And true or not, there's a feeling that Kendrick saw the whole scene and acted accordingly.
Caramanica It's not just that he did it, it's that no one expected him, the only rapper to ever win a Pulitzer Prize, to do that. People didn't think Kendrick was this kind of gamer. He might say, “I’m the best rapper,” but he’ll also say, “I’ve been collecting your dirt for weeks and weeks and weeks, maybe months, maybe years, to completely etherize you at home.” It may be possible. That's different. No one expected Kendrick to be like that. So he gets a ton of credit for the gap between what people thought he would do and what he actually did.
Coscarelli Drake was basically exactly what you expected.
Caramanica Drake did Drake. And Kendrick also took on Drake.
Coscarelli He followed up 'Euphoria' with '6:16 in LA' before Drake could respond. He also had a hit, which we'll find out about.
Caramanica I will say this beef was fun until it wasn't. One of two things about Drake's “Family Matters” is true: Either what he is saying is accurate and he has caused irreparable damage to a man's reputation and his family, or Drake is lying and talking casually about the abuse. Minimize actual conversations about abuse.
This beef started with “I am the best rapper.” “It’s not the big three, it’s just me,” Kendrick said. And with his answer, Kendrick is essentially saying: “I am the best rapper. And I'm not saying you're the worst rapper, I'm using that technique to say you're the worst person. Not only can I hit you with a stick, but I can also use that stick to hit you with arrogance, disgust, and hatred.”
Coscarelli Despite my complaints about Kendrick's song “Meet the Grahams”—the theatricality, condescension, and faux enlightenment of a creative writing exercise—it was completely underwhelming as a strategic move. This song, released less than 30 minutes after Drake's 'Family Matters' last Friday, is why Kendrick Lamar won. This is a knockout.