Another ‘L’ for Drake? Kendrick Lamar Beating Arch-enemy Drake in ‘100 Best Albums of All Time’ Ranking Could Be the Final Verdict on Their Feud
Not so long ago, there was trouble in the paradise of rap music as a long back-and-forth went on between Kendrick Lamar and Aubrey Drake Graham, professionally known as Drake. Their feud dates back to the early 2010s, but things went quite out of hand in March 2024 when Lamar released the song Like That in collaboration with Future and Metro Boomin.
Things escalated quickly from there and soon, all hip-hop artists were at war as they picked sides. While many considered Lamar the winner of the feud, a recent revelation from Apple Music might have put the argument at rest for once and all with the Swimming Pools (Drank) singer coming out at the top.
Kendrick Lamar’s Album Ranks Above Drake’s in the ‘100 Best Albums of All Time’ List
Kendrick Lamar is one of the most acclaimed rap artists. He began releasing music as a singer under the stage name K. Dot when he was in high school. By 2005, he was signed with Top Dawg Entertainment but did not release his debut album until 2011.
The success of his debut album Section.80 led to him signing a deal with Interscope Records and Aftermath Entertainment. 2012 saw the release of his sophomore album Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, in which he had shifted from alternative rap to gangsta rap. The album gave several chart-topping singles and was the longest-charting hip-hop album on the Billboard 200.
Graham first gained recognition for his role in Degrassi: The Next Generation, and signed a deal with Young Money Entertainment in 2009. His second album Take Care, released in 2011, not only achieved great commercial success but also won him the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards.
Recently, Apple Music revealed its list of ‘Top 100 Albums of All Time’ and both artists’ sophomore albums are on the list. While Lamar’s album is in the 7th position, Graham’s album is 40 places below it, ranked at 47. This might be the ultimate nail in the coffin of the long-running feud even though there is no telling whether or not the feud is in the coffin.
A Look into Apple Music’s ‘Top 100 Albums List’
Apple Music stated that a panel of artists, songwriters, producers, and other industry professionals, crossing genres and generations, curated the list. The official website has clarified that the rankings are independent of any steaming numbers on the music streaming service.
The album that took the first spot on the list was Lauryn Hill’s 1998 debut album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. It was followed by Michael Jackson’s Thriller at the second position, The Beatles’ Abbey Road at the third position, Prince & the Revolution’s Purple Rain at the fourth position, and Frank Ocean’s Blonde at the fifth position.
Additionally, two of Beyonce’s albums (Lemonade and her self-titled album) are at the tenth and thirty-sixth positions respectively. Taylor Swift has only one album, 1989 (Taylor’s Version), on the eighteenth position on the list.
