kendrick lamar
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HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Paul Marotta- Getty / Getty
Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Euphoria” was already heavy, but according to TDE president Terrence “Punch” Henderson, it could’ve been way more lethal.
In a raw convo with Curtiss King, Punch confirmed there was a longer version of the track that had extra bars aimed at Drake, but some of the more savage shots got cut before the public ever heard it.
When asked about rumors of a 20-minute version, Punch didn’t confirm the exact length, but he kept it real, saying, “There was definitely a version that was longer than what the world got. There was a lot of stuff that didn’t make it on there.” He explained that certain lines just weren’t worth the long-term smoke, so he stepped in. “There was just some things in there that I didn’t think would have been beneficial in the long run, so I gave him my input, and he took some of those things out.”
Even with the edits, “Euphoria” still hit hard and had the rap game buzzing. But Kendrick wasn’t done. He followed up with “Not Like Us,” a track that felt like the final blow, making the culture crown him as the clear winner in the beef. The fact that there was an even more aggressive version of “Euphoria” locked away in the vault just adds to the legend. Kendrick showed he could still cut deep without letting it get too messy, and that’s a different level of control.
Check out the full conversation below:
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Daniel LEAL / AFP / Daniel LEAL / AFP
The lawsuit filed by Drake against Universal Music Group was amended Wednesday (April 16) to include a new complaint, specifically that the music label used Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy wins and his Super Bowl halftime show performance of “Not Like Us” to promote the single and damage his reputation further. The new addition makes the suit 107 pages in total to account for new allegations.The new complaint states that the halftime performance by Kendrick Lamar, which was seen by 133 million people “including millions of children,” who had “never before heard the song or any of the songs that preceded it. It was the first, and will hopefully be the last, Super Bowl halftime show orchestrated to assassinate the character of another artist.” It goes on to allege that Kendrick Lamar purposefully excluded the word “pedophile” from the song, stating that “on information and belief” that he wouldn’t have been able to perform without that exclusion. The suit also claims that UMG caused intentional harm by negotiating the performance and promoting it afterward, as well as citing that the use of a photo of his Toronto home led to a shooting incident days after the release.The legal team for Drake also claimed that UMG CEO Lucian Grainge hugged and gave a high-five to Dr. Dre as “Not Like Us” played at the Grammy Awards (a YouTube clip of the interaction that was posted doesn’t have the song in the background, however) and that the crowd was singing along to “Not Like Us,” which would win Song and Record of the Year. Another allegation that remains is that bots were used by UMG to push the song on streaming platforms like Spotify. The claim was initially floated by an undisclosed person who appeared on DJ Akademiks’ show to claim he was paid to push the songs by Interscope.UMG issued a lengthy and bruising response to the amended complaint shortly after, writing in part: “Two weeks ago, his representatives celebrated a ‘win’: the granting of a routine discovery motion. That ‘win’ will become a loss if this frivolous and reckless lawsuit is not dropped in its entirety because Drake will personally be subject to discovery as well. As the old saying goes, ‘be careful what you wish for.’”
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: pgLang / pgLang
Kendrick Lamar dropped that visual for “luther,” featuring SZA, off his critically acclaimed GNX album.
The clip is loaded with stunning visuals and was directed by Karena Evans, who coincidentally directed past video for Drake that included “God’s Plan” and “Nice For What.” But expected K. Dot Drizzy trolling aside that’s besides the point, just enjoy the moving visuals she put together for this number 1 hit and standout from the GNX album.
The video version’s use of the track’s original version of Cheryl Lynn and Luther Vandross “If This World Were Mine” makes this delivery extra luscious.
The new clip arrives just before K. Dot and SZA will be heading out on their Grand National tour, which kicks off April 19 in Minneapolis before hitting cities including Atlanta. Philadelpha and Los Angeles before coming to a close on June 18 in Washington, DC. But that’s the national leg, as the international portion (not counting a pair of Toronto dates) starts in Germany on July 2 and will visit Paris, Amsterdam an more before concluding August 9 in Stockholm.
Check out the Grand National Tour dates below.
GRAND NATIONAL TOUR DATES:
Apr 19 – Minneapolis, MN – U.S. Bank Stadium
Apr 23 – Houston, TX – NRG Stadium
Apr 26 – Arlington, TX – AT&T Stadium
Apr 29 – Atlanta, GA – Mercedes Benz Stadium
May 03 – Charlotte, NC – Bank of America Stadium
May 05 – Philadelphia, PA – Lincoln Financial Field
May 08 – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium
May 09 – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium
May 12 – Foxborough, MA – Gillette Stadium
May 17 – Seattle, WA – Lumen Field
May 21 – Los Angeles, CA – SoFi Stadium
May 23 – Los Angeles, CA – SoFi Stadium
May 24 – Los Angeles, CA – SoFi Stadium
May 27 – Glendale, AZ – State Farm Stadium
May 29 – San Francisco, CA – Oracle Park
May 31 – Las Vegas, NV – Allegiant Stadium
Jun 04 – St. Louis, MO – The Dome at America’s Center
Jun 06 – Chicago, IL – Soldier Field
Jun 10 – Detroit, MI – Ford Field
Jun 12 – Toronto, ON – Rogers Centre
Jun 13 – Toronto, ON – Rogers Centre
Jun 16 – Hershey, PA – Hersheypark Stadium
Jun 18 – Washington, DC – Northwest Stadium
Jul 02 – Cologne, Germany – RheinEnergieSTADION
Jul 04 – Frankfurt, Germany – Deutsche Bank Park
Jul 05 – Frankfurt, Germany – Deutsche Bank Park
Jul 08 – Glasgow, UK – Hampden Park
Jul 10 – Birmingham, UK – Villa Park
Jul 13 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Johan Cruijiff ArenA
Jul 15 – Paris, France – La Defense
Jul 16 – Paris, France – La Defense
Jul 19 – Cardiff, UK – Principality Stadium
Jul 22 – London, UK – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Jul 23 – London, UK – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Jul 27 – Lisbon, Portugal – Estadio do Restelo
Jul 30 – Barcelona, Spain – Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys
Aug 02 – Rome, Italy – Stadio Olimpico
Aug 06 – Warsaw, Poland – PGE Narodowy
Aug 09 – Stockholm, Sweden – 3Arena
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Ethan Miller/BBMA2017 / Getty
Baka Not Nice, the rapper and close Drake affiliate, recently spoke out about his name being dropped in Kendrick Lamar’s explosive diss track “Not Like Us.”
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At one point in the “Not Like Us” diss track, Kendrick says, “Baka has a weird case. Why is he around?”. According to Yahoo, Baka was allegedly accused in 2014 of forcing a 22-year-old woman into prostitution. In 2015, he ended up pleading guilty to assaulting her and violating rules related to some separate gun charges, as reported by The Toronto Sun.
The song shook the entire Hip-Hop world and went viral, even getting a performance at the Super Bowl halftime show. For Baka, though, the track wasn’t just some rap beef, it was a personal attack that had him heated.
Baka kept it 100 about his initial reaction: “At first, the instinct was to respond quick. Where I’m from, that sh*t don’t happen. You can’t just call out a man with no receipts. That’s wild,” he said. The way people ate up the diss, treating it like fact, only added to the frustration. “Everybody has to understand, I got a kid, Drake got a kid. Making accusations like that is crazy,” he added, letting it be known that this wasn’t just rap talk, it hit home.
It wasn’t long before Baka got a message from “The Boy” aka Drake, that helped him chill. “Yo, I know how you feel, I know how you get down. Don’t let the noise get to you, it’s just noise. All those people talkin’ ain’t even real. They’re bots,” Drake told him. That advice helped Baka fall back and avoid doing or saying something he’d regret.
Drake’s homie Baka made it clear: once people start doing their research and realize Kendrick just made up a whole story, they should be looking at Kendrick funny, not him or Drake. It’s a reminder that Hip-Hop narratives are powerful, but they’re also easily twisted. Facts always come out, and when they do, the truth will speak louder than the lies.
Check out the clip below:
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Source: Focus On Sport / Getty
Early last year it was reported that Kendrick Lamar was working with the creators of South Park, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, to cook up a comedy film that no one saw coming. Though the project is still very much a go, we won’t be able to see it until at least next year.
According to Variety, the untitled K. Dot comedy flick, which was slated to drop on July 4 this year, has now been pushed back to March 20, 2026, as Kung Fu Kenny continues to make the rounds on his Grand National Tour in 2025. With Kendrick’s schedule tied up from April 19 until Aug. 19, there’s no way the man can carve out the time to take part in his upcoming film. While we know fans will be disappointed in the news, at least we know the end product won’t be something rushed, as Lamar, Matt Stone, and Trey Parker will take the time to create something that fans will appreciate whenever it finally premieres on the silver screen.
Per Variety:
The change in release plans was announced ahead of CinemaCon, the annual convention of movie theater owners that’s unfolding this week in Las Vegas. Paramount, as well as Disney, Universal, Sony, Warner Bros., Universal and Amazon MGM will unveil presentations that are designed to hype the upcoming year’s slate of films.
As for Lamar’s movie, not a single detail — not the cast, logline or title — has been revealed at this point. What is known, however, is the live-action comedy is written by comedian Vernon Chatman and follows a young Black man who interns as a slave re-enactor at a living history museum.
Dave Free for pgLang will also produce with Lamar, Stone and Parker.
What’s the chance that the film somehow takes shots at Drake in some way, shape, or form? Just sayin.’
What are your expectations for the Kendrick Lamar comedy film? Let us know in the comments section below.
—Photo: Focus On Sport / Getty
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Source: Icon Sportswire / Getty
Kendrick Lamar’s haters continue to arrive. The FCC received over 100 complaints regarding K. Dot’s Super Bowl LIX Halftime performance.
As spotted on Complex, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) heard a mouthful from 125 Americans on Super Bowl Sunday. According to TMZ, the FCC received several complaints about Kendrick’s halftime performance. The feedback ranged from inappropriate language, to the dancing being too provocative, and even that the talent featured was largely African American.
A small percentage of the complaints also noted that the show promoted his beef with Drake with one person saying, “Kendrick Lamar made fake false and scandalous claims that are unfounded.” Another message read, “He [said] Drake was a pedophile on TV in front of [a] million…[people], do better, this is a sad day.” A separate objection alleged that Serena Williams’ dance routine was gang affiliated.
It should be noted that Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show was viewed live by over 130 million people during the live stream, thus the number of grievances is not even equal to one percent. Since then, the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime show has amassed an estimated 3.65 billion views, which also includes reposts on social media and user generated content.
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Kendrick Lamar has captured the eyes and ears of many after many believe he handily vanquished his rival, Drake, in their highly publicized audio feud. With Los Angeles announced as the site of the 2028 Summer Olympics, a booking agent for Kendrick Lamar suggested that there might be an appearance from the pgLang honcho at the sporting event.
As seen in an Associated Press report, the 2028 Summer Olympics organizing committee chairman, Casey Wasserman, has the hope that the major sporting event will help revitalize Los Angeles and the region itself. Wasserman spoke at the International Olympic Committee’s annual meeting last Thursday and mentioned how the recent rash of wildfires across California and the impending summer games could help push innovation.
“The rebirth, the rebuild, maybe reimagining LA 2.0 — and the Olympics as a catalyst for all those things — we think is really part of our ethos,” Wasserm. an said to The Associated Press ahead of the IOC gathering.
What also turned heads in the AP’s report was Wasserman suggesting that Kendrick Lamar, a native son of Compton and a potent unifier of the Los Angeles creative scene, could also be involved in the 2028 Summer Olympics. While it wasn’t officially confirmed that Lamar would be involved, Wasserman’s insider status with the rapper is as strong a cosign as any.
“Fortunately in my day job I represent Kendrick Lamar,’ said Wasserman, who heads the Wasserman Media Group and is the booking agent for Lamar. “He is truly an LA icon so I think it would be a pretty fair bet that Kendrick will be involved in the Olympics in Los Angeles in some way.”
The 2028 Summer Olympics will begin on July 14, 2028.
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Photo: Focus On Sport / Getty
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Source: Cole Burston / Getty / Drake
Drake is once again the butt of jokes on social media, and it’s not because Kendrick Lamar dropped another diss record but because his own label had bars for him.
Spotted on Variety, Universal Music Group let the chopper spray on Drizzy in a motion to dismiss the Canadian’s lawsuit against the music label accusing them of pushing Lamar’s epic diss record, “Not Like Us.”
In the dismissal, UMG claims that Drake is in his feelings and suing because he “lost a rap battle” and his decision to sue was only to “salve his wounds.”
Damn.
Per Variety:
The motion, filed earlier today and reviewed by Variety, took a cutting approach to making the case for dismissal, claiming that Drake “lost a rap battle that he provoked and in which he willingly participated. Instead of accepting the loss like the unbothered rap artist he often claims to be, he has sued his own record label in a misguided attempt to salve his wounds. Plaintiff’s Complaint is utterly without merit and should be dismissed with prejudice.”
The filing also calls the rapper who claimed to “study rap battles for a living” a hypocrite, noting that less than three years ago, he signed a public petition criticizing “the trend of prosecutors using artists’ creative expression against them” and stating their lyrics as fact. “Drake was right then and is wrong now.”
The motion continues, “Complaint’s unjustified claims against UMG are no more than Drake’s attempt to save face for his unsuccessful rap battle with Lamar.”
Drizzy’s Attorney Responds To UMG’s Filing
Drake did respond, well his attorney, Michael J. Gottlieb, did in a statement shared with Variety.
“UMG wants to pretend that this is about a rap battle in order to distract its shareholders, artists and the public from a simple truth: a greedy company is finally being held responsible for profiting from dangerous misinformation that has already resulted in multiple acts of violence. This motion is a desperate ploy by UMG to avoid accountability, but we have every confidence that this case will proceed and continue to uncover UMG’s long history of endangering, abusing and taking advantage of its artists.”
Social Media Is Clowning Drake
Drake’s attempt to sue UMG was already frowned upon by music and Hip-Hop fans alike, and now he catching more strays after getting clowned by his own label.
“UMG literally hit Drake with a Reverse uno,” one post on X, formerly Twitter, read.
Another post read, “all that talk of kendrick being a hypocrite drummed up by that fanbase only for UMG to point out how drake is also one……”
Welp.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
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Source: Getty Images / YesJulz / DJ Akademiks
Two of the biggest culture vultures, DJ Akademiks and YesJulz clashed over the weekend and social media was here for the drama.
Let’s make this abundantly clear while y’all are here, no likes either of these individuals, BUT, we must admit, we ain’t mad at YesJulz for stating the obvious about DJ Akademiks.
HotNewHipHop reported that everyone’s favorite dark room streamer claimed from his gaming chair that Kendrick Lamar was a creative director on Playboi Carti’s latest album, I Am Music.
“Kendrick is creative directing the whole shit,” Akademiks claimed.
Akademiks is no stranger to saying wild stuff for clicks, and that claim was quickly debunked by Carti’s longtime producer, F1LTHY, who most notably created the beat for Carti’s song “All Red.”
“Kendrick fam but he is NOT the creative director of this album,” F1LTHY said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “This Carti album.”
You would think that would have ended the discussion, but no. Akademiks doubled-down on his claim, stating that Carti himself gave him the information, even taking a jab at the producer.
“No disrespect to F1LTHY, I don’t know who the f**k F1LTHY is,” the Drake stan said. “Kendrick is on the album. Whether it’s creative director, executive producer, I don’t give a f**k. I’m only going off what Carti told me.”
YesJulz Clowned Akademiks On X
YesJulz saw Akademik’s disrespect of F1LTHY and injected herself into the situation writing on X, “Not knowing F1LTHY is one of Carti’s main collaborators in 2025 as a journalist covering hip-hop is surely one way to admit you suck at your job.”
Akademiks caught wind of YesJulz’s response and went on a wild rant, dipping into misogynistic bag calling the influencer a “wh*re” for stating the obvious about him.
YesJulz had plenty to say in response, adding “Bro bout to pop a blood vessel” and that she doesn’t “don’t go back and forth with incels. I got somethin for that lil cootie patootie tho.”
DJ Akademiks is not having a good weekend on the socials. He is also getting clowned for sharing a video of bikini-clad women dancing on a boat to Drake’s music while talking about, you guessed it, Kendrick Lamar.
Social media has also been enjoying the back-and-forth between the two culture vultures. The gallery below shows those reactions, plus more replies from YesJulz.
SZA stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday night (March 12) and spilled details about her upcoming Grand National Tour with Kendrick Lamar, her excitement for Sesame Street, and dodged a cheeky question about Drake.
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When Kimmel asked if the Grand National Tour would resemble their Super Bowl LVIII halftime performance, the “Saturn” singer teased that fans can expect something entirely new.
“Oh, we’re doing a new thing,” she said. “We’re both just kind of throwing all the paint at the wall… This is our first stadium show for both of us, so we pretty much have to go insane.”
While SZA and Lamar might be co-headlining, she hinted that the Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers rapper is very much in his own lane.
“Well, he’s a wizard, so that’s different,” she quipped when asked if they hang out behind the scenes. “Wizards tend to be solitary beings, from my observation… I think he’s doing the Merlin thing backstage, getting us ready to take off.”
The “Kill Bill” singer also fielded a not-so-subtle question from Kimmel about the tour’s upcoming Toronto stop—where one particular rapper famously resides.
“But what if you-know-who shows up?” Kimmel asked, clearly alluding to Canadian rapper, Drake.
SZA simply shrugged: “Who knows? Who knows?” before Kimmel joked that Kendrick would “wave his wand, and he will disappear.”
“That’s what he’s the man behind the curtain,” she replied.
Beyond the tour, SZA also gushed to Kimmel about a lifelong dream coming true—appearing on Sesame Street.
“That was actually the most intense room of celebrities I’ve ever been in,” she joked. “Elmo, Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch… I got to talk to Cookie Monster.”
When Kimmel asked about the blue monster’s conversational skills, she laughed: “Terrible diction and alliteration. Very poor vocabulary, but tons of enthusiasm, I was so inspired!”
“It was like a true indicator that I’ve made it,” SZA added of her appearance on the show. “Shout out to the Super Bowl but Sesame Street..”
The Grand National Tour kicks off April 19 in Minneapolis, with stops across North America before heading overseas.