Is Universal trying to step in to quash Kendrick Lamar & Drake’s beef?

One of the ways in which you know that Drake doesn’t have any real friends in the industry is that no one warned him not to f–k with Kendrick Lamar. J. Cole has real friends and they warned HIM. Which is why J. Cole stepped away from the simmering beef weeks ago and publicly apologized to Kendrick. Reportedly, ScHoolboy Q was the one to pull J. Cole aside and have a conversation about how Kendrick was fully prepared to take down Drake, and J.Cole didn’t want to get caught in the crossfire. Now, maybe Drake was warned like that too and he disregarded the warning out of ego and stupidity. As Kendrick has indicated repeatedly, Drake’s crew is compromised.

Within a week, Kendrick dropped “Euphoria,” “6:16 in LA,” “Meet the Grahams” and then “Not Like Us.” These songs have ruined Drake, and they’ve also showed that Kendrick can really do it all. “Not Like Us” is not only an evisceration of Drake personally and professionally (referring to him as both a pedophile AND a colonizer), it’s turning out to be one of the most successful songs of Kendrick’s career. “Not Like Us” is such a huge hit, it dethroned a Spotify streaming record set by Drake. It will likely debut at #1 on Spotify’s global chart.

“Not Like Us” is having a huge cultural impact too – the YouTube reactors are seeing their view numbers explode as they break down the beef and the music, and behind the scenes, Kendrick has removed the copyrights on his songs for the YouTubers, so they can make some money. “Not Like Us” is being played at MLB games and NBA games too – LA Dodger Gavin Lux used the song for his walkup. TNT used the song during the Timberwolves game on Monday.

Meanwhile, there are some fascinating rumors swirling on social media. There’s a rumor that Kendrick was going to release another diss track on Tuesday but he hit pause because there was a shooting at Drake’s mansion in Toronto. Kendrick said in “Not Like Us” that he has a lot more to say and possibly up to five more songs just about Drake.

There’s also a big rumor that the suits are now getting involved and trying to exert pressure on Kendrick to make peace, all because “Certified Loverboy? Certified Pedophiles” is hurting their bottom line. Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian amplified that rumor, but that being said, TMZ has an article disputing it. TMZ’s sources said that UMG (Drake and Kendrick’s shared label) did not insert itself in the beef and no one at Universal would step in like that: “The way it was explained to us … Kendrick and Drake’s beef is between them and completely separate from the business side of things — and UMG just doesn’t think it’s their place to step in either way. So, they didn’t … nor did they ever consider doing so.” It sounds more like everyone knows that Kendrick can’t be controlled, right?

What a time to be alive. https://t.co/gWqGzKkLQ4

— Alexis Ohanian ???????? (@alexisohanian) May 7, 2024

Gavin Lux is using Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” as his walk-up song ???? pic.twitter.com/dQOED5McWD

— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) May 7, 2024

not like us ???? pic.twitter.com/YfiwrEX99l

— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) May 7, 2024

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Instar.