Historic Hip-Hop Feud Reaches New Heights: Kendrick Lamar Declared Headliner for Super Bowl
In a significant turn of events in the ongoing hip-hop rivalry between Kendrick Lamar and Drake, recent announcements suggest that Lamar may have executed a decisive checkmate in this historic feud.
Earlier this year, the two artists engaged in a well-documented rap battle, with Lamar widely regarded as the victor following his sharp verses directed at Drake. While the Canadian rapper claimed he was as “Big as the Super Bowl,” it was Lamar who received the distinction of being the headline act for the upcoming Super Bowl—marking yet another milestone in his illustrious career.
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, known colloquially as K.Dot, has roots that trace back to a quest for a better life by his parents, Kenny Duckworth and Paula Oliver, who left Chicago for California three years before his birth.
“They were going to go to San Bernardino,” Lamar shared in a 2015 interview with Rolling Stone. “But my Auntie Tina was in Compton. She got ’em a hotel until they got on their feet, and my mom got a job at McDonald’s.”
Initially, the family faced challenges, struggling to find stability in Southern California while sometimes living in motels, their car, or even local parks, according to Lamar. He reflected, “Eventually, they saved enough money to get their first apartment, and that’s when they had me.”
Growing up in Compton came with its difficulties, with Lamar recalling violence from a young age. He witnessed his first murder at the age of five and recounted additional traumatic experiences throughout his childhood. He remembers, “Eight years old, walking home from McNair Elementary…Dude was in the drive-thru ordering his food, and homey ran up, boom boom — smoked him.”
Lamar’s memories are also punctuated by community bonds and joy, spending time with friends and enjoying his parents’ house parties, alongside the trauma of his surroundings.
This blend of experiences inspired him to start writing at a young age, earning the nickname “Man Man” from his parents due to his precociousness. When Dr. Dre and 2Pac filmed their iconic video for “California Love” in Lamar’s neighborhood, he was one of the spectators, deeply impacted by the larger-than-life personas of the rap legends.
Despite a childhood stutter, Lamar developed a love for language and poetry, thanks largely to his seventh-grade English teacher. In 2022, he expressed to W magazine that his album "Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers" featured material he had long written but was not ready to share, noting that the work represented personal growth and exploration.
As a teen, Lamar began releasing music under the name K.Dot and signed with Top Dawg Entertainment in 2005, eventually forming the supergroup Black Hippy with fellow West Coast rappers. His debut album "Section.80" was released in 2011, quickly followed by the critically acclaimed "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City" in 2012.
The success catapulted Lamar to greater accolades, including 2015’s "To Pimp a Butterfly" and 2017’s "Damn," which earned him a Pulitzer Prize, making history as the first rap artist to win the prestigious award.
Despite garnering 17 Grammys, Lamar’s evolution as an artist continues, as does his rivalry with Drake. Their tensions began in 2011, when Lamar featured on Drake’s "Buried Alive Interlude" and eventually solidified their connection through collaborations such as “Poetic Justice.” However, their relationship took a turn as they traded barbs through their lyrics over the years.
The feud recently reignited after October 2023, when rapper J. Cole collaborated with Drake, referring to the three as the "Big three" in rap. Subsequently, Lamar fired a shot back in a track with Future, stating there is no “Big three,” only “Big me.”
The exchange heated up with Drake’s diss track "Push Ups," where he took jabs at Lamar’s collaborations with pop stars. Lamar retaliated with several diss tracks directed at Drake, including "Euphoria," and later "6:16 in LA," while Drake’s responses escalated with allegations of abuse in his track “Family Matters.”
In what appears to be a continuous cycle of counter-attacks, the two rappers have remained locked into an intense rivalry, with their works steadily gaining traction. Lamar’s upcoming Super Bowl halftime performance in February 2025 is anticipated to further amplify his stature and perhaps the ongoing feud.
With the eyes of hip-hop enthusiasts and the wider public focused on these two artists, the chapters of this feud are sure to unfold further, revealing the intricacies of their rivalry and the evolution of their artistry.