Survival of the Fittest

Since its emergence in the late 70’s, the hip-hop music scene has always been somewhat of an ecosystem in itself– you must be the fittest in order to survive. Except, to “survive” in this context means to maintain the dignity one holds as an artist – you must prove that you have a unique identity with skills that no other can offer. You must also be the best at what you do, or you’ll fall short of someone more capable than you. In order to succeed as an artist you need to have a solid, dedicated fanbase or audience, which can only happen if there is a mutual sense of respect between the two entities. Built upon the expectations of the fanbase and the dignity and identity of the artist, the relationship can be sustained through a mutual benefit. That’s why when artists begin feuding, the first target of the attack will always be their hip-hop dignity. 

In 2023, rapper Drake released his eighth album For All the Dogs, featuring the acclaimed collaboration with J. Cole titled First Person Shooter. In the song, J. Cole muses about a certain “Big Three”, presumably about the three greatest individuals to ever hold the title of a “rapper”. His list is as follows: Drake, himself, and K. Dot, otherwise known as Kendrick Lamar. While the song was a hit, conversations arose about the posited “Mount Rushmore'' of rappers. The fact that all three had considerable influences in the music industry was an undeniable truth. But was J. Cole or Drake really great enough to self-proclaim themselves as the greatest of all time? 

In March of 2024, Kendrick Lamar fired back with a crystal clear statement against the “Big Three.”. There was considerable buzz on social media following the release of We Don't Trust You, a collaborative project between producer Metro Boomin and rapper Future. The protagonist of the story, however, wasn’t either of them. It was Kendrick Lamar, and his feature on the sixth track of the album, Like That. When his verse begins towards the middle of the track, Kendrick enters the scene with all guns blazing, ferociously pouncing at the duo behind First Person Shooter. In what seems almost like a burst of rage and animosity he claims that there is no “Big Three” and that “it’s just Big Me”. It was a diss directed straight at their dignities– a true hip-hop diss. 

The damage had been done.  Hip-hop fans were instantly caught up in a debate as the diss track arrived, trying their best to defend their favorite rapper(you were either home to team Kendrick or team Drake). However, the issue is that most are fans of both, but it seemed like there was only Choice A or B, no neutral option. 

With that said, rivalries like these aren’t uncommon in the hip-hop scene. Although some think that these rivalries are deeply rooted in traditions of hate and violence, it cannot be deduced that “beefing” culture in hip-hop is necessarily unhealthy. One could rather argue that beef in hip-hop is a “lyrical Olympics”, a healthy competition that brings the multitudinous realms of rap together in one big contest. Evidently, beef doesn’t spark with the purpose of enhancing the music industry, but its ripple effects are undeniable. Not only does it bring competition to the industry, but it allows for further diversity, introducing artists with idiosyncratic styles through the clout that arises. After all, the reason for producing diss music is different from normal releases but carries its own significance. One is for the sake of music and streams but the other is for hip-hop prestige– a fortification for the throne.