Kendrick Lamar’s most famous lyric was heard around the world at last weekend’s Super Bowl.
An estimated 127 million viewers saw the rapper flash a devious smile to the camera as he delivered the line—a withering takedown of bitter rival Drake.
Taken from the Grammy-winning track Not Like Us, the lyric refers to accusations that the Canadian star had relationships with underage women—claims he has denied. But as 70,000 fans inside New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome belted out the song with Kendrick, it felt like his winning play in the pair’s long-running feud.
Their battle has been public, personal, and petty, yet Kendrick has implied that he is waging a much wider war—not just against Drake, but against what he represents.
The face of modern Hip-Hop
“Drake is the face of the hip-hop scene as it is,” says Margs, a London rapper who hosts rap battles on his channel Pen Game.
Drake’s commercial success is undeniable—he was the most-streamed artist of the 2010s, boasts 143 million Instagram followers, and is a fixture on party playlists and nightclub setlists. His style is melodic and accessible; he sings as much as he raps.
In other words, he is as much a pop star as he is a rapper. And where Drake goes, others follow.
“A lot of people see him as being responsible for the watering down of the product,” says Margs. “There’s people that like the commercial side of music that just want to dance and enjoy themselves, with no substance to it. And then there’s the other side, which is deep-rooted in hip-hop culture.”
Kendrick’s fight for rap’s essence
It is a culture that Kendrick wants to defend and celebrate.
Speaking before the Super Bowl show, he lamented the loss of “grit” in the genre.
“When people talk about rap, the conversations I’m hearing, they think it’s just rapping—it’s not an actual art form,” he said.
Kendrick also criticised the minimisation of rap to “a catchy song or verse,” explaining that his feud with Drake stemmed from frustration with rap being sidelined.
“You didn’t see that grit, you didn’t see that bite anymore. So I always took that into consideration with my music,” he said.
Not everyone agrees that Drake’s mainstream-friendly style makes him less credible. His former rival, Common, recently defended him against the “pop star” label, saying: “He’s still an MC” despite his popularity.
Kendrick, however, remains passionate about rap as an art form. The success of Not Like Us and being the first solo hip-hop artist to front the halftime show “meant everything” to him.
“To represent it on this type of stage is everything I’ve worked for and everything I believe in for the culture. I live and die by it,” he said.
The political undertones
Hip-hop, a genre with a 50-year history, has long been a vehicle for protest.
Margs argues that much of its political essence has been lost over time. “They cared about the message and what it stood for because hip-hop was something that was heavily politicised,” he says. “People used to use their voices in hip-hop to protest and get their messages out.”
Kendrick’s halftime show revived that spirit. Actor Samuel L. Jackson, dressed as Uncle Sam, introduced him on stage, setting the tone for a performance packed with political messaging. It included nods to the Black Power movement, imagery of a divided United States, and the line: “This is bigger than the music.”
With Donald Trump’s re-election bid in full swing—he was in attendance at the Super Bowl—the timing of Kendrick’s message was significant.
“There’s no better time for people to stand on business and talk about things that matter,” Margs says.
The return to battle rap
Kendrick’s beef with Drake also harks back to hip-hop’s origins in another way. He views rap as a sport, and battle rap was his inspiration for their lyrical exchanges.
These face-offs—popularised by films like 8 Mile—see artists compete live, swapping disses and spitting their best bars. It is rap in its purest form: substance over style, with a focus on lyricism.
“I still watch battle raps. This has always been the core definition of who I am, and it’s been this way since day one,” Kendrick said.
Margs believes Kendrick’s success could revive interest in battle rap. However, new artists are taking different approaches.
Among them is Layyah, the first female rapper to win The Rap Game UK. She supports Kendrick but has no plans to pursue battle rap.
Layyah looks up to artists like Central Cee, who “definitely [is] not a battle rapper” but has still earned respect.
“We have so many platforms,” she says. “It’s more about who can make a great song and then who can make the best routine to it. If that goes viral, then it’s a great song—you don’t really have to do the battle raps.”
Margs sees this shift as a loss to the genre. “You can win a battle on social media just through popularity or being funny… whereas with battle rap, it’s all about your lyrics and your skill.”
A Battle Rap Legend: Kendrick Lamar’s War Rages On
“Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A-minor.”
Kendrick Lamar’s most famous lyric was heard around the world at last weekend’s Super Bowl.
An estimated 127 million viewers saw the rapper flash a devious smile to the camera as he delivered the line—a withering takedown of bitter rival Drake.
Taken from the Grammy-winning track Not Like Us, the lyric refers to accusations that the Canadian star had relationships with underage women—claims he has denied. But as 70,000 fans inside New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome belted out the song with Kendrick, it felt like his winning play in the pair’s long-running feud.
Their battle has been public, personal, and petty, yet Kendrick has implied that he is waging a much wider war—not just against Drake, but against what he represents.
The Face of Modern Hip-Hop
“Drake is the face of the hip-hop scene as it is,” says Margs, a London rapper who hosts rap battles on his channel Pen Game.
Drake’s commercial success is undeniable—he was the most-streamed artist of the 2010s, boasts 143 million Instagram followers, and is a fixture on party playlists and nightclub setlists. His style is melodic and accessible; he sings as much as he raps.
In other words, he is as much a pop star as he is a rapper. And where Drake goes, others follow.
“A lot of people see him as being responsible for the watering down of the product,” says Margs. “There’s people that like the commercial side of music that just want to dance and enjoy themselves, with no substance to it. And then there’s the other side, which is deep-rooted in hip-hop culture.”
Kendrick’s Fight for Rap’s Essence
It is a culture that Kendrick wants to defend and celebrate.
Speaking before the Super Bowl show, he lamented the loss of “grit” in the genre.
“When people talk about rap, the conversations I’m hearing, they think it’s just rapping—it’s not an actual art form,” he said.
Kendrick also criticised the minimisation of rap to “a catchy song or verse,” explaining that his feud with Drake stemmed from frustration with rap being sidelined.
“You didn’t see that grit, you didn’t see that bite anymore. So I always took that into consideration with my music,” he said.
Not everyone agrees that Drake’s mainstream-friendly style makes him less credible. His former rival, Common, recently defended him against the “pop star” label, saying: “He’s still an MC” despite his popularity.
Kendrick, however, remains passionate about rap as an art form. The success of Not Like Us and being the first solo hip-hop artist to front the halftime show “meant everything” to him.
“To represent it on this type of stage is everything I’ve worked for and everything I believe in for the culture. I live and die by it,” he said.
The Political Undertones
Hip-hop, a genre with a 50-year history, has long been a vehicle for protest.
Margs argues that much of its political essence has been lost over time. “They cared about the message and what it stood for because hip-hop was something that was heavily politicised,” he says. “People used to use their voices in hip-hop to protest and get their messages out.”
Kendrick’s halftime show revived that spirit. Actor Samuel L. Jackson, dressed as Uncle Sam, introduced him on stage, setting the tone for a performance packed with political messaging. It included nods to the Black Power movement, imagery of a divided United States, and the line: “This is bigger than the music.”
With Donald Trump’s re-election bid in full swing—he was in attendance at the Super Bowl—the timing of Kendrick’s message was significant.
“There’s no better time for people to stand on business and talk about things that matter,” Margs says.
The Return to Battle Rap
Kendrick’s beef with Drake also harks back to hip-hop’s origins in another way. He views rap as a sport, and battle rap was his inspiration for their lyrical exchanges.
These face-offs—popularised by films like 8 Mile—see artists compete live, swapping disses and spitting their best bars. It is rap in its purest form: substance over style, with a focus on lyricism.
“I still watch battle raps. This has always been the core definition of who I am, and it’s been this way since day one,” Kendrick said.
Margs believes Kendrick’s success could revive interest in battle rap. However, new artists are taking different approaches.
Among them is Layyah, the first female rapper to win The Rap Game UK. She supports Kendrick but has no plans to pursue battle rap.
Layyah looks up to artists like Central Cee, who “definitely [is] not a battle rapper” but has still earned respect.
“We have so many platforms,” she says. “It’s more about who can make a great song and then who can make the best routine to it. If that goes viral, then it’s a great song—you don’t really have to do the battle raps.”
Margs sees this shift as a loss to the genre. “You can win a battle on social media just through popularity or being funny… whereas with battle rap, it’s all about your lyrics and your skill.”
Is the War Over?
Since Not Like Us was released last summer, things have been quiet between Kendrick and Drake.
Some interpreted the Game Over message at the end of Kendrick’s Super Bowl set as the final word. Drake, meanwhile, has just released Gimme a Hug, in which he suggests putting the beef behind him and focusing on getting the “party lit.”
However, a legal case over Not Like Us remains ongoing, meaning the conflict could take a bitter turn in the courtroom.
Margs notes the irony of a legal battle replacing a lyrical one. “There’s a sportsmanship to it, but it never spills over into more than that,” he says. “After the fight, they always hug it out and show respect for their competitor.”
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Is the war over?
Since Not Like Us was released last summer, things have been quiet between Kendrick and Drake.
Some interpreted the Game Over message at the end of Kendrick’s Super Bowl set as the final word. Drake, meanwhile, has just released Gimme a Hug, in which he suggests putting the beef behind him and focusing on getting the “party lit.”
However, a legal case over Not Like Us remains ongoing, meaning the conflict could take a bitter turn in the courtroom.
Margs notes the irony of a legal battle replacing a lyrical one. “There’s a sportsmanship to it, but it never spills over into more than that,” he says. “After the fight, they always hug it out and show respect for their competitor.”
Only time will tell whether Kendrick and Drake will do the same.
