Bars, Bullets & Billboard Bloodshed: The COMPLETE Drake vs Kendrick Lamar Timeline (2011‑2025)
Table Of Content
- Bars, Bullets & Billboard Bloodshed: The COMPLETE Drake vs Kendrick Lamar Timeline (2011‑2025)
Bars, Bullets & Billboard Bloodshed: The COMPLETE Drake vs Kendrick Lamar Timeline (2011‑2025)
What happens when two chart‑topping titans fight for the rap throne? You get a 14‑year saga of subliminal shots, chart‑crushing anthems, and—yep—a multimillion‑dollar defamation lawsuit. Buckle up: we're rewinding to the very first handshake, fast‑forwarding through every Control quake, and ending with 2025's courtroom cliff‑hanger.
🔥 Genesis: Brothers‑in‑Arms Turn Frenemies (2011‑2013)
"Me and Kendrick got a record… that kid's lyrically insane." — Drake, MTV interview, 2012
Collaboration & Compliments
- 2011: Drake invites rising L.A. wordsmith K‑Dot to open the Club Paradise Tour.
- 2012: They share credits on "Poetic Justice," a dreamy collab that peaks at No. 26 on the Hot 100.
The Control Nuke
On Aug 13 2013, Kendrick's guest verse on Big Sean's "Control" name‑checks Drake—and basically every rap peer—then declares himself the "King of New York."
Hip‑hop Twitter melts; polite bromance evolves into cold war.
🕶️ Cold War Years: Subliminal Smoke (2014‑2023)
Key Subliminals & Sneak Disses
- Drake – "The Language" (2013): "I don't know who y'all think y'all talkin' to but n— ain't the one." Fans decode a K‑Dot jab.
- Kendrick – BET Cypher (2016): "Tip‑toein' around my name…" —a mask‑off moment aimed squarely at Drizzy.
- Drake – "Duppy Freestyle" (2018): Pusha‑T was the target, but a sneering "Don't come out your rapper face" sideswipes Kendrick.
Industry Tension
- Multiple Rolling Stone essays label it "rap's most fascinating cold war."
- Fans catalog every bar, Reddit threads bloom into speculative dissertations.
🚨 All‑Out Warfare: 2024's Diss‑Track Avalanche
Spark: "Like That" (Mar 22 2024)
Kendrick torches Drake and J. Cole on Future × Metro Boomin's surprise single. Song debuts at No. 1 for three weeks.
"Y'all boys playing tough on the socials—never been in a fistfight." — Kendrick, Like That
Drake's Return Fire
- "Push Ups" (Apr 2) – sneaker metaphors meet scathing name‑drops.
- "Taylor Made Freestyle" (Apr 26) – pulled after Tupac estate threatens legal action over AI vocals.
- "Family Matters" (May 4) – 7‑minute scorcher calling Kendrick a "deadbeat cousin."
Kendrick's Triple Combo
- "Euphoria" (Apr 30) – six minutes of layered insults; TDE president later says damning lines were removed.
- "6:16 in L.A." (May 3) – clock‑time title nods to Drake's AM/PM series.
- "Meet the Grahams" (May 4) – faux‑open‑letter to Drake's parents & son.
Knockout Punch: "Not Like Us" (May 5)
Kendrick accuses Drake of "playing with minors." Song rockets to No. 1, becomes "the anthem of the summer," wins 5 Grammys and cements Kendrick as the feud's victor.
Drake's last gasp "The Heart Part 6" (May 6) denies allegations and claims he fed Lamar fake intel.
📅 Master Timeline (2011‑2025)
| Date | Moment | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 2011 | K‑Dot opens Drake's tour | Friendly |
| Aug 2013 | Control verse | Cold war ignites |
| Oct 2016 | BET Cypher jab | Subliminals escalate |
| Mar 22 2024 | "Like That" drop | Full‑scale war |
| May 4 2024 | "Family Matters" vs "Meet the Grahams" | Mutual nukes |
| May 5 2024 | "Not Like Us" | Kendrick wins charts |
| Jun 19 2024 | The Pop Out Juneteenth concert | K‑Dot victory lap |
| Jan 2025 | Drake sues UMG over defamation | Legal phase begins |
| Apr 17 2025 | Lawsuit amended after Super Bowl performance | Case ongoing |
📈 Fallout & Cultural Shockwaves
Chart & Streaming Stats
| Track | Peak Hot 100 | Weeks in Top 10 |
|---|---|---|
| Like That | #1 | 3 |
| Not Like Us | #1 | 3 |
| Family Matters | #2 | 1 |
| Euphoria | #4 | 2 |
(Compiled from Billboard reports)
Public Reaction
- NPR calls the battle "vicious, gripping psychological warfare."
- Forbes dubs it "the last great rap beef—and a branding masterclass."
- Business Insider says K‑Dot's Juneteenth show was "hip‑hop history."
@RapCaviar: "#NotLikeUs going diamond before Drake blinks? Could happen." — May 7, 2024
🏛️ The Lawsuit Era (2025‑?)
Drake's January filing accuses UMG of "knowingly advancing a false narrative." The amended April complaint even references Lamar's Super Bowl halftime performance, claiming it endangered Drake's family.
UMG calls the suit "a face‑saving stunt." Legal analysts predict a settlement but note the case may redefine record‑label liability for artist beefs.
🔮 What Could Happen Next?
- Collab? Slim chance, but Jay‑Z once brokered I‑88 peace; never say never.
- Courtroom Leaks: Discovery phase might expose private DMs, fueling season 2 of meme madness.
- Fan Fatigue: NPR warns the hype cycle may cannibalize genuine creativity.
🗳️ Sound Off, CelebGag Fam!
Who really won—lyrics aside—when you factor in culture, charts, and legacy?
- 🏆 K‑Dot, hands down
- 🤴 Drizzy, numbers don't lie
- 🙅 Hip‑hop lost, we lost
Vote in our Stories @CelebGagOfficial and drop your hottest bar below. Best comment gets a vinyl of good kid, m.A.A.d city or Take Care—your pick!
TL;DR
Two rap giants turned an old‑school rivalry into a multi‑year blockbuster that spanned stadium stages, streaming records, and now, a federal courtroom. Whether Drake's lawsuit lands or Kendrick's victory lap cements a generational shift, one thing's certain: hip‑hop beef is alive, lucrative, and louder than ever.
Further Reading & Receipts
- The Times (UK) deep dive on "Not Like Us" fallout
- Wikipedia's continuously updated feud page
- Yahoo! Entertainment day‑by‑day recap
- HipHopDX interview with TDE's Punch
- Reuters litigation coverage
- Rolling Stone feature on rap wars
- NPR's psychological‑warfare analysis
- Business Insider on the Juneteenth "victory lap"
- Forbes lawsuit timeline
- Reddit fan chronology thread