Kendrick Lamar teased his fans on Thursday with an Instagram post featuring the Roman numeral IV, leading many to believe he was releasing his fourth album. Instead, we got a track titled “The Heart Part 4” and lyrics referencing the feud between Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.
As you’ve probably heard, Durant left Westbrook and the Thunder to join the Warriors last season, and since then there’s been a subtle feud between the two, culminating in a brawl during a game and some Instagram posts of cupcakes.
Anyway, Lamar brings all this up in his latest track:
The tables turned, lesson learned, my best look
You caught me off guard, now you meet Westbrook
Celebrate with your team and secure the victory
Just know that next time we play, I might slap you in the face.
Technical foul, I am flagrant, I am a foul
They throw me out, you throw in the towel
There’s obviously a reference to the basketball aspect of this, but if you like rap, you can also consider this a Drake diss. Kendrick and Drake have been taking subtle shots at each other for years, and this might be the latest instance.
Let’s break it down.
The tables turned, lesson learned, my best look
In Drake’s song “Pound Cake” there is a line: “The tables are turned, bridges burn, people live and learn“, which is eerily similar to Lamar’s opener. Using Drake’s lyrics against him is what Lamar has done in the past with his previous hits.
You caught me off guard, now you meet Westbrook
“Jumped Sides” is obviously a reference to Durant’s move to his rival, but Lamar and Drake are probably talking about Drake changing the sound of his music. Instead of rap, Drake’s latest projects feature more dancehall sounds.
Celebrate with your team and secure the victory
Their team references Durant’s Warriors and also Drake’s Warriors. Drake is always talking about Durant and how he hangs out with the Warriors, so it’s not far-fetched to see that connection.
Just know that next time we play, I might slap you in the face.
In addition to the previous text, Lamar refers to the success of Drake’s OVO team compared to Lamar’s Top Dawg Entertainment. While Drake’s team has achieved more commercial success, Lamar says that Drake would not stand a chance against him in a head-to-head matchup.
