Kendrick Lamar made a surprise appearance on Future and Metro Boomin’s latest album, “We Don’t Trust You,” delivering what seems to be a direct response to Drake and J. Cole.
Lamar’s incisive verse on “Like That” grabs attention as he addresses lines from Drake and J. Cole’s “First Person Shooter,” featured on Drake’s “For All the Dogs” album from the previous year. In that track, J. Cole references the “big three,” including Lamar, Drake, and himself, sparking debate over the top emcee:
“Love when they argue the hardest emcee / Is it K. Dot? Is it Aubrey? Or me? / We the big three like we started a league.”
Drake’s response seemingly excludes Lamar from the “big three” status with the line: “Who the G.O.A.T.? Who you bitches really rootin’ for? Like a kid that act bad from January to November, n—a, it’s just you and Cole.”
In “Like That,” Lamar directly targets the rappers’ lyrics, taking aim at them head-on. “Yeah, get up with me, no more indirect jabs / ‘First Person Shooter,’ I hope they brought three switches,” he raps, later asserting, “Forget about the big three, it’s just big me.”
Continuing his verse, he critiques the quality of their music and suggests that his legacy will overshadow their impact, drawing parallels between himself and Prince, contrasting his longevity with their potential. “Your best work is mediocre at best / Man, Prince’s legacy surpasses Michael’s / Man, you’re lagging, before all your posse get buried / With a K and a bunch of nines, he’ll see ‘Pet Sematary.'”
This isn’t the first instance where Lamar has sparked controversy by directly addressing his peers. In 2013, he made waves with a standout verse on Big Sean’s “Control,” featuring Jay Electronica, where he listed fellow rappers and asserted his competitive stance, expressing respect while indicating his intent to surpass them.
Although Lamar’s verse on “Like That” undoubtedly grabbed headlines, the release of Future and Metro Boomin’s highly anticipated collaborative album, “We Don’t Trust You,” took center stage on Friday. This marks the initial offering of two releases from the duo, with the second, yet-to-be-titled project, scheduled for release on April 12th.