The phrase “he plays chess, not checkers” is one of my least favorites when it comes to rappers and their back-and-forth. First of all, I just don’t think most individuals, let alone rappers, really think that deep and do not look that far ahead when it comes to an opponent. Plus, I do know a lot more individuals who cannot play chess than can, so most individuals actually play checkers. To quote great philosophers, kings of the Internet: “These are facts after all.”

However, I may have to change that when it comes to Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (aka Kung Fu Kenny) and the current strive is coping with Aubrey “Drake” Graham. At this stage of my life, I try to be as objective as possible in such matters, which was not all the time true. I still cannot listen to MC Eiht in peace because I’ve been a fan of DJ Quik since I used to be 11 years old. God is not done with me yet.

However, when it comes to Kendrick and Drake, I actually don’t see them even swimming in the same pools. I see Drake as a colossus, a pop star who abandoned looking for respectability in “hip-hop” years ago in favor of being the biggest artist in the world. I see Kendrick more as a thoughtful, hermit-like artist who artistically works through his problems and ideas and creates art that we are going to speak about long after his prime. To be clear, they exist many books on the cultural significance of Kendrick Lamar; Drake “wrote” a “book of poetry. This is not the same. I do not want to undersell Drake; he’ll go down in history as one of the best rappers of all time, but that might be due more to his achievements than to his music itself, which I believe most would agree is becoming an increasing number of boring and uninteresting, even when Drake’s popularity continues unabated.

So this beef is interesting. I had no interest in it in any respect through no fault of Drake or Kendrick. Everyone else is into it, including rappers AI and Rick Ross, and the lack of traction on the web has made it less interesting. Oh, and who can forget “The Apology” – I’m sure there might be a psychology class that day. “Yes” it was funny. “Push-ups” it was fun. And then we waited. And then he got here “Euphoria” a clinical, thoughtful, insightful, comprehensive PowerPoint presentation with a transcript that hilariously summarized all the issues anyone with Drake issues have. I’m not a big fan of the whole “Drake isn’t black enough to understand American blackness” thing because he’s Canadian, even when he is he actually said it once from his own mouth. I actually think this is interesting fodder; all of us mixed kids listen to this – trust me. But in love every little thing is permitted, and this is war. “Euphoria” was a workshop in “how to express your opinion” in a way that Drake’s “Push-ups” and even his skills could never do. The sheer number of references and Easter eggs in “Euphoria” make it something value studying.

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If “Euphoria” was a workshop value studying, then so be it “6:16 in Los Angeles” this is what happens when a workshop leader uses a machete as an alternative of chalk. Kendrick REALLY doesn’t like Drake and whatever personal reason inspired Kendrick to show us all what a dead body looks like in musical form.

It cannot be a coincidence that the sample Kendrick is rapping over is the one played by Drake’s “uncle” Mabon “Teenie” Hodges (and his brothers Leroy and Charles) on the album. When Drake’s connections to the American Black experience were questioned, defenders were quick to indicate that Drake had ties to the Memphis soul music scene through his father, musician Dennis Graham, and adoptive uncles who worked with Al Green. Well, the “6:16 in Los Angeles” sample belongs to Al Green “What a Wonderful Thing Is Love” from Al Green’s 1972 album “I’m Still In Love With You”, whose musical staff was none aside from Drake’s uncle Teenie Hodges and company. This cannot be a coincidence, right?

And then Kendrick, who largely identified that nobody in Drake’s camp actually likes him and that he has enough inside information to know who really wants Drake to lose? Writing it doesn’t sound that bad, but listening to the record and the vitriol Kendrick spews lets you see how sincere Kendrick is in trying to put Drake in a bad light. Kendrick’s entire modus operandi at this point is to indicate that nobody likes Drake, that he’s a terrible person, and that, like Kendrick, nobody should like him.

Surprisingly, Kendrick told us he was going to do that on “Euphoria,” where he name-checked Drake “Back to Back” record – one whose impact was more necessary than anything said on the tape, which mainly made Meek Mill look slow and unable to fight Drake – after which he went and did it. Drake’s response took too long and well, here we’re, a dead body.

I’m sure Drake will return with a song soon; he has to. Video clips of “10 Things I Hate About You” is not enough, not considering the level of aggression and contempt Kendrick throws his way. The whole thing is quite funny and I had no interest in it in any respect until “Euphoria” got here out. I can not wait to see what comes next, especially because it highlights the most significant aspect of all this beef that hasn’t been fully unpacked yet:

The disappointing thing is that J. Cole, the most ready to fight of all, caved.