Drake & Kendrick Lamar’s Rap Beef Explained by Josh Johnson | The Daily Show

The Daily Show

7 May 202404:52

Summary

TLDRThe video script discusses a recent intense feud between rap artists Drake and Kendrick Lamar, which has ignited the internet and the rap community. Both artists have released multiple diss tracks, garnering tens of millions of streams and escalating the conflict. The script humorously explores the idea of rap battles as a form of conflict resolution, comparing them to historical rap feuds like Biggie and Tupac. It also playfully suggests that global conflicts could be resolved through rap battles instead of violence, imagining how political disputes might be expressed through music. The segment ends with a twist, as the reporter, Josh Johnson, finds himself unexpectedly involved in the feud when Kendrick releases a song with cover art featuring Johnson.

Takeaways

🎤 The rap world is abuzz with a heated feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, showcasing their skills through diss tracks.
🔥 Both artists have gained tens of millions of streams, indicating the high level of public interest in their conflict.
⏳ The rivalry has been ongoing for years but has recently escalated to a fever pitch.
🎭 The nature of rap battles is playful and competitive, often involving teasing and jabs at the other artist's personal life or career.
🚫 The feud has taken a dark turn with serious accusations being made in their respective diss tracks.
📉 The intensity of the current rap beef is compared to historical conflicts like that between Biggie and Tupac, highlighting the maturity of hip-hop.
🤔 The script suggests that the current rap beef, despite its harshness, has not escalated to physical violence.
😂 There's a humorous proposal to replace global conflicts with rap battles as a more peaceful form of conflict resolution.
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 The idea of rewriting historical events, such as the American Revolution, as rap battles is presented in a light-hearted manner.
😅 The character Josh Johnson is reluctant to take a side in the Drake vs. Kendrick feud due to fear of being targeted in a diss track.
📲 The script ends with a comedic twist where Josh Johnson is depicted in Kendrick's new song cover art, prompting a personal crisis.

Q & A

What has been the recent development in the rap world that has caused a buzz?
-The rap world has been buzzing due to a feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, with both artists releasing several diss tracks over the weekend, gaining tens of millions of streams.
What is the nature of the feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar?
-The feud is a rap battle that has been ongoing for several years and has recently escalated, with both artists making serious accusations against each other in their diss tracks.
What are some of the accusations made by Drake and Kendrick Lamar in their diss tracks?
-Drake accuses Kendrick of abusing and cheating on his fiancée, while Kendrick accuses Drake of being a pedophile, leading to a dark and intense exchange between the two.
How does the speaker feel about the current state of the feud?
-The speaker finds the feud to be out of control and expresses concern that it doesn't seem to be calming down any time soon.
What is the speaker's opinion on the comparison between the current rap feud and the one between Biggie and Tupac?
-The speaker believes that while the current feud is intense, it is not as severe as the one between Biggie and Tupac, suggesting that hip-hop has matured since the 90s.
What is the humorous suggestion made by the speaker to replace global conflicts with rap battles?
-The speaker humorously suggests that instead of wars, global conflicts like the Middle East or Russia-Ukraine could be replaced with diss tracks, even proposing a hypothetical track about Putin.
Why is Josh Johnson hesitant to pick a side in the Drake and Kendrick Lamar feud?
-Josh Johnson is hesitant to pick a side because he fears being dragged into the feud and having his personal life exposed through diss tracks.
What is the significance of the cover art of Kendrick Lamar's newly dropped song?
-The cover art of Kendrick Lamar's new song features Josh Johnson slow dancing at senior prom, indicating that the feud has become personal and now involves Josh.
How does the speaker describe the evolution of rap beefs over time?
-The speaker describes the evolution of rap beefs as having matured, with the focus shifting from explicit content to more personal and emotional attacks.
What is the speaker's view on the impact of rap beefs on the hip-hop community?
-The speaker views rap beefs as a way to showcase an MC's skills and believes that they can be a great time, as long as they do not escalate into violence.
What is the humorous analogy used by the speaker to describe how rap battles could be used to de-escalate situations?
-The speaker humorously suggests that if the National Anthem was a diss track against England, it could have been a more effective form of protest than violence.
What is the underlying message in the speaker's comparison of rap feuds to global conflicts?
-The underlying message is that conflicts could be resolved in a more creative and less violent manner, using the art of rap as a form of expression and competition rather than resorting to war.

Outlines

00:00

🎤 Rap Feud Escalates: Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar

The paragraph discusses the intense rap feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar that has captured the attention of the internet. Both artists have released multiple diss tracks over the weekend, each gaining tens of millions of streams. The rivalry, which has been ongoing for several years, has reached a new high with accusations and personal attacks in their music. The audience reacts with shock to the severity of the claims, indicating the feud has turned quite dark.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Rap Beef

A 'rap beef' refers to a rivalry or feud between rappers, often expressed through their music. In the video, the main theme revolves around a rap beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, which is characterized by their exchange of diss tracks, a form of competitive lyricism where each artist tries to outdo the other with clever and often cutting lyrics.

💡Diss Tracks

Diss tracks are songs created to insult or criticize another artist, often used as a form of retaliation in a rap beef. In the script, both Drake and Kendrick Lamar are said to have dropped diss tracks, gaining millions of streams, which indicates the popularity and impact of their rivalry.

💡Stream

A 'stream' in the context of music refers to a single play of a song or piece of content on a digital platform. The script mentions that both artists gained tens of millions of streams, highlighting the widespread listenership and engagement their rap beef has generated.

💡Team Drake/Team Kendrick Lamar

This phrase refers to the sides people take in the ongoing rap feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. The script suggests that the audience is divided into supporters of either artist, reflecting the polarizing nature of the rap battle.

💡MC's Skills

MC stands for 'Master of Ceremonies,' which in the context of hip-hop refers to a rapper or an artist skilled in rapping. The video discusses how a rap battle is a great way to showcase an MC's skills, emphasizing the importance of lyrical prowess and the ability to craft compelling narratives or insults through rap.

💡Eminem

Eminem is a renowned rapper known for his lyrical prowess and controversial lyrics. The script uses Eminem as an example of a rapper who effectively used rap battles to demonstrate his skills, 'slicing and dicing' his competitors, which is a metaphor for the sharp and precise nature of his lyrics.

💡Playful Jabs

A 'playful jab' is a light-hearted or humorous insult, often used in a friendly or competitive context. In the script, it is suggested that Kendrick might make playful jabs about Drake being a Toronto Raptors fan, indicating a level of humor and light-heartedness even within the competitive environment of a rap beef.

💡Pedophile

The term 'pedophile' refers to an adult who is sexually attracted to children, which is a serious and illegal offense. In the script, it is mentioned that Kendrick accuses Drake of being a pedophile in his diss track, showing the level of intensity and the crossing of lines in their rap feud.

💡JonBenet Ramsey

JonBenet Ramsey was a child beauty queen whose murder remains unsolved and is a sensitive topic. The script humorously suggests that Kendrick is looking for a rhyme with 'killed JonBenet Ramsey,' indicating the extreme and sometimes inappropriate lengths artists might go to in crafting their diss tracks.

💡Safe House

A 'safe house' is a place where someone can hide or find refuge, often used in the context of law enforcement or when someone is in danger. In the script, Josh Johnson jokes about wanting to rest his head in a safe house with J. Cole, implying a desire to avoid getting involved in the rap feud.

💡Rap Beefs in History

The phrase 'rap beefs in history' refers to notable feuds between rappers that have occurred over time. The video contrasts the current rap beef between Drake and Kendrick with historical ones, such as the rivalry between Biggie and Tupac, to highlight the evolution and maturity of the hip-hop culture.

Highlights

The rap world is buzzing over a feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, with both stars dropping diss tracks and gaining tens of millions of streams.

The beef between Drake and Kendrick has been ongoing for several years but has reached a fever pitch recently.

Rap battles are a great way to showcase an MC's skills and have a long history in the genre.

Drake is expected to tease Kendrick about selling more albums, while Kendrick may make playful jabs about Drake being a Toronto Raptors fan.

In his diss tracks, Drake accuses Kendrick of abusing and cheating on his fiancée, while Kendrick accuses Drake of being a pedophile.

The feud has gotten very dark and out of control, with shocking accusations being made.

Kendrick is likely in the studio right now coming up with more rhymes to use in the feud.

The reporter Josh Johnson refuses to pick a side in the feud, fearing he will be dragged into it and have his own secrets exposed.

While the current feud is intense, it is still not as brutal as the legendary rap battles between Biggie and Tupac in the 90s.

Back then, rap disses were more about sexual conquests, while now they focus more on emotional vulnerability and personal attacks.

The reporter humorously suggests that all global conflicts should be resolved through rap battles instead of violence.

He proposes that political leaders like Putin and Zelenskyy should release diss tracks about each other rather than going to war.

The reporter also suggests that the US national anthem should be a diss track against England, like the founding fathers used to do.

Despite the intense feud, the reporter is hesitant to pick a side due to fear of being targeted by the artists.

Kendrick quickly responds to the reporter's comments by releasing a song with a cover art making fun of him slow dancing at prom.

The reporter is shocked and worried about the consequences of getting involved in the feud.