Drake-Kendrick Lamar beef, dueling diss tracks | How Atlanta fits in

ATLANTA — It seems there's no major event Atlanta can't feature prominently in, whether it's a presidential election or the rap feud that's captivating the nation.

A whirlwind weekend saw five dueling diss tracks released by Drake and Kendrick Lamar from Friday to Sunday. After Kendrick Lamar first referenced Gunna and Lil Yachty in "Euphoria" last week, he made Atlanta a major player in his release Saturday of "Not Like Us."

The scathing track makes serious personal allegations against Drake (rebutted at least in part in Sunday's release of "The Heart Part 6") as well an artistic accusation that the 37-year-old from Toronto has been a "colonizer" of Atlanta's hip-hop sound and culture.

Drake has famously cited Atlanta and its rappers as an inspiration -- "All the artists that I've done the greatest work with, all the artists that I love, all the artists that inspire me, the majority of them come from right here in Atlanta" he said while on tour at State Farm Arena last year.

He's worked with everyone from 21 Savage to Young Thug, Future and 2 Chainz, Migos, Gucci Mane, Lil Baby and more.

As Kendrick Lamar sees it, Drake uses Atlanta "when you need a few dollars."

"Not Like Us" featured a rundown of Atlanta rappers in the following lines:

You called Future when you didn't see the club (Ayy, what?)

Lil Baby helped you get your lingo up (What?)

21 gave you false street cred

Thug made you feel like you a slime in your head (Ayy, what?)

Quavo said you can be from Northside (What?)

2 Chainz say you good, but he lied

You run to Atlanta when you need a few dollars

No, you not a colleague, you a f***** colonizer

The lines resonated in some corners of Atlanta.

Sooo many artist would have a career if it wasn't for Drake comin and just biting the sauce he was not blessing them he was USING them & they completely feel off after that I can name quite a few

— Atlanta Hood Historian (@kodakk6000) May 5, 2024

Kendrick's breakdown on how Drake comes to Atlanta for artists was true af.

— Everything Georgia (@GAFollowers) May 5, 2024

Drake's response track Sunday did not mention Atlanta.

Adding another layer, DJ and producer Metro Boomin lobbed arrows of his own over the weekend. He went to Morehouse, is closely associated with Future and has a history of working with other Atlanta artists. His diss beat "BBL Drizzy" targeted at Drake was also released, providing the soundtrack for online lyricists everywhere to pile on the feud.

Metro Boomin was mentioned in one of the earlier diss tracks in this feud, "Push Ups," and told to "make some drums." Drake brought that line into the real world -- in Atlanta, of course -- by hiring drummers to perform outside Magic City in mid-April.

Metro Atlanta resident Rick Ross also got in the mix, siding with Kendrick Lamar as he posted videos reacting to the diss tracks and playing them at his pool party over the weekend.

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