The rap rivalry that took over the news in 2024 is set to take center stage during the Super Bowl.

Kendrick Lamar’s performance as the headliner for this year’s Super Bowl halftime show is anticipated to continue his ongoing feud with Drake. The two rappers exchanged barbs and accusations in diss tracks last spring, marking a significant intensification of their rivalry. This tension reached a peak with the release of Lamar’s hit “Not Like Us,” which topped the charts last May, and a federal lawsuit filed by Drake over the song this month.

Despite the ongoing legal issues, Lamar is expected to include “Not Like Us” in his halftime performance on February 9, when the Philadelphia Eagles face the Kansas City Chiefs. FOX has already used an instrumental version of the song for promotional material during the NFC championship game, likely bringing the Drake-Lamar feud back into the limelight during this major television event.

The dynamics of Lamar’s halftime show might be just as compelling as the Super Bowl itself. Here’s a summary of the rivalry between Drake and Kendrick Lamar leading up to Lamar’s performance at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans:

Timeline of the Drake-Kendrick Lamar Rivalry: How It All Began

The way the conflict unfolded between Kendrick Lamar and Drake resembles a cinematic tale, showcasing their transformation from collaborators to rivals to adversaries over the last decade and a half. Below are key moments that brought these two artists to this juncture:

• 2011: Lamar appeared on Drake’s track, “Buried Alive Interlude.”
• 2012: Lamar opened for Drake during the Club Paradise tour. By October, Drake was featured on Kendrick’s debut album with the track, “Poetic Justice.”
• August 2013: Lamar called out several prominent rappers, particularly Drake, in his guest verse on Big Sean’s “Control.” Later that year, during the BET Hip-Hop Awards, he appeared to take another jab at Drake with a freestyle.
• December 2013: In an interview with Vibe, Drake reflected on “Control,” stating that the timing of the verse coincided with his album release, which made it an unexpected point of contention.
• November 2014: Amid escalating rumors of a rift, Lamar claimed in an interview that there was no genuine beef and emphasized their differences as artists.
• July 2015: After Meek Mill accused Drake of employing ghostwriters, attention returned to Lamar’s earlier track “King Kunta,” which included lyrics referring to a rapper with a ghostwriter.
• January 2016: When asked which rapper, Lamar or Drake, would win in a battle, President Barack Obama chose Lamar and praised his album “To Pimp a Butterfly.” Drake later referenced this in his song “Summer Sixteen.”

Timeline of the Drake-Kendrick Lamar Feud: The Escalation

The previously subdued tension between Lamar and Drake faded from mainstream hip-hop discussions over the next few years, although Lamar’s lyrics occasionally included veiled references to Drake. However, their rivalry reignited dramatically in 2023 capturing the attention of the music industry and beyond.

• October 2023: Drake collaborated with J. Cole on the song “First Person Shooter,” featuring a verse from Cole that claimed him, Drake, and Lamar as the “big three” of contemporary rap.
• March 22, 2024: Lamar responded to the “big three” notion on “Like That,” asserting that it’s all about “big me.”
• April 19, 2024: Drake released two diss tracks aimed at Lamar: “Push Ups,” where he lists rappers he views as superior, and “Taylor Made Freestyle,” which controversially featured A.I. vocals mimicking Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg.
• April 30, 2024: Kendrick replied with “Euphoria,” a six-minute diss aimed at Drake.
• May 3, 2024: Lamar released another diss, “6:16 in LA.” Drake retaliated later the same day with “Family Matters,” making personal accusations against Lamar regarding his private life.
• May 4, 2024: The feud escalated further with Lamar’s release of “Not Like Us,” which included serious allegations against Drake along with controversial artwork pointing to Drake’s Toronto residence.
• May 6, 2024: In response, Drake released “The Heart Pt. 6,” denying Lamar’s allegations.
• May 13, 2024: Lamar’s “Not Like Us” topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
• June 19, 2024: Lamar performed “Not Like Us” live for the first time at a special concert, receiving notable attention.
• July 4, 2024: Lamar unveiled the music video for “Not Like Us,” which included references to their ongoing rivalry Logo of Drake’s OVO brand.

• September 8, 2024: Kendrick Lamar has been announced as the main performer for the Super Bowl 59 halftime show.

Overview of the Drake-Kendrick Lamar Lawsuit

The ongoing conflict between Drake and Kendrick Lamar took a legal turn in November when lawyers for Drake’s company filed a motion in New York. They accused Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify of artificially boosting the streaming numbers for “Not Like Us” using bots and other dubious methods. Following this, Drake lodged a second motion in Texas, claiming UMG was involved in a “pay-to-play” scheme and had defamed him by permitting the release of Lamar’s song. Both artists have distribution contracts with UMG, which denied all allegations made against them.

By January, Drake’s legal representatives dropped the previous actions and instead initiated a federal lawsuit in the Southern District of New York against UMG, as per court documents obtained by YSL News. This lawsuit claims UMG is guilty of “corporate greed” for their advertising of Lamar’s song, which accuses Drake of being a “certified pedophile.” The documents state that Drake faced threats from armed intruders at his home in Toronto, leading him to evacuate his son and his son’s mother due to the song’s escalating fame.

“UMG seeks to project this as a conflict between rappers, but this lawsuit does not target Kendrick Lamar. Instead, it exposes the serious human and business repercussions stemming from UMG’s prioritization of profits over the safety and welfare of its artists. It also highlights how artists and the public are exploited for corporate gain,” Drake’s legal team remarked in a statement to YSL News.

Viewing Details for Super Bowl Halftime Show 2025

The Super Bowl 59 halftime show is set for Sunday, February 9, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. It will be aired nationally on FOX during the break between the second and third quarters of the game.

• Date: Sunday, Feb. 9
• Network: FOX
• Time: 6:30 p.m. ET (kickoff time)
• Streaming Options: Fox Sports app, Fubo (with free trial)
• Venue: Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)

Catch Super Bowl 59 with Fubo