Drake appears to be done beefing.
After Kendrick Lamar’s epic performance of his Drake dis track “Not Like Us” at the Super Bowl halftime show, the “God’s Plan” rapper seemingly waved the white flag on their battle in his new song, “Gimme a Hug.”
“F – – k a rap beef, I’m tryna get the party lit/ Tryna get the party lit for the bitches,” he raps on the track from “$ome $exy $ongs 4 U,” his album with Partynextdoor that dropped on Friday.
After nearly a year of going toe-to-toe with Lamar, Drake wants to be a lover, not a fighter.
Having come out on the losing end of the battle, Drake acknowledges that some have relished in leaving him for dead — but that he is still very much alive and kicking.
“Drake elimination, fake intimidation/ Take a minute, take a deep breath, have a little bit of patience/ Drizzy, you amazin’, you the inspiration/ You set the bar for the next generation/,” he raps to open “Gimme a Hug.”
“You Neo in the Matrix, these other n – – – as just Nemo in the ocean/ Small fish, making kids feel emotion/ Using you for promotion,” he raps, possibly alluding to Lamar using Drake for gain.
Later, he continues to address the talk of his demise: “N – – – as want to see RIP me on a T-shirt like I’m Hulk Hogan/ I appreciate the fans rocking with me, this is just a small token.”
Drake makes it clear that he is far from done despite all the shots taken at him: “Cause I’m really out here, filling up the itinerary ’til I’m six feet in the cemetery/ Bulletproof doors so heavy, got me rollin’ ‘round like a dignitary.
“Funny how it’s only bitch n – – – as that are waiting on the boy’s obituary/‘Cause if I die, it’s these n – – – as that become the sole beneficiary/And what the f – – k are they gon’ do with it?”
He then gives love to 21 Savage for supporting him through the onslaught of Drake hate: “Savage, you the only n – – – a checkin’ on me when we really in some s – – t, brother.”
Last month, Drake sued Universal Music Group — the umbrella record company that he and Lamar share — for releasing “Not Like Us,” accusing UMG of spreading the “false and malicious narrative” that he’s “a pedophile.”
In fact, one “Not Like Us” lyric plays on Drake’s “Certified Lover Boy” album title, saying, “Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophile.” (Although Lamar omitted the “certified pedophile” lyric from his Super Bowl performance.)
Last November, Drake filed a pre-action petition against UMG and Spotify alleging that they artificially inflated streams of “Not Like Us.” The petition also accused UMG and Spotify of using other schemes to boost the success of Lamar’s No. 1 single after its release in May 2024.
The beef between the rappers goes all the way back to when Lamar, Future and Metro Boomin released “Like That” in March 2024. On that track, Lamar boasted that it was “just big me” in a reference to J. Cole calling himself, Drake and Lamar “the big three” on “First Person Shooter.”
In April 2024, Drake retaliated against Lamar on “Push Ups” and “Taylor Made Freestyle.”
Lamar responded with “Euphoria” and “6:16 in LA,” with Drake hitting back on “Family Matters.”
Next, it was Lamar’s turn again with “Meet the Grahams,” followed by “Not Like Us” and Drake’s “The Heart Part 6.”
But “Not Like Us” — which was just awarded five Grammys, including Record and Song of the Year — essentially declared Lamar the winner of this battle.
