Drake has been using his It’s All A Blur Tour to revisit his past, talk Bio 101(?), and pay homage to fallen friends, but he’s also been using it to air some grievances. In addition to cheekily calling out Childish Gambino for admitting “This Is America” started life as a diss song, fans are convinced he also took a jab at frenemy Kendrick Lamar with a comment he made on stage during the opening night in Chicago.
According to HipHopDX, Drake took some time to address accusations that he releases too much music while announcing that he has another album coming out soon, saying, “I know it’s summertime, I gotta give you shit! I don’t know about these guys that go away for three, four, five years and wanna chill out and all that shit. That’s not me. With that being said, I got an album coming out soon for y’all. It’s called For All The Dogs.
Fans on Twitter took his comment to be a shot at Kendrick Lamar, who has become notorious for the long gaps between his releases — his most recent album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, came out last year, nearly five years after its Pulitzer-winning predecessor, DAMN. Fans previously believe Kendrick had made a reference to Drake on his cousin Baby Keem’s recently released single “The Hillbillies,” borrowing the flow from Drake’s Honestly, Nevermind track “Sticky” and parodying it with silly lyrics.
Drake said nothing wrong about artists (Kendrick) taking 3 to 5 years to drop albums. I be mad that Kendrick takes forever as well. I do wish these two would stop subbing one another and just get to it already.
— . (@CAWBBBB) July 7, 2023
2Pac made All Eyez On Me in 2 weeks
Drake & 21 Savage made Her Loss in 4 months
Drake made If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late in 3 months
Kendrick Lamar made Mrs. Mora & The Small Stepper in 5 years (worst album of 2022)
Taking more time doesn’t mean you making a good album
— IBashar (@CurtisBashar) June 29, 2023
Drake throwing shots at Kendrick: “I don’t know about these guys that go away for 3, 4, 5 years that wanna chill out and all that. That’s not me..”
Kendrick Lamar when his fans ask him not to wait 5yrs to drop another album: pic.twitter.com/J09Gs9QM4F
— Shoboat (@Shobeezy) July 6, 2023
Drake taking a shot @ Kendrick Lamar & Travis Scott
Also, FAT D with that old Drizzy coming soooon
pic.twitter.com/GUoEIEydRU
— CHAMPAGNE POETRY ⁶
(@DavidPoetry1) July 6, 2023
I’m so tired of this Kendrick and drake “beef” either actually do something and make a real diss or stfu https://t.co/Mds0eqD7Rx
— Carter (@ThaCarter5447) July 6, 2023
However, while the duo has appeared to be circling around each other for years, there does seem to be some respect there, at least from Drake’s end. He was seen last summer attending Kendrick’s Big Steppers Tour stop in Toronto — although that could have just been an intelligence-gathering excursion, gathering “game film” on his rival, so to speak.