Last year, when J. Cole opened the barrel of controversy, unaware of where the tidal currents would take him, even the top dogs of showbiz danced to the tango of the chaotic Drake-Kendrick Lamar feud. But when Lamar dropped the mustard on the beat, every new hat in the ring recoiled, leaving some high-profile cosmic dust trailing in the wake. Kanye West, now simply Ye, was among the first music moguls to feel the heat of a wildfire that started as a flicker but soon spread with slow, unrelenting force.

Though the rapper joined the battleground by himself, Ye recently pulled back the curtain on his first impression of the brewing storm. 

In a headline-grabbing sit down on The Download podcast, Ye found himself in the hot seat as host Justin LaBoy wasted no time diving into 2024’s most-talked-about lyrical showdown between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. Given Ye was one of the first artists to step into the metaphorical ring, LaBoy had to ask: Who really won? Ye did not hold back, revealing the first thought that popped into his mind for Lamar, “Why you ki--ed my nemesis?”.

According to the ‘Vultures’ rapper, rap battles are a lot like superhero movies—just because someone goes down does not mean they are out for good. Sure, Lamar “ki--ed” Drake in this round, but the key phrase remains “for now.” Ye went on to say that underestimating someone like Drake is like counting out Stephen Curry because Drizzy has the potential to drop 200 points in a single song. Still, he acknowledged Lamar delivered something undeniable, something worth studying. 

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Without that level of dedication, Ye believes artistic endurance is just a pipe dream. And without the penchant for further probing into his artistry, there is no wiping out Kendrick Lamar, at least. That said, Lamar has already crept dangerously close to Ye’s throne.

Last year, Ye planted his flag firmly in the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar battle, making his allegiance crystal clear. But what he did not see coming was K-Dot creeping up on his Grammy throne with the precision of a chess master. Fast forward a year, and on a record-shattering Grammy night, Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ did not just win—it wiped the board clean, snatching trophies in all the five nominated categories.

With that historic sweep—Record and Song of the Year, Best Music Video, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap Performance—Lamar now officially boasts 22 Grammys, landing him in the top 3 legends of all time, just a breath away from Ye and Jay-Z’s 24 count. And with the gap closing, Ye’s growing curiosity about Lamar no longer looks just artistic intrigue but also strategic since if K-Dot could dominate the Grammys, how long before he claims the GOAT’s throne?

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