The rap beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake is not the first of its kind. Feuds between notable rappers have been going on since the inception of Hip Hop. Some of which became far more volatile than what we are witnessing in 2024. Check out the most notable rap beefs throughout history inside.
More recently, Diddy’s son King Combs dropped a diss track that allegedly calls out 50 Cent. Since the allegations against his father have been circulating the media, he felt it was important to address the rumors surrounding the police raid that took place at several of Diddy’s properties.
“I dare one of you niggas yell out ‘No Diddy,’” King Combs raps on the diss track.
Most notably, Kendrick Lamar and Drake have been trending across social media for their back and forth diss tracks. It may be remembered as one of the greatest rap beefs of all time, because Kendrick’s “Not Like Us” has seen unbelievable streaming numbers. DJs across the States have been spinning the record as if it were an official single. It’s been that influential on the culture and unlike anything this generation of Hip Hop heads have ever seen before.
Let’s take it back to some of the most legendary rap beefs throughout history below:
1. Kendrick Lamar & Drake
This feud is shaping up to be one of the greatest rap feuds of all time. These two artists are some of the biggest acts in music, so the reach is expanding day by day.
They both produced some great diss tracks including, “Push Ups,” “euphoria,” “Family Matters,” “meet the grahams,” and most notably, “Not Like Us.”
2. Nas & Jay-Z
Nobody wins when the family feuds and fortunately, these two were never family. Nas and Jay-Z have had beef for the decades.
At the time, Hov was at his peak and Nas was trying to recover from one of his worst albums, Nastradamus. This beef cemented them both as rap legends. Jay-Z started with “Takeover,” and Nas ended it with “Ether.” Hov eventually came back with “Supa Ugly,” but by the 19 million views to date on YouTube we can make a reasonable judgement about who won that battle.
3. The Notorious B.I.G. & Tupac
Probably one of the more notable beefs on the list. This feud started after Pac accused Biggie of having him shot when he was headed to record with him in Brooklyn.
This led to a massive beef between the East and West Coasts. Though Big never took his issues with 2Pac beyond low jabs, Pac went in on the entire East Coast with “Hit ‘Em Up.”
Even Snoop Dogg and Tha Dogg Pound got involved when they released, “New York, New York.”
4. Ice Cube & N.W.A.
Ice Cube left N.W.A. in a manner that made some members of the group upset. In turn, they took their shots at the LA rapper with “100 Miles and Runnin’.” This led to Cube responding with one of the coldest diss tracks in Hip Hop history, “No Vaseline.”
5. 50 Cent & Ja Rule
These New York rappers have been beefing for over two decades, and it doesn’t look like they have any plans on making amends. No one knows exactly how the feud started, but it’s clear they do not rock with one another.
They started trading diss tracks with 50 Cent’s 1999 song, “Life’s on the Line,” which was eventually included on his debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin’. The story is that 50 Cent was upset that he wasn’t included in the music video for the song, “Murda 4 Life.”
In petty 50 fashion, he once bought 200 front-row tickets to a Ja Rule show just so the venue would appear empty.
6. Pusha T & Drake
Can’t believe this happened over five years ago the way it still replays in our minds. Pusha T felt compelled to go at Drake on “Infrared,” rapping,” How can you ever right these wrongs?/When you don’t even write your songs?”
Drake responded with an impressive diss on “Duppy Freestyle” going at the Virginia rapper and more specifically, Kanye West.
However, Pusha let it rip with “Story of Adidon,” revealing that Drake was hiding his son.
7. Gucci Mane & Jeezy
This dispute started over money on their beloved collaboration, “Icy.” The Atlanta rappers went on to exchange many shots over several songs.
The beef landed in the streets when four men broke into a house that Gucci was in and in self-defense, he killed one of the assailants, Pookie Loc.
8. Drake & Meek Mill
Meek Mill started this rap beef after he (like Pusha T) accused Drake of having ghostwriters. The Toronto rapper came back with “Charged Up,” which wasn’t enough for fans. Then, he redeemed himself with “Back to Back,” which gave him one of the biggest songs of the year. It even got nominated for Best Rap Performance at the 58th Grammy Awards.
9. The Game & 50 Cent
The Game had over 300 bars for 50 Cent after being kicked out of 50’s crew, G-Unit. The rappers traded so many diss tracks that it would be nearly impossible to list.
10. KRS-One & Marley Marl
This rap beef had a name. It was known as “The Bridge Wars,” and it was a notable rivalry between KRS-One’s Boogie Down Productions and Marley Marl’s Juice Crew.
It started when Marley Marl claimed that Queens was the birthplace of hip-hop on his 1985 track, “The Bridge.” KRS obviously didn’t agree and hit him with the 1986 track, “South Bronx.”
The two crews exchanged diss tracks for over two decades, and the beef was never really being resolved.
