Drake Drops New Album with Partynextdoor, Addresses Kendrick Lamar Feud on "Gimme a Hug"

Drake is back with new music, and he's not shying away from controversy. The rapper just released a collaborative album with Partynextdoor, and on the track "Gimme a Hug," he takes aim at his ongoing feud with Kendrick Lamar.

This marks Drake’s first release since Lamar’s explosive Super Bowl halftime show performance of "Not Like Us," a diss track that accused Drake of serious allegations in front of a global audience of 127 million.

Drake’s Response to the Drama

Drake kicks off "Gimme a Hug" with the lines, "Drake elimination, fake intimidation," which some fans believe is a response to Kanye West. Last year, West spoke about wanting to see Drake removed from the top of the music industry during a podcast appearance.

He continues with, "You Neo in the matrix, these n—– just Nemo in the ocean," portraying himself as the unshakable protagonist from The Matrix while calling his rivals small fish in the industry. Drake has been leaning into this imagery—earlier this month, he wore a hoodie with fake bullet holes at a concert in Australia, symbolizing his resilience.

The rapper also accuses others of capitalizing on his name, rapping, "Small fish, making kids feel emotion / Using you for promotion." Many interpret this as a jab at Lamar and other artists who have used their Drake disses to gain traction.

Lamar’s Intellectual Style Mocked

Later in the song, Drake questions what would happen if he were no longer at the top: "Funny how it’s only bitch n—– that are waiting on the boy’s obituary / ‘Cause if I die, it’s these n—– that become the sole beneficiary." He follows it up with a clear dig at Lamar’s lyrical style, suggesting the next generation of hip-hop would be "on stage twerkin’ with a dictionary."

Is the Beef Over?

Despite the shots fired, Drake appears to be moving on. "Fuck a rap beef, I’m tryna get the party lit," he raps near the song’s conclusion, signaling his desire to shift focus back to making hits.

However, the feud is far from settled. In November, Drake filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group for defamation, alleging that their promotion of Lamar’s "Not Like Us" put him and his family in danger. While Lamar wasn’t named in the lawsuit, he still took the opportunity to mock Drake during the Super Bowl, teasing "Not Like Us" by saying, "I want to perform their favorite song, but you know they love to sue."

With both artists continuing to throw subliminal (and not-so-subliminal) jabs, the hip-hop world will be watching to see if this battle is truly over or if another round is just around the corner.