Meet the Grahams
| "Meet the Grahams" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Kendrick Lamar | ||||
| Released | May 3, 2024 | |||
| Recorded | May 2024 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 6:32 | |||
| Label | Interscope | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | The Alchemist | |||
| Kendrick Lamar singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternate cover | ||||
 Original cover art from YouTube video | ||||
| Audio video | ||||
| "Meet the Grahams" on YouTube | ||||
"Meet the Grahams" (stylized in lowercase) is a diss track by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on May 3, 2024, during his ongoing feud with Canadian rapper Drake.[1] A response song, it premiered 20 minutes after the release of Drake's "Family Matters", a diss track mainly aimed at Lamar.[2]
Background[edit]
Drake, born Aubrey Drake Graham, has an immediate family including his parents, Sandra and Dennis Graham, and Adonis, Drake's son with Sophie Brussaux. Adonis was initially kept from the public eye but was confirmed by Drake after rapper Pusha T alleged his existence on the diss track "The Story of Adidon".[3] The feud between Drake and Lamar began in March 2024, with Lamar attacking Drake's persona and skill with the songs "Like That" and "Euphoria", before Drake responded with the track "Family Matters" in which he accused Lamar of domestic violence against longtime partner Whitney Alford.[4]
Composition[edit]
Produced by the Alchemist, ‘Meet the Grahams’, unlike Lamar's previous responses, takes on an unsettling, haunting atmosphere, with an eerie piano-driven beat accompanying critical lyrics accusing Drake of a number of wrongdoings, such as parental negligence, sexual exploitation, and another incident of child abandonment.[5][6]
The track's lyrics take the form of a letter to Drake's son Adonis, both of Drake's parents, Drake's alleged daughter, and finally Drake himself. In the song, Lamar alleges that Drake has a secret daughter and calls him a sexual predator. Lamar also mentions that Drake is allegedly running a sex trafficking ring out of his mansion, The Embassy,[7] and compares his actions to those of Harvey Weinstein.[4]
Cover art[edit]
The cover art used in the original YouTube release shows an uncropped version of the photo that accompanied Lamar's previous song, "6:16 in LA". In addition to the glove, it shows a shirt, jewelry receipts, and three prescription medicines with the name "Aubrey Graham" (Drake's real name) on them, including one for Ozempic and one for Zolpidem. According to DJ Akademiks, these items were stolen from a suitcase belonging to Drake's father, Dennis Graham.[8] The song was released to streaming platforms the next day, with the original artwork being replaced with a black square, possibly due to Apple Music and Spotify guidelines prohibiting the sharing of personal information, as with the pill bottles in the original artwork, as well as the display of brands or advertisements on cover art.[9]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Horowitz, Steven J. (2024-05-04). "Drake and Kendrick Lamar Get Personal on Simultaneously Released Diss Tracks 'Family Matters' and 'Meet the Grahams'". Variety. Archived from the original on 2024-05-04. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
- ^ Savage, Mark (4 May 2024). "Drake and Kendrick Lamar get personal on simultaneously released diss tracks". BBC News. Archived from the original on 5 May 2024. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ Baxter-Wright, Dusty (June 29, 2018). "Drake confirms he has a son on new album, Scorpion". Cosmopolitan.
- ^ a b "Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar: the juiciest moments in their beef". CBC Music. 4 May 2024. Archived from the original on 3 May 2024. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ Cline, Georgette ClineGeorgette (2024-05-04). "Kendrick Lamar Annihilates Drake With 'Meet the Grahams' Diss Letter to Adonis, Drake's Mom, Dad and Alleged Secret Daughter". XXL Mag. Archived from the original on 2024-05-04. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
- ^ Saponara, Michael (2024-05-04). "Kendrick Lamar Quickly Replies to Drake With Blistering 'Meet the Grahams' Diss Track: Listen". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2024-05-04. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
- ^ Kreps, Daniel (2024-05-04). "Kendrick Lamar and Drake Trade Diss Tracks as Rap War Rages On". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2024-05-04. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
- ^ Rose, Jordan. "Breaking Down Everything Kendrick Said About Drake on "Meet the Grahams"". Complex. Archived from the original on 2024-05-04. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
- ^ Blake, Cole (2024-05-06). "Kendrick Lamar Changes "Meet The Grahams" Cover Art For Streaming Release, Fans Debate Why". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 2024-05-06.