Kendrick Lamar Response to Drake & J. Cole ‘First Person Shooter’
Last updated: 9 September 2026
Kendrick Lamar‘s response to Drake and J. Cole’s “First Person Shooter” became one of the biggest moments in modern hip-hop.
What initially looked like a celebration of rap’s biggest stars quickly turned into a full-scale lyrical rivalry after Kendrick rejected the idea that he, Drake and J. Cole belonged to a shared “Big Three.”
His answer came through a surprise verse on “Like That,” Future and Metro Boomin’s collaboration from the 2024 album We Don’t Trust You.
Instead of accepting the idea that the three rappers were equals at the top of hip-hop, Kendrick made his position unmistakably clear: he believed there was no Big Three — there was simply him.
The verse reignited Kendrick’s long-running tension with Drake and triggered one of the most talked-about rap battles of the decade.
What did J. Cole say on “First Person Shooter”?
The story starts with Drake and J. Cole’s “First Person Shooter,” released in October 2023 as part of Drake’s album For All the Dogs.
On the song, Cole brought Kendrick into the conversation while debating who was the best rapper of their generation.
He referred to Kendrick, Drake and himself as the “Big Three” of contemporary hip-hop.
The song was not initially presented as a direct attack on Kendrick. In fact, Cole’s mention of Kendrick could be interpreted as recognition of his status among rap’s elite.
But Kendrick clearly wasn’t interested in being placed inside that hierarchy.
And several months later, he answered.
Kendrick Lamar responds on “Like That”
On March 22, 2024, Future and Metro Boomin released We Don’t Trust You.
One of the album’s biggest surprises was Kendrick Lamar appearing on “Like That.”
Kendrick’s verse immediately became the centre of attention.
Rather than responding with a subtle reference, he directly challenged the “Big Three” concept and took aim at both Drake and Cole.
The key moment was his rejection of the idea that the three rappers occupied the same position.
That single idea turned “Like That” into much more than a guest appearance.
It became a declaration of war.
The track debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Kendrick one of the biggest commercial moments of his career while simultaneously turning the rap conversation upside down.
Why was Kendrick so angry about “First Person Shooter”?
The interesting part is that J. Cole’s original verse was not necessarily intended as a diss.
Cole was acknowledging the dominance of three rappers who had become defining figures of their generation:
- Kendrick Lamar
- Drake
- J. Cole
But Kendrick’s response suggested that he didn’t see the competition as an equal three-way race.
His position was essentially that his accomplishments, influence and artistic identity put him in a category of his own.
That distinction is important.
Kendrick wasn’t simply saying “I’m better than Drake.”
He was challenging the entire premise that Drake, Cole and Kendrick should automatically be discussed as a collective.
That made “Like That” feel much more aggressive than a normal competitive rap verse.
Kendrick and Drake already had history
The tension between Kendrick and Drake didn’t begin with “First Person Shooter.”
The two rappers had worked together earlier in their careers.
Kendrick appeared on Drake’s “Buried Alive Interlude” from the 2011 album Take Care, and Drake later appeared on Kendrick’s “Poetic Justice” from good kid, m.A.A.d city. Kendrick also opened for Drake during Drake’s Club Paradise Tour.
But their relationship became increasingly competitive.
One of the most important moments came in 2013 when Kendrick appeared on Big Sean’s “Control.”
Kendrick used the verse to challenge a long list of his contemporaries, including Drake, making it clear that he intended to compete for the top position rather than simply participate in the same generation.
That moment established a rivalry that would remain largely simmering for years.
“Like That” changed everything
Before “Like That,” Kendrick and Drake’s rivalry had largely existed through subliminal shots, interviews and occasional lyrical references.
Kendrick’s verse changed the temperature.
Suddenly, the competition was public.
And the timing was significant.
“Like That” appeared on an album produced by Metro Boomin and led by Future — two artists who had their own complicated history with Drake.
That made Kendrick’s appearance even more significant.
The song became an instant talking point across hip-hop, social media and music media.
Fans began dissecting every line for references to Drake, Cole and the wider rap industry.
J. Cole responded with “7 Minute Drill”
J. Cole was the first of the two rappers to directly answer Kendrick.
On April 5, 2024, Cole released “7 Minute Drill” as part of Might Delete Later.
The track took shots at Kendrick’s catalogue, release history and status in hip-hop. Cole appeared ready to engage in the battle.
But what happened next became one of the most unusual moments of the entire saga.
Cole quickly reconsidered.
During his Dreamville Festival performance, he publicly apologized for releasing the song and said the diss did not sit right with him.
He subsequently removed “7 Minute Drill” from streaming services.
That left Drake as the remaining major opponent willing to continue the battle.
Drake answers Kendrick with “Push Ups”
Drake eventually responded with “Push Ups,” a track aimed heavily at Kendrick.
The song attacked Kendrick’s commercial standing, collaborations, stature within hip-hop and relationship with major artists and labels.
It also expanded the conflict beyond Kendrick, with Drake taking shots at several other figures connected to the situation.
The track initially circulated through leaks before an official version emerged.
The response made it clear that Drake had no intention of simply ignoring Kendrick’s challenge.
Drake escalates with “Taylor Made Freestyle”
Drake followed “Push Ups” with “Taylor Made Freestyle.”
The track attracted enormous attention partly because it used AI-generated vocal imitations resembling Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg.
That move created another controversy around the beef, with the estate of Tupac Shakur objecting to the use of his likeness and legal action subsequently becoming part of the story.
The beef had now moved well beyond a simple lyrical competition.
It had become a major cultural event involving music, technology, fan communities and the wider hip-hop industry.
Kendrick returns with “Euphoria”
Kendrick eventually responded directly to Drake with “Euphoria.”
The song was substantially longer and more detailed than his original “Like That” verse.
Kendrick used the track to attack Drake’s character, artistic identity and approach to fame while continuing the competitive narrative that had begun with “First Person Shooter.”
“Euphoria” demonstrated that Kendrick’s initial response was not simply an impulsive verse.
He had more to say.
And the battle continued escalating.
The beef becomes bigger than Drake and Kendrick
By this point, the rivalry had pulled numerous artists into the conversation.
Future, Metro Boomin, Rick Ross, The Weeknd and others became associated with different sides of the conflict, either through music, collaborations or public reactions.
What made the situation particularly unusual was how quickly individual diss tracks became cultural events.
Every new release generated:
- Lyric breakdowns
- Social media debates
- Streaming spikes
- YouTube reactions
- Fan theories
- Industry commentary
- Chart discussions
The Drake-Kendrick rivalry had effectively become a real-time hip-hop storyline.
Why “First Person Shooter” remains important
Looking back, “First Person Shooter” was the spark that helped reignite the Kendrick-Drake rivalry in its most public form.
J. Cole’s “Big Three” concept became the central issue.
Kendrick rejected it.
“Like That” turned that rejection into a headline.
J. Cole briefly responded before withdrawing from the battle.
Drake continued.
And the resulting exchange produced some of the most discussed diss records in recent hip-hop history.
Kendrick Lamar vs Drake: the bigger story
The rivalry also represents something larger about hip-hop.
Rap has always been competitive.
From battle rap and freestyle sessions to legendary rivalries involving artists such as Nas and Jay-Z or Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G., competition has often pushed artists to defend their position and challenge their peers.
Kendrick and Drake represent two very different approaches to that competition.
Drake built one of the most commercially dominant careers in modern music, combining rap with pop, R&B and global mainstream appeal.
Kendrick built his reputation around concept-driven albums, social commentary, technical lyricism and a more traditional perception of the rapper as an album artist.
That difference is one reason their rivalry became so compelling.
The argument wasn’t simply who can rap better?
It became:
What actually makes someone the biggest rapper of a generation?
Is it commercial success?
Album quality?
Cultural influence?
Longevity?
Lyrics?
Awards?
Innovation?
Or the ability to dominate a rap battle?
Kendrick’s response to “First Person Shooter” essentially argued that those measurements had already placed him above the supposed “Big Three.”
Kendrick Lamar’s “Like That” response explained
At its core, Kendrick’s response was about rejecting the hierarchy created by “First Person Shooter.”
J. Cole presented Kendrick, Drake and himself as three giants competing for the same throne.
Kendrick’s response was that he did not want the throne shared.
That attitude is what made the verse so effective.
There was no long introduction.
No attempt to soften the message.
No debate about whether he belonged among the elite.
Kendrick simply challenged the entire premise.
And once “Like That” became a No. 1 hit, the response proved that a highly aggressive rap record could also become a mainstream commercial success.
Was Kendrick’s response to J. Cole or Drake?
Both.
“Like That” directly references J. Cole’s “First Person Shooter” while also taking several shots at Drake.
However, the Drake-Kendrick rivalry quickly became the dominant storyline.
Cole ultimately stepped away from the battle after apologizing for “7 Minute Drill,” while Drake and Kendrick continued exchanging diss tracks.
What happened after “Like That”?
The timeline quickly escalated:
October 2023: Drake and J. Cole release “First Person Shooter.”
March 2024: Kendrick responds on “Like That.”
April 2024: J. Cole releases “7 Minute Drill” and later apologizes and removes it.
April 2024: Drake responds with “Push Ups.”
April 2024: Drake releases “Taylor Made Freestyle.”
May 2024: Kendrick releases “Euphoria” and continues the battle with further diss tracks.
The conflict eventually produced even more significant releases, including Kendrick’s “Not Like Us,” which became a massive cultural and commercial success.
Why fans still debate the Kendrick vs Drake beef
There is no universal answer to who “won” a rap beef.
Fans judge diss tracks differently.
Some focus on lyricism.
Others care about replay value.
Some look at commercial performance.
Others focus on damaging allegations, cultural impact or who controlled the narrative.
That is why the Kendrick-Drake battle continues to generate debate.
But one thing is difficult to dispute:
Kendrick’s response to “First Person Shooter” transformed a line about hip-hop’s “Big Three” into one of the biggest rap rivalries of the modern era.
What began with J. Cole putting three artists in the same sentence ultimately became a much larger battle over legacy, credibility, commercial success and who deserves to stand at the top of hip-hop.
And it all started with Kendrick effectively refusing to accept the idea that there had to be three names.
For Kendrick Lamar, there was only one.
Him.
