NEWS
Kendrick Lamar lit the rap world on fire on Juneteeth. He put on an electric performance during the "Ken and Friends" concert. He not only brought out a staggering roster of guests, but he used his platform to take a few more shots at Drake. The Compton rapper performed the diss record "Euphoria," and rather than stick to the script, he decided to tweak lyrics and send a new message directly to the 6 God. The message? Don't ever disrespect 2Pac.
Kendrick Lamar got rid of the "Euphoria" line "Matter of fact, I ain't even bleed him yet, can I bleed him." In its place was a line far more scathing, and one that verified what we all suspected. He doesn't respect Drake. "Give me Tupac’s ring back and I might give you a little respect," he rapped. The ring in question was bought by Drake back in 2023. The Toronto rapper purchased the artifact for $1 million, according to Billboard. He's flaunted the ring on Instagram and worn it during several interviews. Drake made a similar purchase when he netted $2.6 million worth of Pharrell's jewelry. He even flaunted the latter during the "Family Matters" video. Both of these purchases have not sat well with Kendrick Lamar.
The Compton rapper has made it clear that 2Pac is a musical idol. The notion that Drake owns one of Pac's prized possessions has informed some of Lamar's angriest bars. "You think the Bay gon' let you disrespect 'Pac, n**ga?," he asked on "Not Like Us." Dot's reverence for 2Pac dates back to before he started rapping. He claimed to have visited the set of the "California Love" video as a kid. Years later, he used a rare interview from 'Pac to close out his legendary album To Pimp a Butterfly. Dot also penned a tribute to the late rapper in 2015. "I was 8 yrs old when I first saw you," he recalled. "I couldn’t describe how I felt at that moment. So many emotions. Full of excitement. Full of joy and eagerness. 20 yrs later I understand exactly what that feeling was. Inspired."
Kendrick Lamar brought the 'Pac experience full circle during the "Pop Out" show. He invited Dr. Dre onstage, and together they performed "California Love" together. Dre rapped his verse, of course, and then Dot took over for 2Pac. Talk about carrying the torch. Kendrick Lamar's love for 2Pac has taken a bit of a backseat in 2024. He's dedicated the last six months to hating on Drake, and he continued to do so at the "Pop Up" show. Lamar sold t-shirts with a reference to his now iconic "New Ho King" bar from "Euphoria."
Central Cee is a massive star. The UK rapper has been recording since 2014, but he blew up off the strength of his 2022 single "Doja." It's been one success after another for the rapper, who scored a number one UK single with "Sprinter" in 2023. It seems apparent that Central Cee is here to stay, and DJ Akademiks is one internet personality who is absolutely convinced. Akademiks not only praised Central Cee during a recent stream, but claimed Cee was one of the most relevant rappers in the world.
The bold proclamation was made on June 25. DJ Akademiks was trying to work out who the biggest rappers were in terms of success. Central Cee, in Ak's not-so-humble opinion, trumps most of the U.S. names at the moment. The cultural implications were not lost on the streamer. "Is this the first time," Ak asked his viewers. "That a UK rapper could arguably be in the top 5 of rap?" He asserted that if Cee was not already, then he will be very soon. "I think Central Cee might be knocking on that door," he asserted. "Top 5 relevant, right now."
Viewers were quick to shoot down Ak's ruling. That being said, Central Cee does have a lot going for him at the moment. He received a prestigious co-sign from Travis Scott in 2023, when the Texas rapper was seen dancing and rapping along to one of his tracks. Cee was the first UK rapper ever to land on the XXL Freshman List. He was also the first UK rapper to earn a billion streams in a single year on Spotify. These are not fluke achievements. The "Sprinter" hitmaker is doing, in many ways, what Bad Bunny did for the reggaeton genre during the first half of the decade.
Central Cee is keenly aware of American hip-hop. He told The Guardian that he listened to the greats when he was growing up, and attempting to bring a similar level of authenticity. “J Cole, Kendrick Lamar," he recalled. "I had to go and listen to these people for the first time. Even Jay-Z. So that was a fun time, because everything was clicking. I just remember lightbulbs." The rapper is adamant that he plans to stay true to his unique style, however. "When I rap, I’m in a neutral mood," he said. "I can relate to everything, every emotion that I’ve ever felt." Let's see if DJ Akademiks' claim proves true.
