In the fierce world of hip-hop rivalries, Kendrick Lamar has once again emerged triumphant over his well-known adversary, Drake. The latest figures reveal that Kendrick’s diss tracks have far outperformed Drake’s in terms of earnings, giving Lamar substantial bragging rights in their ongoing feud.
On December 12, Billboard released a detailed financial breakdown, revealing that the battle between these two rap legends had generated nearly $15.4 million in revenue within the United States. Of this, Kendrick Lamar’s profits vastly overshadowed Drake’s, accounting for roughly 87% of the total earnings.
Lamar’s top track, “Not Like Us,” struck a particularly lucrative chord, bringing in an impressive $7.6 million alone. It’s closely followed by another hit, “Like That,” which also features Future and Metro Boomin. This chart-topping collaboration raked in a substantial $4.6 million, adding to his victorious tally.
In contrast, Drake’s commercially available diss tracks, “Family Matters” and “Push Ups,” together amassed just over $1.9 million, a comparatively modest figure.
The data provided by Luminate, the company powering Billboard charts, doesn’t capture the complete picture of personal earnings, since individual gains depend heavily on each artist’s specific label and publishing deals, which remain unknown to the public.
Meanwhile, expert insights spotlight a broader impact on both artists’ overall catalogs. Kendrick saw a significant boost in streams of his past work, pushing albums like “good kid, m.A.A.d city,” “To Pimp a Butterfly,” and “DAMN” up the Billboard 200 charts. This further solidified his position as a fan favorite.
Drake, in a surprising shift, faced an unusual dip in his usually dominant discography as his albums fell several places on the charts. This shift underscores the shifting tides in their rivalry, at least commercially speaking.
Despite the cooling of this intense feud in recent months, legal battles might spark it up again. Drake has filed two pre-action petitions against Universal Music Group, alleging the company unfairly favored Kendrick using streaming bots and other means to boost “Not Like Us.”
Drake’s accusations stretch further, claiming defamation over a song that paints him in a negative light. Legal proceedings are now set, with hearings scheduled for December 20 and January 16, which could possibly reignite their well-publicized conflict.
Kendrick Lamar’s recent triumph in the clash with Drake further cements his standing in hip-hop history. As tensions simmer and legal issues loom, fans watch eagerly to see how this iconic clash will unfold. For now, Lamar holds the upper hand, with his music speaking volumes in this enduring feud.
