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Kendrick Lamar on the 2025 Grammy Awards
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Hip Hop has all the time been constructed on competitors, and nothing captures that spirit higher than a superb diss observe. For many years, rappers have handled the sales space like a boxing ring, buying and selling punches by way of essentially the most unforgiving bars.
All of us noticed Kendrick Lamar principally embarrass Drake with “Not Like Us,” possibly even the primary diss document to make its goal lawyer up. Nonetheless, lengthy earlier than that, we had classics like Ice Dice’s “No Vaseline,” aimed toward N.W.A., and 2Pac’s “Hit ’Em Up,” arguably essentially the most controversial diss observe of all time.
In Half 1 of our checklist, we’re revisiting 12 of essentially the most iconic diss tracks in Hip Hop historical past. They’re proof that, when performed proper, beef can result in brilliance. Have a look under and keep tuned for the follow-up.
1. Not Like Us by Kendrick Lamar
By the point Lamar dropped “Not Like Us,” he’d already despatched some photographs Drake’s manner — first on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That,” then doubling down on “meet the grahams” and “euphoria.” Nonetheless, the Mustard-produced observe left little room for a comeback. Lamar takes jabs at OVO, calls Drake a flat-out tradition vulture and goes so far as accusing him of being a predator. And actually, after one thing like that, the Toronto artist’s “THE HEART PART 6” didn’t stand an opportunity.
There’s by no means actually been one other diss like “Not Like Us.” It took residence not only one, however 5 Grammy Awards, had Serena Williams Crip Strolling on the Tremendous Bowl LIX, drove Drake to sue his personal label, and fairly actually stopped everybody of their tracks when it dropped. It’s in a category all by itself.
2. No Vaseline by Ice Dice
“No Vaseline” is the “greatest diss music within the historical past of Hip Hop,” no less than in case you ask Ice Dice, who ranked it above 2Pac’s “Hit ‘Em Up” and Nas’ “Ether.” On the observe, the West Coast legend takes goal at his former N.W.A. groupmates, dragging their contracts, their egos and all the pieces in between. On the time, the group was nonetheless making an attempt to avoid wasting face after his departure, however the Demise Certificates observe principally burned that bridge with a flamethrower. It’s protected to say Ruthless Information by no means absolutely recovered from the fallout.
3. Hit ‘Em Up by 2Pac
There will not be too many individuals who haven’t heard 2Pac’s “Hit ‘Em Up,” his diss document aimed toward The Infamous B.I.G. Its blistering opening line — “That is why I f**ked yo’ b**ch, you fats motherf**ker” — is completely etched into rap historical past. Judging by what number of artists have borrowed Johnny J’s beat within the many years since, the instrumental is correct up there with it, too. 2Pac had smoke for Unhealthy Boy Information, Junior M.A.F.I.A. — which included Lil’ Kim, Lil’ Stop and others — and anybody else who even considered stepping to the West aspect. It’s a legendary diss, no query.
4. Ether by Nas
The gloves got here off when Nas recorded “Ether” in response to JAY-Z’s “Takeover,” which many assumed had sealed their beef. On the document, the Illmatic emcee slowly however certainly unloads the clip on Hov and “Cock-A-Fella Information,” line by line. A few of the bars are wild, and phrase is, there was reportedly an Aaliyah line so disrespectful, it didn’t even make the reduce.
5. Again To Again by Drake
In hindsight, Meek Mill by no means stood an opportunity. Drake’s “Again To Again” just about ended their beef on the spot. Between strains like “is {that a} world tour or your woman’s tour,” the entire “Twitter fingers” factor changing into cultural shorthand, and dragging Mill’s rivals into it, it was simply an excessive amount of to return again from. Plus, the “God’s Plan” hitmaker went the additional mile of dropping the observe with cowl artwork of the Toronto Blue Jays’ 1993 World Sequence win in opposition to Meek’s hometown Philadelphia Phillies.
6. The Story of Adidon by Pusha T
Each winner has to take an L on occasion, and Pusha T handed Drake one in all his greatest with “The Story of Adidon.” Rapping over JAY-Z’s “The Story of O.J.,” the Virginia rapper reveals that Drake secretly fathered a toddler, Adonis, whereas additionally delivering some deeply private digs at his divorced mother and father and his producer’s Noah “40” Shebib’s battle with a number of sclerosis. Mix all that with the duvet artwork of the Canadian rapper in blackface, and you have a near-reputation-shattering diss damaging sufficient to earn its spot right here.
7. Takeover by JAY-Z
JAY-Z was standing on enterprise on “Takeover.” Mobb Deep positively felt the warmth in verse two, however Nas undoubtedly caught the worst of it. Responding on to the latter’s earlier “Stillmatic Freestyle” jabs, Hov basically boils down Nas’ entire profession to at least one singular album — Illmatic — with not a lot value mentioning since (“4 albums in 10 years, n**ga? I might divide / That is one each, as an example two, two of them s**ts was doo”). In fact, the Queens-raised artist ultimately hit again with “Ether,” however for a short second, “Takeover” felt like the ultimate verdict of their beef.
8. Killshot by Eminem
Eminem went for the jugular on “Killshot,” by which he dismantles Machine Gun Kelly into little greater than a determined fanboy who’d gone a bit too far. The strains vary from cruel (“The way you gonna identify your self after a rattling gun and have a person bun?”) to downright deadly, with the Detroit legend metaphorically digging the Cleveland native’s grave subsequent to previous victims Ja Rule and Benzino. mgk would ultimately pivot to pop-punk, and whereas we are able to’t blame “Killshot” alone, it positive didn’t make rap a welcoming house for him anymore.
9. Push Ups by Drake
“Push Ups” was Drake’s reply to Lamar’s “Like That,” and regardless of leaking per week early, it’s nonetheless definitely worth the pay attention, primarily as a result of the Views creator had lots of names to get off his chest. He took goal on the Compton emcee’s measurement and ties to Prime Dawg Leisure, then widened the goal to incorporate Rick Ross, The Weeknd and Metro Boomin. It goes with out saying that having a number of further names to punch down on whereas going after what may simply be the perfect rapper alive made for one of many extra compelling diss tracks of the 2020s.
10. ShETHER by Remy Ma
“ShETHER,” because the title hints, borrows from Nas’ iconic “Ether” and may’ve unknowingly laid the blueprint for each subliminal Nicki Minaj confronted in a while. Within the music, Remy Ma accuses the Queen artist of sleeping round with a few of music’s greatest names and, possibly most memorably, “spendin’ cash to assist a pedophile.” In the meantime, the duvet artwork’s dismembered Barbie doll virtually sums up all of the cosmetic surgery jabs scattered all through the music. Even in case you don’t suppose “ShETHER” was essentially the most technical diss, all of the name-dropping alone — Drake, Meek Mill, Safaree and Ebro Darden, to say a number of — made it a troublesome one for Minaj to easily brush apart.
11. Fact by Gucci Mane
“Go dig your companion up, n**ga, wager he cannot say s**t / And in case you in search of the child, I will be in Zone 6.” Gucci Mane’s phrases in “Fact” had been completely brutal once they dropped, and so they stung simply as a lot almost a decade later at his Verzuz with Jeezy. Although Guwap famously insisted it was “not a diss document,” he referenced Jeezy’s late affiliate Pookie Loc and Keyshia Cole, whom The Snowman had been engaged to a couple years prior. “This the identical s**t that obtained Massive and 2Pac killed,” he spat, and fortunately that wasn’t the case.
12. Play Wit Yo B**ch by Younger Dolph
Younger Dolph and Yo Gotti’s beef actually did a quantity on Memphis, and one of many first and arguably greatest information to stem from their points taking on the web was “Play Wit Yo B**ch.” The Paper Route Empire founder refused to signal to Gotti’s Collective Music Group, or “Cocaine Musik F**gots” as he mockingly known as them on the observe. After holding again for almost 5 years, Dolph lastly let free, airing out each final element over Zaytoven’s beat. It’s a bittersweet second to revisit, contemplating the “100 Pictures” rapper left us far too quickly.