Did you think Kendrick Lamar versus Drake was over?
Baseball is giving music and sports fans reason to keep the debate going with another Los Angeles versus Toronto competition.
The rap feud that dominated media discussions last year — and ultimately led to Lamar winning five Grammy Awards and headlining the Super Bowl halftime show in February — is back in the chat after the Toronto Blue Jays clinched a spot in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Lamar is from Compton, Calif., and wore the “Canadian tuxedo” of a denim jacket and jeans to the Grammys, largely viewed as another jab at the Toronto-born Drake.
The World Series begins Friday, and the Blue Jays are considered the underdog, but they also might be the city’s only chance to avenge Drake, as he’s taken losses in court and in the lengthy rap beef. Lamar, meanwhile, has collected accolades, had a successful worldwide stadium tour (including back-to-back shows in Toronto) and even won an Emmy Award for the halftime show that, in part, mocked Drake. It’s why Lamar was widely declared the winner of the feud.
Drake hasn’t had the same kind of public success. He had a defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group related to the beef dismissed by a judge on Oct. 9. Drake, however, was on social media celebrating an ALCS-clinching win for his hometown team over the Seattle Mariners.
But it didn’t take long after the Blue Jays’ win for memes to flood the internet about making the World Series a rematch between Lamar and Drake, reminding sports and music fans how the song “Not Like Us” not only was an award-winning diss track aimed at Drake, but a catchy song that was popular at sporting events last season.
It was the Dodgers’ unofficial theme during their run to the 2024 World Series championship. The song was also played after Team USA beat Team Canada in an Olympics exhibition game in July 2024 in Las Vegas.
Not hearing it at Dodgers Stadium would be a shock. Dodger fans might be singing the song on their own by time the Blue Jays have their first at-bat at Chavez Ravine.
It also helps that both artists are sports fans who have been influenced by their local baseball teams in their music.
In what might have been Drake’s biggest win in a rap beef, he released “Back to Back” in 2015, a diss aimed at Philadelphia-based rapper Meek Mill. He used the image of Joe Carter’s game-winning home run in the 1993 World Series as artwork. That home run gave the Blue Jays back-to-back championships.
Lamar featured mariachi singer Deyra Barrera on three songs on his last album, “GNX,” after hearing her sing at Game 1 of last year’s World Series as part of the tribute to Fernando Valenzuela after he died. The album also features the song “Dodger Blue.” A Dodgers cap has been a staple of his wardrobe.
There is also certain to be speculation about a Lamar appearance in Los Angeles. Rap legend Ice Cube performed before Game 2 last year and — by slightly changing some of his lyrics to accommodate the Dodgers — became a signature moment during the championship run.
Dodgers fans payed for Game 2 of the World Series and it came along with a Ice Cube concert 😭 💙
LA is different 💙💜💛 pic.twitter.com/ppg30lZOgd
— LakeShow Highlights (@LSH_lakeshow) October 27, 2024
Drake has shown he has no problem inserting himself into drama for Toronto teams. Sacramento Kings wing DeMar DeRozan, a Compton native who started his career with the Toronto Raptors and was friends with Drake, became a part of the beef, too.
On “Not Like Us,” Lamar said that he’s glad DeRozan “came home,” back to the United States. DeRozan appeared in the music video, as well. Drake would later attend a Kings-Raptors game last November and said if the Raptors ever retired DeRozan’s number, he’d climb the rafter and “pull it down myself.”
Drake has since aimed lyrics at DeRozan for siding with Lamar, even though DeRozan said last year he still considered Drake a friend. Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell has warmed up to Lamar’s song “tv off,” so maybe he should be ready to be dissed by Drake, too.
The cities already have some sports history. Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game in 2006 was against Toronto. Kawhi Leonard departed Toronto in 2019 as a free agent with his favored options being the Lakers and LA Clippers.
But none of that ever felt as intense as Lamar versus Drake. Thanks to the World Series, it remains the rap beef that keeps on giving.