Few Super Bowl halftime shows have been as highly anticipated as Kendrick Lamar’s.

The Grammy-winning rapper released the album “GNX” last November, but that is not what brought him even more fame and popularity in 2024. Lamar sparked the biggest rap beef in recent memory, going after Drake, one of the most popular artists in the world.

Lamar released the Grammy-nominated song “Like That” in March, referencing Drake. The pair went back and forth for months before Lamar finally released the Grammy-winning song “Not Like Us” in May.

Here’s a comprehensive look at Drake and Lamar’s conflict, covering a defamation lawsuit, diss tracks, underlying reasons for their animosity and a timeline of key events.

Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar lawsuit, explained

In late 2024, Drake filed a defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), the record label shared by both artists. The suit alleged UMG failed to prevent the release of Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” which Drake claimed contained defamatory content accusing him of serious misconduct. Drake argued that UMG not only allowed the song’s distribution but promoted it, damaging his reputation.

A month later, legal proceedings began. Drake claimed UMG’s actions not only hurt his reputation but endangered his personal safety.

In a complaint in Manhattan federal court, Drake said the song was “intended to convey the specific, unmistakable, and false factual allegation that Drake is a criminal pedophile” and the public should exert “vigilante justice” in response.

The rapper claimed it led to attempted break-ins at his home and that he was forced to pull his seven-year-old son from his Toronto elementary school.

Drake’s lawsuit accused the label of defamation and negligence, asserting the label prioritized profit over ethical considerations.

“Notwithstanding a relationship spanning more than a decade, UMG intentionally sought to turn Drake into a pariah, a target for harassment, or worse,” the complaint said. “UMG chose corporate greed over the safety and well-being of its artists.”

UMG responded saying it would be illogical to harm the rapper’s reputation after significant investment to make him successful.

The label also accused Drake of trying to “weaponize” the legal process in seeking damages. UMG added that he tried to silence Lamar’s creative expression for “having done nothing more than write a song.”

As of February 2025, the lawsuit remains active. Legal experts suggest that the case could set a precedent for how record labels handle disputes between artists, especially concerning creative expression and defamation.

Kendrick Lamar diss track meaning

On Lamar’s “Not Like Us” diss track, he accuses Drake of pedophilia. The song continues themes Lamar introduced in “Meet the Grahams,” a diss track he released a day earlier.

Lamar says, “Say, Drake, I hear you like ’em young / You better not ever go to cell block one.”

Lamar references Drake’s 2021 LP “Certified Lover Boy” saying, “Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophiles.”

In the song’s most infamous line, Lamar brings home his point: “Why you trollin’ like a b—? Ain’t you tired? / Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A-minor.”

The cover art of the single showcases a bird’s-eye view of Drake’s estate in Toronto that has been altered to resemble a sex offender registry map, which highlights the residences of convicted offenders.

Other than doubling down on his allegations of Drake’s pedophilia and inappropriate sexual behavior with minors, Lamar also criticizes his cultural identity, accusing him of exploiting Black artists from Atlanta for “street credibility.” He also references his personal incidents with J. Cole, Lil Wayne and Serena Williams.

Fans and music critics alike said at the time that this track solidified Lamar’s victory in the beef.