Drake, the 38-year-old hip-hop superstar, is using his latest track, What Did I Miss?, to reflect on the aftermath of his public feud with Kendrick Lamar and the fallout with friends who didn’t support him.
Released on July 4, the song dropped as part of Drake’s Iceman: Episode 1 livestream, and it appears to be a direct message to those he feels turned their backs on him during the high-profile hip-hop beef.
“What Did I Miss?” – Drake’s Response to the Betrayal
In the song, Drake doesn’t hold back his feelings, addressing the “traitors” in his life. He opens the track with a bold declaration:
“I don’t give a f— if you love me, I don’t give a f— if you like me,” setting the tone for his discontent. He also touches on the betrayal he felt, saying, “Last time I looked to my right, you n—-s was standing beside me / How can some people I love hang around p—— who try me?”
The song takes a deeper dive into his frustrations in the second verse. Drake mentions his return to Los Angeles, referencing Lamar’s June 2024 The Pop Out concert where Lamar performed his diss track “Not Like Us” multiple times. The lyrics, “I’m back in your city tonight, walkin’ around with my head high,” seem to signal his defiance in the face of the feud and those who may have sided with Lamar.
A Bold Message to His Friends and Enemies
Drake’s lines further emphasize his frustration with the disloyalty of his former associates, calling out individuals who “d— ride gang since ‘Headlines,'” referring to his 2011 hit. The underlying message is clear: loyalty matters, but it’s often tested during tough times.
Later in the verse, Drake drops another truth bomb, “It feels like nobody’s there until you start givin’ out two-tones / And nobody cares until they in front of your tombstone.” These lyrics suggest that people are often only interested in someone’s success once it’s too late to make a meaningful impact.
The Visuals and Legal Battles
Along with the release of What Did I Miss?, Drake also shared a visual featuring himself surrounded by weapons near a pool, before transitioning to a warehouse of ice, continuing his signature use of striking imagery.
This release follows more than a year after the dramatic fallout with Kendrick Lamar, which escalated with both artists releasing diss tracks. Lamar’s track, “Not Like Us”, which went on to win a Grammy, was the centerpiece of the feud.
Other big names like Future, Metro Boomin, and Rick Ross were also involved in the exchange, creating a buzz that lasted throughout much of 2024.
In the aftermath, Drake pursued legal action against Universal Music Group (UMG), alleging that the label defamed him through the promotion of Lamar’s diss. UMG, however, denied the claims, stating they had no intention of hurting Drake’s career.
Drake’s Latest Projects
Despite the drama, Drake has kept busy with his music career. In February 2024, he released his first album since the feud, titled $OME $EXY $ONGS 4 U. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and spawned the hit single “Nokia,” which peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100 in April.
With a highly anticipated summer tour on the horizon, Drake seems to be back on top, proving that despite the chaos, he remains one of the most influential figures in the rap game.
