Say My Name: A History of Drake and Kendrick Lamar's Subliminal Cold War and Disses
Drizzy and K Dot's lyrical standoffs.
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I'm Talking to You! - Meek Mill turned out to be only a sparring partner for Drake. But there's one showdown that hip hop has been waiting to see for a long time, and that's between Drizzy and Kendrick Lamar. Though they've never directly come at each other, the tension has built up over the years in several subliminal rhymes that both have taken heed to.The heat has turned up once again with Dr. Dre's new release, Compton, where Kendrick fires a few bullets with no names that still find their targets. Are they to Drake? Perhaps. With the latest shots being fired, take a look at the cold war over the years. -- Michael Harris (@IceBlueVA)
Photo By Photos from Left: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
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"Control" - Kendrick wasn't subliminal when he called out names on Big Sean's "Control," and Aubrey took his mention personally. Many might say that's when the cold war began with their silent jabs:"I'm usually homeboys with the same n****s I'm rhyming with but this is hip-hop, and them n****s should know what time it is/ And that goes for Jermaine Cole, Big K.R.I.T., Wale, Pusha T, Meek Mill, A$AP Rocky, Drake.../ I got love for you all but I'm tryna murder you n****s." (Photos from left: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images, Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Clear Channel)
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"Pay for It" - Compton's good kid is willing to sacrifice friendships for the crown, and we got the feeling that he was messaging Aubrey last year on this collaboration with his TDE label mate Jay Rock. "I tell 'em all to hail King Kendrick, resurrecting my vengeance/ Been dissecting your motor mouth, 'til I break down the engine/ This ain't no warning shot, this a relevant henchman/ See my opponent then, cease your existence/ Ending our friendship, baby, I'd rather die alone."(Photos from left: Splash News, Rocky/WENN.com)
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"The Language" - Drizzy aka "Motor Mouth" heard the message loud and clear and let Kendrick have it through a barrage of sneak disses. Everyone's radar went up when Drake rhymed:"I don't know why they been lying, but your s**t is not that inspiring/ ...F**k any n***a that's talking that s**t just to get a reaction/ ...I am the kid with the motor mouth/ I am the one you should worry 'bout."(Photos from left: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Clear Channel, WENNCHELLA/WENN.com)
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"Used To" - The OVO boss never got over being named-dropped on Kendrick Lamar's "Control" verse and has been quick to point out that the Compton MC doesn't really want it. Making note of Kendrick claiming the bars were only meant to inspire the culture, Drake wasn't buying it and dropped:"Every time they talking it's behind your back/ Gotta learn to line 'em up and then attack/ They gone say your name on them airwaves/ They gone hit you up right after like it's only rap."(Photos from left: Ricky Swift/WENN.com, WENN.com)
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