Diss Songs Prove Why Not Getting Along Isn’t Always So Bad

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Can't rappers all just get along? If the last few months have told us anything, probably not—and as far as their bottom line goes, that might be fine. In some cases, it pays to be disagreeable. A few weeks ago, Future & Metro Boomin's Kendrick Lamar-assisted single, "Like That," which features Drake and J. Cole disses from Kendrick, topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for its second consecutive week after collecting over 115M Spotify streams in two weeks. The track, which became Kendrick and Future’s third No. 1 single, demonstrates the power of good music and controversy.

J. Cole jumped into the Rap Wars when he released “7 Minute Drill,” a solid, if non-committal retaliatory diss track aimed at Kendrick Lamar. Thus far, the track has only earned 11M Spotify streams. Cole didn’t help matters when he used the last day of his Dreamville Fest to apologize to Kendrick and disown the song because it “didn’t sit right with [his] spirit.” The Fayetteville rapper even wants to have the song removed from streaming services. The move divided rap fans on social media, with some commending Cole’s maturity and others considering it a sacrilegious act in the sport of rap. And to think, this feud between rap’s Big 3 was only the second example of rap beef this year.  

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Back in January, Megan Thee Stallion released “HISS,” a scorching diatribe that seemed destined for big commercial success as soon as it was announced. Powered by its incisive barbs (no pun intended) and the anticipation surrounding a response to Nicki, the track debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100. It’s collected over 66M Spotify streams to date. Nicki responded with “Big Foot,” and while it was critically panned, it did manage to hold down the No. 23 spot on the Hot 100 before it fell out a week later. 

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If fans were feeling bloodthirsty, another battle could be on the horizon. On X, a beef between Meek Mill and Wale is marinating. Their social media spat began when Meek saw the D.C. rapper in a picture with one of his former friends. They haven’t dropped any all-out diss tracks yet, but when they do, you can get people to pay attention—and music will sell.