Kung Fu Kenny Fires Back at Drake on 'Euphoria
Kendrick Lamar posted this morning on his YouTube channel a new track "euphoria," his highly anticipated response to Drake's diss tracks. The six-minute sermon features the complex, compact verses we have come to know from the Compton rapper, as well as the flow switches and clever punchlines that make him largely considered the best current rap artist.
Euphoria starts with Kendrick speaking slowly over a soft beat, laying out his premise for the diss track. Before the beat builds and Kendrick escalates his issues, there is no time for a chorus or a hook on Lamar's watch. He is not wasting a word to make it known he feels Drake is disingenuous, fabricated, and not worth his time.
K-Dot insults Drake's parenting: "I got a son on the rise but I can see you don't know nothing about that," referencing the Pusha T diss track 'The Story of Adidon' – something referenced throughout the song, including the Ralph Lauren ad campaign used for the diss track's cover art and Drake's lack of response. Lamar publicizes this is a shared feeling throughout the culture and cleverly flips the "1 vs 20" line from 'Infrared' to mock Drake's large writing staff. Kendrick finishes the song with a warning about taking it further and finally ends it with a simple "stop."
As a rap beef enthusiast, I think Kendrick's style, wit, and outlook on Drake do not disappoint in this six-minute showcase. It will be interesting to see what kind of response there is from the rap community and Drake.