The Entire Rap Civil War: A Comprehensive Breakdown

In 2024, the hip-hop world witnessed one of its most dramatic and competitive moments, which fans and commentators quickly dubbed the “Rap Civil War.”

This unprecedented series of events saw not only Drake and Kendrick Lamar—two of the genre’s biggest names—locking horns, but also a slew of other artists choosing sides, engaging in subliminal disses, and reigniting dormant rivalries.

The intensity of this moment drew the attention of fans worldwide and was celebrated as one of the most chaotic and exciting periods in recent music history.

Here’s an in-depth look at the history, key players, and ultimate fallout of the Rap Civil War.

It all began with a history of simmering tensions between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. Their rivalry, though subtle for years, finally exploded in a spectacular fashion in 2024.

To understand how this conflict escalated, we must first delve into their shared past. The relationship between Drake and Kendrick initially seemed amicable.

Back in 2011, as Kendrick was rising in prominence following the release of Section.80, Drake welcomed him onto his Club Paradise tour and featured him on “Buried Alive Interlude” from his album Take Care.

This mutual respect and collaboration, however, took a sharp turn in 2013 when Kendrick’s now-legendary verse on Big Sean’s “Control” sent shockwaves through the rap world.

On “Control,” Kendrick boldly declared himself superior to his contemporaries, name-dropping artists like J. Cole, Drake, Big Sean, and others while claiming his intent to metaphorically “murder” them in the rap game.

While most artists interpreted the verse as a competitive but respectful challenge, Drake was reportedly offended.

In subsequent interviews, he downplayed Kendrick’s verse, dismissing it as “an ambitious thought” and confidently stating, “Kendrick’s not murdering me on any platform.” This set the stage for years of passive-aggressive exchanges between the two.

Kendrick’s response came swiftly during the BET Hip-Hop Awards Cipher in the same year, where he mocked Drake’s perceived sensitivity with the line: “Tuck the sensitive rapper back in his pajama clothes.”

Drake, in turn, fired back with subtle digs on tracks like “The Language” and publicly hinted at lingering bitterness over Kendrick’s verse.

By 2015, the rivalry was still brewing, with Kendrick criticizing ghostwriting in rap—a topic that many interpreted as a jab at Drake amidst accusations that he had used ghostwriters for some of his biggest hits.

The feud simmered throughout the late 2010s, with occasional jabs keeping it alive.

Kendrick’s 2017 track “The Heart Part 4” contained a thinly veiled reference to Drake, and Drake continued to mention Kendrick in interviews, expressing his belief that he was competing with both Kendrick and J. Cole for dominance in the genre.

However, Kendrick’s hiatus between 2018 and 2022 left Drake with little opportunity to engage directly. During this time, Drake maintained his position at the top of the charts, occasionally throwing subliminal shots at Kendrick in his music.

By 2022, Kendrick returned with Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, a deeply introspective project.

Though the album didn’t overtly focus on dissing Drake, fans noted lines like “Ain’t nobody but the mirror looking for the falloff,” which some speculated was aimed at J. Cole, whose rumored final album is titled The Fall Off.

While Kendrick avoided directly engaging Drake in his comeback, his competitive spirit remained intact. However, Drake’s continued subliminal disses—such as calling out “fake woke” artists—suggested that he wasn’t ready to let the rivalry fade.

Everything came to a head in March 2024 when Future, Metro Boomin, and Kendrick Lamar released their joint track “Like That.”

This song was a direct shot at Drake, and its release sparked the larger conflict that became known as the Rap Civil War.

On the track, Kendrick delivered scathing lines targeting Drake’s authenticity, his pop-oriented sound, and his habit of relying on subliminal disses rather than direct confrontation.

The song’s aggressive tone left no doubt that Kendrick was ready to escalate their rivalry to a full-blown feud.

While the beef between Kendrick and Drake was the central storyline, it wasn’t the only one. J. Cole, another heavyweight in the rap game, found himself drawn into the fray.

Despite their early camaraderie, Cole and Kendrick’s relationship had evolved into a quiet rivalry.

Back in the early 2010s, Cole had shown immense respect for Kendrick, even attempting to sign him and collaborating on several tracks.

However, Kendrick’s Control verse and subsequent dominance in critical acclaim and awards ceremonies appeared to create a competitive tension between the two.

Over the years, fans speculated about a possible feud between Cole and Kendrick, especially as both artists released lines that could be interpreted as subliminal disses.

Cole’s verse on Benny the Butcher’s “Johnny P’s Caddy” contained bars like “I put your favorite rapper neck in a noose,” which some interpreted as a dig at Kendrick.

Similarly, Kendrick’s “Count Me Out” included the aforementioned line about “the falloff,” fueling speculation that their rivalry was deeper than it seemed.

When the Rap Civil War began, Cole’s involvement became apparent.

His collaboration with Drake on “First Person Shooter” included lines proclaiming himself as the best rapper alive, a claim that many saw as a direct challenge to Kendrick’s self-proclaimed title of “the greatest.”

Cole also joined Drake in firing shots at Kendrick, suggesting that their competitive history had boiled over into open conflict.

Adding further complexity to the Rap Civil War was the involvement of Metro Boomin and Future.

Metro, a prominent producer, had his own tensions with Drake dating back to 2022. The drama began when Metro left Drake off his album Heroes & Villains, stating that there wasn’t room for him on the project.

Drake’s passive-aggressive response in a livestream, mocking “tweet-and-delete” behavior, reignited the tension.

Metro later expressed frustration over Her Loss, Drake and 21 Savage’s collaborative album, repeatedly winning awards over his own work. Though Metro deleted his critical tweets, the animosity lingered.

Future’s beef with Drake was less public but equally significant. While the two had once collaborated on the highly successful What a Time to Be Alive, their relationship reportedly soured over creative and business disagreements.

Future’s alliance with Metro and Kendrick on “We Don’t Trust You” solidified his position against Drake, further dividing the hip-hop world into factions.

As the Rap Civil War unfolded, the drama extended beyond music. Fans took to social media to debate who was the better artist, with hashtags like #TeamDrake, #TeamKendrick, and #TeamCole trending worldwide.

Other artists were drawn into the fray, either taking sides or distancing themselves from the conflict altogether. The competitive nature of hip-hop had reached a boiling point, creating an atmosphere that many compared to the golden age of rap battles in the 1990s.

In the end, the Rap Civil War was as much a celebration of hip-hop’s competitive spirit as it was a clash of egos.

While the feud highlighted the deep-seated rivalries within the genre, it also showcased the immense talent and creativity of its participants.

Fans were treated to some of the most exciting music in years, as artists pushed themselves to outdo one another in both lyricism and production.

The fallout from the Rap Civil War remains to be seen.

Will Kendrick and Drake resolve their differences, or will their rivalry continue to define the next chapter of their careers?

Will J. Cole’s competitive streak lead to further conflict, or will he prioritize building genuine relationships as he suggested in interviews?

And how will the alliances and divisions formed during this period shape the future of hip-hop?

One thing is certain: the Rap Civil War of 2024 will go down in history as a defining moment for the genre, a testament to the enduring power of competition in driving artistic excellence.