A complete breakdown of Drake's newest diss track Family Matters

Drake has finally responded to Kendrick Lamar's two diss tracks, Euphoria and 6:16 in LA released last week. In his tracks, Lamar took shots at the former's industry status, the OVO Sound record label, and his relationship with Adonis Graham, among other things.

Drake didn't waste time and responded to Kendrick with an aggressive record and an accompanying music video. In an Instagram post, he announced the release of the album, Family Matters to his over 145 million followers. The album was released on May 4, 2024.

"Stop trying to piece together what I know and go pick up the pieces of your broken home," the caption of the post read.

Drake responds to Kendrick Lamar on his latest diss track Family Matters

Like Euphoria, Drake's Family Matters is an aggressive record that seemingly merges three songs into one lengthy diss track, clocking out at 7:37 minutes.

Drizzy spends the entirety of the record bringing up Kendrick's family, infidelity rumors, and past discography. He also takes shots at Metro Boomin, Future, The Weeknd, A$AP Rocky, Rick Ross, and J. Cole.

Before the song was released, Drizzy uploaded several stories to his Instagram account teasing an upcoming response. One of these was a clip of Denzel Washington from the movie Equalizer 2, where the actor states:

"I’m going to kill each and everyone of you, and the only disappointment to me is that I only get to do it once."

The music video for Family Matters sees moments like the demolition of a 1996 Chrysler Town & Country car. Kendrick used a picture of this car as the cover art for his 2012 project as it was the vehicle his mother used to drive.

Disclaimer: This review is rated explicit. Reader's discretion is advised.

[Part 1]

"N---a, I said it, I know that you mad / I've emptied the clip over friendlier jabs / You mentioned my seed, now deal with his dad / I gotta go bad, I gotta go bad."

Drake introduces his diss track by proclaiming he's aggressively fired back at people who've been less taunting than Kendrick Lamar. He also cited how responding to Lamar isn't something he's worried about.

[Chorus]

"Drop, drop, drop, drop / Drop a fifty bag for the mob in the spot / Drop a fifty bag, twenty-nine for the thot / Uh, I was really, really tryna keep it PG / I was really, really tryna keep it PG."

This chorus is lifted straight from Drizzy's earlier diss track Pushups. Just before the song ends the beat switches and this chorus plays out for 15 seconds. The use of an R&B record for a diss track appears to poke fun at Kendrick's disses, where he wished for Drake to remain an R&B artist and stay far away from "true" hip-hop.

[Verse]

"If you had a set, they'd give your a-- a DP / But you civilian gang, in real life, you PC / You know who really bang a set? My n---a YG / You know who really bang a set? My n---a Chuck T / You know who even bang a set out there is CB."

In the first couple of lines, Drizzy takes shots at the rapper Rick Ross claiming he has no gang affiliations and that he is in Protective Custody. This bar alludes to the alleged run-in Ross had with the Atlanta-based Gangster Disciples gang back in the early 2010s.

"And, n---a, Cole losin' sleep on this, it ain't me / You better have some paperwork or that s--t fakе tea / Can't be rappin' 'bout no rattin' that we can't rеad / I mean it's true a n---a slimed me for my AP / Just like how Metro n---a slimed him for his main squeeze."

Drake brings up J. Cole's apology to Kendrick Lamar stating that, unlike Cole, he isn't worried about shooting back at K-Dot and has no intentions of peace. Drizzy wishes for Kendrick to release the paperwork for all the alleged claims he dropped on 6:16 in LA, noting that none of it is real.

"Out here beggin' for attention, n---a, say please / Always rappin' like you 'bout to get the slaves freed / You just actin' like an activist, it's make-believe / Don't even go back to your hood and plant no money trees."

Drake uses to next bar to dive deeper into Kendrick's music aesthetic. He claims that Lamar begs for attention by rapping like a freedom rights activist. He also claims to believe that Kenny's 2015 "Black Empowerment" album To P*mp a Butterfly was a shallow work of art.

Drake uses Dot's hit record Money Trees as a metaphor to claim Kendrick has never given back to his "hood" is factually incorrect. This is because Kenny's documented contributions to Compton run into hundreds of thousands of dollars in community donations.

"Say you hate the girls I f--k, but what you really mean? / I been with Black and white and everything that's in between / You the Black messiah wifin' up a mixed queen / And hit vanilla cream to help out with your self-esteem."

Drake implies that Dot doesn't stand for "Black Empowerment" by stating Kendrick isn't the "Black Messiah" since his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and their children are of mixed ethnicity.

"On some Bobby s--t, I wanna know what Whitney need / All that puppy love was over in y'all late teens / Why you never hold your son and tell him, "Say cheese?" / We could've left the kids out of this, don't blame me."

Drizzy takes further shots at Kendrick's relationship with his fiancée, citing their love for each other ended back when they were teenagers. He also highlights not wanting to involve their kids in this beef but Kenny's shots on Euphoria and 6:16 in LA prove this was going to be a no-holds-barred match.

"You a dog and you know it, you just play sweet / Your baby mama captions always screamin', "Save me" / You did her dirty all her life, you tryna make peace / I heard that one of them little kids might be Dave Free."

In this bar, Drizzy implies that Kendrick Lamar's infidelity has been damaging to both his fiancée and his alleged baby mother. He also claims that one of Kenny's children was fathered by his General Manager Dave Free.

"Don't make it Dave Free's / 'Cause if your GM is your BM secret BD / Then this is all makin' plenty f--kin' sense to me / Ayy, let that shorty breathe."

Drake alleges that Kendrick's abusive behavior toward his fiancée is what supposedly led to Whitney's unfaithfulness. Drizzy also seemingly alleges that she cheated on Lamar with Dave Free.

"Shake that a--, b---h, hands on your knees / Hands on your knees, hands on your knees / Shake that a-- for Drake, now shake that a-- for free / Well, not that kind of free, I'm talkin' 'bout my n---a Dave."

This entire bar is a call back to S*xxy Red's verse on Rich Baby Daddy with Drizzy switching out the words to imply, if given the chance, Whitney would much rather dance for both Drake and Dave.

"Your man a lil' K, we call that s--t a mini Drac' / He always said I overlooked him, I was starin' straight / These bars go over Kenny head no matter what I say / I know you like to keep it short, so let me paraphrase."

Drake then proceeds to bash Kendrick Lamar's height with double entendres and metaphors. He cites how Kenny wouldn't understand any of these bars as they "go over" his head with Drizzy standing 7 inches taller than Dot.

"Knew it was smoke when Abel hit us with the serenade / N---a said, Uh, uh / Almost started reachin' for my waist."

Part 1 ends with a final snipe aimed at The Weeknd for taking shots at Drake on Metro Boomin and Future's album We Still Dont Trust You.

[Part 2]

"If Drake shooters doing TikToks, n---a / Realest shooter in your gang, that's P's brother, y'all ain't getting shit shot, n---a / Can't listen to the stick talk in falsetto, save it for a hip-hop n---a / You don't even be at home, dog, you a souvenir-out-the-gift-shop n---a"

Drake continues to put down The Weeknd by downplaying the disses sent on All To Myself, claiming it's very difficult to hear the latter talk tough when he's singing threats in "falsetto" notes.

"Still mad about that one ho, we ain't even f--k, I just lip-locked with her / I get active when it's war time, I ain't even really let my d--k drop, n---a / What the f--k I heard Rick drop, n---a? Talkin' somethin' 'bout a nose job, n---a / Ozempic got a side effect of jealousy and doctor never told y'all n----s."

The most notable instance on this bar is Drake addressing Rick Ross' "nose job" allegations made on Champagne Moments, citing them as false. He also claims Ross's use of Ozempic (a weight loss drug with known side effects) led to him being jealous of Drizzy's success.

"Put a n---a in the bars, let a n---a rot, kind of like your old job, n---a / House sittin' on some land, but it's out where no one even really know y'all n----s / Bitches gotta drive two hours 'fore you pay 'em just to give a blowjob, n---a / Must've snorted up a snowball / 'Cause my last record deal was four hundred M's, these days, that's a low ball, n---a."

He continues to call out Rick Ross for being a correctional officer before turning to rap as a career. Drizzy also references the "400M" dollars acquired in 2021 from his exclusive deal with Universal Records, to imply a large financial gap between him and Ross.

"Who's next on the list? / Which one of my so-called n----s / Which one of my so-called n----s / Which one of my so-called n----s need a shell from the clip? Always knew I had to smoke y'all n----s."

Drake turns the diss track back to Kendrick Lamar by claiming he's always known about the snakes around him, alluding to bars from Kendrick's 6:16 in LA. Additionally, the constant use of "n---a" in this verse appears to poke fun at the last two lines from Euphoria.

"good kid, m.A.A.d city van, we'll pop the latch and let the door slide / Tears runnin' down my cheek, laughin' at you pu--ies dyin', it's a war cry / Weeknd music gettin' played in all the spots where boys got a little more pride / That's why all your friends dippin' to Atlanta, payin' just to find a tour guide," are some of the lines from Lamar's song.

Drake appears unfazed by the beef, laughing as he seemingly prepares to destroy his rivals. He even references Kendrick's 2012 album good kid, m.A.A.d city when proposing that his responses are similar to a drive-by shooting.

"Abel, run your f--kin' bread, need to buy some more chains for some more guys / Let me find another street n---a I can take to the game courtside / Let me get a used Ferrari for a rapper, take the n---a on a horse ride / Anything to take the spotlight off the fact the boss is a drugged-out lil' punk sissy from the Northside."

Drizzy claims that The Weeknd's music is only played in Atlanta, alluding to controversial rumors where many call the city the LGBTQ+ capital of the US

"Rakim talkin' s--t again / Gassed 'cause you hit my BM first, n---a, do the math, who I was hittin' then? / I ain't even know you rapped still 'cause they only talkin' 'bout your 'fit again / Probably gotta have a kid again 'fore you think of droppin' any s--t again."

He then turns his attention to A$AP Rocky (Rakim Athelaston Mayers), who dissed Drizzy on Show of Hands, by alluding to his past relationship with Rihanna. He also addresses Rocky's artistry citing he's only known for his fashion ventures and nobody cares about his music.

"Even when you do drop, they gon' say you should've modeled 'cause it's mid again / Smokin' Fenty 'bout it, should've put you on the first one, tryna get it in / Ask Fring if this a good idea the next time you cuddled in that bed again / She'll even tell you leave the boy alone 'fore you get your head split again."

Drake goes on to state that if Rakim does drop his highly anticipated fourth studio album Don't Be Dumb, his fans will wish the rapper stuck to "modeling." The former seems to imply the project will fail commercially and creatively.

"Pluto s--t make me sick to my stomach, we ain't never really been through it / Leland Wayne, he a f--kin' lame, so I know he had to be an influence / These n----s had a plan and they finally found a way to rope you into it / Two separate albums dissin', I just did a Kim to it, n---a, skim through it."

Drizzy addresses how he and Future's relationship deteriorating is difficult for him to accept. He also blames Metro Boomin (Leyland Wayne) for having a negative influence on Pluto's opinion of Drake.

"Me and Savage had the hoes drippin' wet at shows, almost had to swim to it / K-Dot s--t is only hittin' hard when Baby Keem put his pen to it / Ross callin' me the white boy and the s--t kind of got a ring to it / 'Cause all these rappers wavin' white flags while the whole f--kin' club sing to it"

Drizzy flexs the success of his and 21 Savages's 2022 album, Her Loss, in an attempt to disprove Metro's claims of the project being undeserving of the awards it had achieved.

Drake proceeds to let shots fly at everybody who dissed him by calling out Kendrick Lamar's penmanship and Rick Ross's racial implications. He cites that they're now waving white flags as Family Matters has the entire rap community cheering for Drizzy.

"Murder scene on your man tonight, then come to the vigil with the candlelight / Body after f--kin' body and you know Rick readin' my Miranda rights / I'm goin' on vacation now, hope next time, y'all plan it right / 'Cause you gotta pay for sayin' my name, guess now n----s understand the price"

Drake ends Part 2 by citing how these bars have practically murdered everybody who took shots at him over the past several weeks. He hopes that the rap industry recognizes the price that comes with speaking on the 6ix god.

[Part 3]

"Kendrick just opened his mouth, someone go hand him a Grammy right now / Where is your uncle at? 'Cause I wanna talk to the man of the house / West Coast n----s do fades, right? Come get this a-- whoopin', I'm handin' 'em out / You wanna take up for Pharrell? Then come get his legacy out of my house."

The entirety of Part 3 is spent taking shots at Kendrick Lamar with Drake poking fun at Kenny's multiple award nominations and wins. He cites how opening his mouth is enough for Dot to receive a Grammy award.

When mentioning Pharrell's legacy, Drake is referencing the icon's Jewellery collection that he acquired including a $3 million chain that he wore in the music video for Jumbotron Sh*t Poppin.

"A cease and desist is for h--s, can't listen to lies that come out of your mouth / You called the Tupac estate and begged 'em to sue me and get that s--t down / I'm losin' perspective on beef, Boi-1da send beat and I'll kill you for fun / Your daddy got robbed by Top, you Stunna and Wayne, like father, like son"

There are multiple allegations Drake drops on this bar and cites Kendrick supposedly calling Tupac's estate to have them forcibly remove Taylor Made Freestyle from streaming services. He also references the time Kendrick's father was robbed by Top Dawg (Anthony Tiffith) while working in a KFC establishment. He claims that Anthony stole streaming income from Kenny as well.

"Anthony set up the plays, Kojo be chargin' you double for nothin' / They shook about what I'ma say, but textin' your phone like, We already won / You tell me what I shouldn't say, but f--k it, my n---a, it's already done."

He calls out Anthony for setting up shady deals through Top Dawg Entertainment. He then references Kendrick's songwriter and collaborator Duval Kojo Bankole Timothy for supposedly overcharging Kenny for unsubstantial work.

"We already know it's a twenty-v-one, we already know why you went number one / It's clearly because of The Boy, the honorable thing is to give me the loot / You right about F--k the big three, it's only Big D, and there's video proof."

Drake brings up Like That citing it only topped the charts because Kendrick referenced Drake. He also states that Kenny was right about there being no "big three," alluding to Drizzy's recently leaked NSFW as proof of there only being a "Big D" in Hip/Hop.

"Our sons should go play at the park, two lightskin kids, that s--t would be cute / Unless you don't want to be seen with anyone that isn't Blacker than you / We get it, we got it / The blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice."

Drizzy seemingly makes fun of Kendrick Lamar's children as they're mixed race, which appears to call out Kenny's selective dismissal of Drake's ethnicity on tracks like Euphoria.

"We get that you like to put gin in your juice / We get that you think that you Bishop in Juice / When you put your hands on your girl, is it self-defense 'cause she bigger than you? / Your back is up against the curb, you diggin' for dirt, should be diggin' for proof."

Drake implies that Kendrick's back is against the wall now that he's responded with supposedly true allegations of abuse toward Whitney and infidelity in Kendrick's relationship.

"Why did you move to New York? Is it 'cause you livin' that bachelor life? / Proposed in 2015, but don't wanna make her your actual wife / I'm guessin' this wedding ain't happenin', right? / 'Cause we know the girls that you actually like."

Drake questions the validity of Kendrick and Whitney's relationship citing that they've been engaged since 2015 but not yet married. He claims that this is because Kenny has been unfaithful to his fiancée multiple times over the years.

"Your darkest secrets are comin' to light / It's all on your face like what happened to Mike / Oh s--t, it's all makin' sense, maybe I'm Prince and you actually Mike / Michael was prayin' his features would change so people believe that he's actually white."

Drizzy then implies that he believes Michael Jackson has more in common with Kendrick Lamar than he does with himself. He seemingly alleges that they both wish to be included in "white" communities.

"Top would make you do features for change, get on pop records and rap for the whites / And wait, you say your brother Jermaine, but you wanted him to stay out of the light / Oh s--t, just follow me, right? 'Cause nothin' you sayin' could bother me, right?"

Building on these claims, Drake alleges that Kenny working on pop records with Taylor Swift was intended for him to be accepted by a different racial community. He also claims that Kendrick's relationship with J. Cole isn't real, with him not truly wanting the best for Cole and his career.

"I get off the plane and nothing has changed, I head to Delilah with all of my ice / Head to Delilah with all of my ice, head to Delilah with all of my ice / This s--t gotta be over by now for anyone out here that's calling it, right?"

Drake cites Kendrick's claims that Drizzy won't be able to walk freely in Compton. However, he says that he has had no problems in Los Angeles ever since Kenny dissed him by referencing a popular restaurant in LA named "Delilah".

"You're dead, you're dead, you're dead / There's nowhere to hide, there's nowhere to hide, you know what I mean / They hired a crisis management team to clean up the fact that you beat on your queen / The picture you painted ain't what it seem, you're dead."

He ends the diss track with more allegations of Kendrick being abusive to his wife. He then claims that his response with this record is enough to disprove everything Kendrick has alleged about him in the past.

Drizzy released Family Matters on all major DSPs (Digital Streaming Platforms) via OVO Records with production credits to Boi-1da, Tay Keith, Mark Ronson, Fierce, Kevin Mitchell, Dramakid, Preme & Jordan Fox.

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