Kendrick Lamar not only outsmarted Drake in their well-known rivalry, but also out-earned him.
On Thursday (December 12), Billboard announced projections regarding the revenue that the diss tracks from the two rap titans have earned since their release earlier this spring.
By utilizing information from Luminate, the analytics firm behind the Billboard charts, the publication approximated that the competition between Kendrick and Drake has produced nearly $15.4 million in streaming, digital sales, and publishing revenue within the U.S.
Statistically, Kendrick stands out as the definite winner between the two, with “Not Like Us,” “Like That,” “Meet the Grahams,” and “Euphoria” contributing to slightly more than $13.4 million of that total (nearly 87%).
“Not Like Us” is the most lucrative of the four, making about $7.6 million, while “Like That”—his hit collaboration with Future and Metro Boomin that sparked the conflict—earns $4.6 million.
The eerie “Meet the Grahams” has thus far generated $795,100, whereas “Euphoria” has brought in $441,300. Information regarding Kendrick’s other diss track “6:16 in LA,” which was not made available on streaming platforms, is not accessible.
At the same time, Drake’s two released diss tracks, “Family Matters” and “Push Ups,” have earned only $981,300 and $969,400 respectively — adding up to just over $1.9 million.
The exact amount of money Kendrick and Drake have personally earned is uncertain because it relies on the specifics of their label and publishing agreements, which are not disclosed.
Considering K. Dot and Drizzy’s profits from the rivalry overall, it’s probable that these amounts are significantly greater.
As noted by Audiomack co-founder Brian Zizook on X, “the dispute resulted in much higher figures, as both musicians saw a notable rise in their back catalog usage.”
Kendrick Lamar’s discography notably benefitted from the feud, as previous albums like good kid, m.A.A.d city, To Pimp a Butterfly, and DAMN. saw significant rises on the Billboard 200 chart in May.
Drake, conversely, witnessed his typically powerful catalog experience an unusual decline as each of his albums that were on the charts at the time dropped several spots.
Despite the recent cooling of tensions, the dispute may resurge in court since Drizzy has filed two “pre-action” petitions against Universal Music Group, claiming they unlawfully provided Kendrick with an edge.
The 6 God alleges that the major music corporation — which is the parent company of his label Republic as well as Kendrick’s longstanding home of Interscope — utilized streaming bots and payola to boost the popularity of “Not Like Us” artificially.
He has additionally charged UMG with defamation for deliberately releasing a track that brands him a sex offender.
Drake has received two distinct court hearings on December 20 and January 16 to decide if he can depose UMG and other firms listed in the filings for possible future legal action.
