Breaking Down Kendrick’s Drake Diss So You Don’t Have To
We live in a world defined by conflict: The World Wars, the Cold War, and now the latest beef that’s shaking up the hip-hop industry as we know it. Kendrick Lamar spares no feelings against his former best friends and current rivals in his recent appearance on the track “Like That” by Future and Metro Boomin, calling out Drake and J. Cole (but mostly Drake) for what everybody except Kendrick thought was flattery on the track “First Person Shooter.” As we all know, Lamar is known for his short stature and clever lyricism, but that can make his lyrics hard to understand for casual fans. That’s why The Eggplant and its culturally aware writers have taken it upon themselves to break down the latest Lamar feature for you, so you can finally be the smartest person in your friend group.
Kendrick’s Verse
These n****s talkin' out of they necks₁
Don't pull no coffin out of your mouth,
I'm way too paranoid for a threat
1. [Kendrick is calling Drake out for his weight problem, insinuating that he is so overweight he looks like he’s talking out of his neck.]
Ayy-ayy, let's get it, bro
D-O-T, the money, power, respect₂
The last one is better
2. [D-Money, O-Power, T-Respect.]
Say, it's a lot of goofies with a check₃
3. [In this bar, Kendrick once again comments on Drake’s weight, stating that he should get his “goofy” diet checked out by a professional. This could also be alluding to the dog of Mickey Mouse clubhouse fame.]
I mean, ah, I hope them sentiments symbolic
Ah, my temperament bipolar, I choose violence₄
4. [Kendrick likes to play a variety of video games, but he wants to play violent ones at the moment (see #7).]
Okay, let's get it up, it's time for him to prove that he's a problem₅
5. [Kendrick really drives home the idea that Drake is struggling with his weight, citing Drake’s erectile dysfunction issues (“getting it up”) as a tragic effect.]
N***s clickin' up, but cannot be legit, no 40 Water, tell 'em₆
6. [If it wasn’t already clear that Kendrick thinks Drake’s weight and diet is a serious problem, this bar should clear that up. Here, Kendrick addresses his concerns about Drake’s lack of water intake (Drake prefers alternative beverages).]
Ah, yeah, huh, yeah, get up with me
Fuck sneak dissin', first-person shooter, I hope they came with three switches₇
7. [Many fans assume Kendrick is referring to firearms in this line, however this is not the case. Kendrick is actually saying that he would win against (crush) Drake and J. Cole in a first-person shooter game on the Nintendo Switch. Note that each member of “The Big Three” requires their own Nintendo Switch console to play the game.]
I crash out like, "Fuck rap," diss Melle Mel if I had to₈
8. [It appears that Kendrick is hinting at his possible retirement after an upcoming diss track on Melle Mel. Our sources have had no success identifying who Melle Mel actually is.]
Got 2TEEZ with me, I'm snatchin' chains and burnin' tattoos₉, it's up₁₀
Lost too many soldiers not to play it safe
9. [Kendrick calls out Drake for only being able to afford one shirt while Kendrick has enough funds to purchase at least two.]
10. [While Drake is said to be dealing with erectile dysfunction issues, the same cannot be said for Kendrick who assures the listener that his penis is, in fact, up.]
If he walk around with that stick, it ain't André 3K₁₁
Think I won't drop the location?₁₂ I still got PTSD₁₃
11. [This is the one time in the song that Kendrick singles out J. Cole and he does not hold back. Kendrick warns J. Cole to watch where he swings his cane, implying that J. Cole is a washed-up old man (three thousand years old approximately)].
12. [Kendrick is stalking Drake’s snapmap.]
13. [P-Money, T-Power, S-Respect, D-Drake.]
Motherfuck the big three, n***a, it's just big me₁₄
14. [Kendrick does something interesting here and takes on the role of Drake for this bar. Surprise, surprise, Kendrick’s portrayal of Drake calls himself overweight.]
N***a, bum
What? I'm really like that
And your best work is a light pack
N***a, Prince outlived Mike Jack'₁₅
15. [At this point, Kendrick is so mad at Drake and J. Cole (again, mostly Drake) that he’s willing to start beef with music legends Prince and Michael Jackson. Both are dead, sadly, and cannot respond.]
N***a, bum
'Fore all your dogs gettin' buried
That's a K with all these nines, he gon' see Pet Sematary₁₆
16. [To put the nail in the coffin, Kendrick deals the ultimate blow, saying that Drake would get spooked by a scary movie like Pet Sematary, whereas he would not.]
N***a, bum
Congratulations! You are now a hip-hop genius and can pretend to have come to all of these conclusions on your own! We hope you enjoyed and learned something from this breakdown of Kendrick’s “Like That” verse. Stay tuned for our next breakdown where we’ll dive into the strange and controversial history of Funyuns. How are they made and why do they taste like that? All will be revealed in time.