Double Entendre Dynasty: Dissecting the Genius Behind K.Dot's Drake Diss

EUPHORIA Appreciation Post

The silky serenade of Teddy Pendergrass's ‘You're My Latest Greatest Inspiration’ heralded the debut of what could be the most memorable and impactful diss track of my adult life—Kendrick Lamar's ‘Euphoria,’ which dropped unexpectedly at 8:24 am on Tuesday. The release time, a nod to Kobe Bryant's jersey numbers, came just a day after the L.A. Lakers got bounced from the playoffs. Some say it was Kendrick's way of diverting attention, given his known devotion to the franchise.

This release was a comeback to Drake's ‘Push Ups’ and ‘Taylor Made Freestyle’ released on April 19th, a response to Kendrick's spotlight on ‘Like That’ released on March 22nd. In the weeks following, the Hip-Hop world witnessed J. Cole's fleeting ‘7 Minute Drill’ diss, Rick Ross's ‘Champagne Moments’ released on April 15th calling out Drake, and Ye's ‘Like That Remix’ targeting both Drake and J.Cole released on April 21st. Spring 2024 is buzzing, and it has proven Hip-Hop's undeniable vitality against the doubts of some naysayers from the previous year.

This 6-minute long track was first released on YouTube, and eventually released on all streaming platforms later that day. Even so, by the time it was released on DSPs, music fans worldwide had already listened and were in a frenzy over it. This isn't light-wordplay territory anymore. It is now the era of high-caliber lyrical craftsmanship.

‘Yea Cole and Aubrey know, I'm a selfish N*gga, the crown is heavy, I pray they my real friends and if not, then I'm YNW Melly’

The line draws a parallel to the incarcerated Florida artist accused of fatally shooting his two close companions. It's one of the many precise and fierce bars in a track that feels like an artistic slaughter served over a solid beat.

‘How many more fairytale stories ‘bout your life, until we had enough? How many more Black features ‘til you finally feel that you're Black enough? I like Drake with the melodies, I don't like Drake when he act tough.’

He consistently critiques how genuine his characters are and the representation of their origins.

During the six-minute teardown, Kendrick includes moments of respect amid the criticism-a reminder of the competitive yet intricate nature of rap battles. 

The first at the 4 min 20-sec mark, ‘Still love when you see success, everything with me is Blessed. Keep making me dance, waving my hand, and it won't be no threat.’

The second at the 4 min 50-sec mark, ‘Back to Back, I liked that record. Ima get back to that, for the record.’ A nod to Drake's diss record to Meek Mill released in 2015. 

Even so, Drake would be wise not to rush into a shallow rebuttal, because the layers Kendrick delivered on 'Euphoria' deserve to be addressed. 

Even though the deep lyrical waters Kendrick swims in, aren’t all that familiar to him, I think taking the time to strategically address all of the accusations in his rebuttal will give him an edge in this battle. 

However, the discussion goes beyond just a rap rivalry. Kendrick stands as a beacon of continuous growth and professionalism for all in the hip-hop arena, particularly the up-and-comers. Not only does he master his rhymes, he does so with intent, never treating a battle as a mere play but rather as an art form deserving of full dedication and respect—a practice worthy of appreciation and reverence. We're deep into a realm where eloquent lyrics, intelligent metaphors, and clever double meanings reign supreme.

As the waves of criticism and admiration continue to roll in, it's now Drake's turn to step up to the mic. We are no longer in shallow lyrical waters, this is the age of sublime penmanship, masterful wordplay, witty metaphors, unheard-of entendres, and masterful execution – No pressure intended, but Aubrey Graham, you’re up next.

 Easy Listening, The Urban Music Enthusiast.