durk’s ability to collaborate effectively with other top-tier artists as he effortlessly matches paces alongside Lil Baby while still finding his lane next to Polo G. The song peaked at No. 43 on Billboard Hot 100 and shows how much power Durk has on and off the charts. Moreover, “3 Headed Goat” is a prime example, showing off different sides of the Chicago native.
5. “The Voice” (2020)
“The Voice” dropped in 2020 as the key song of Lil Durk’s sixth studio album. It signifies a high point in his career, artistically and personally. What he went through is expressed in this tune, considering where he came from. He grew up on Chicago’s rough streets to becoming one of hip-hop’s biggest voices. The production features chilling piano lines and a slow beat that support the introspective mood of Durk’s thoughtful lyrics. Actually, “The Voice” isn’t merely a nickname. It represents his status as an advocate for the ‘hood with whom many can relate because they share those same hardships and rewards. Additionally, he lost friend and rapper King Von shortly before dropping “The Voice.” This adds another level of emotion and urgency to deeply moving verses.
Drake might be a partner of the online casino app Stake, but he should take a break from placing bets. On Tuesday night, the Copa America semifinals match between Argentina and Canada got underway. This soccer game was a fairly big deal, especially for the latter. This was the first time in the country’s history in which they were able to compete in this quadrennial tournament. Making things even better for Canada was the fact that they were able to advance this far. However, their cinderella run ended at the hands of Lionel Messi and the South American country as they lost, 2-0. As we alluded a second ago, Drake also caught the L by becoming $300,000 less rich.
While it might be chump change to an artist of his stature, it is the bigger picture here that is more relevant. It seems that anytime Drake does anything post the Kendrick Lamar beef, he always manages to get clowned. In that same breath, though, he has mostly done this to himself. Mocking Lionel Messi and Argentina before the match was another one of those mistakes. “This could get Messi [Canadian flag emoji]”, he said while sharing a screenshot of the bet. Because Canada was such an underdog (9.6-1), the payout was massive at $2.88 million.
However, both unlikely scenarios occurred, and the Argentina soccer team’s social media account made sure to rub Drake’s nose in it. Of course, what better way to do that than to taunt him with Kendrick’s “Not Like Us”. On X, they wrote, “Not like us, not with us [Argentina flag emoji]”. Getting dissed by one rapper is bad, but a whole country is just on another level of disrespect.
What are your thoughts on Drake getting made fun of by the Argentina soccer team? Is he one of the worst sports bettors you have seen? How does the rapper bounce back from all of these losses in your eyes? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Drake. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the worlds of music and sports.
Drake threw his support behind Canada ahead of Tuesday night’s Copa America semifinal against Argentina. The upstart Canadian side made a surprise run through the tournament, and as a result, Drake decided to put $300,000 on his national team to defeat Lionel Messi and co. in regulation, which would have been a monumental upset.
Unfortunately for Drake and all of our neighbors to the north, that did not happen, as Argentina were able to pick up a 2-0 win at MetLife Stadium to earn a spot in the final. And because everything involving Drake right now ends up making its way back to his feud with Kendrick Lamar, the official Twitter account for Argentina’s national team took this as an opportunity to troll Drake in an extremely obvious way.
— Selección Argentina in English (@AFASeleccionEN) July 10, 2024
Messi is usually pretty good at setting people up for tap ins, so it’s good to see that he played a part in doing that for Argentina’s social media manager. As for the game, Canada fought valiantly against the best team in the world, but goals by Julian Alvarez and Messi were able to put Argentina ahead.
Now, the defending Copa America and World Cup winners will sit and wait to see if they’ll play Colombia or Uruguay in the final. It is unclear who Drake would bet on in that game, but regardless of who wins, it should be a good one.
The bad breaks continue for Drake. The bumps and bruises the rapper has taken in the music world have been well documented. In the sports world, however, he hasn’t fared much better. The 6 God bet $500K on the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals, and lost. He lost another $500K on the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup. The Drake curse was already working overtime in 2024, and it’s struck again. The rapper lost another staggering amount of money on July 9.
Drake made his confidence in the Canadian soccer team clear the day before. He posted a betting stub on his Instagram Story, confirming that he’d taken betting odds of 9.6-to-1 that his team would triumph over Argentina in the Copa America game. He put down $300K, with potential winnings amounting to $2.88 million. Drake also couldn’t resist poking fun at Argentina’s star, Lionel Messi. “This could get Messi,” he wrote over his ticket. One would assume he wasn’t in a joking mood after Canada lost to Argentina by a score of 2-0.
Drake has been an avid supporter of Canadian soccer for years. He included footage of soccer being played in the music video for “Started from the Bottom” in 2013. More recently, the rapper hyped up the FIFA World Cup 2026, which will be held in his hometown of Toronto. “Canada as a whole, we have an incredible melting pot,” he told FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “But in Toronto, there are just so many different cultural experiences. So when the world comes, it’s going to be beautiful.” He also claimed that there was “no passion like football passion.”
The Drake curse has been difficult for the rapper to shed in recent years. The storybook run that the Toronto Raptors had in 2019 quelled some of the criticisms surrounding Drake, but the severe losses he’s taken on major sporting events in 2024 has brought the “curse” talk back with a vengeance. It doesn’t help that Kendrick Lamar accused the rapper of having gambling problems on his scathing “Meet the Grahams” diss. “You got gamblin’ problems, drinkin’ problems, pill-poppin’ and spendin’ problems,” Lamar raps. “Bad with money.”
: The Art Of Dialogue/YouTube) pic.twitter.com/uzZ4FMuLBm
