Kendrick Lamar and SZA have been working together a lot lately. SZA appeared on Lamar’s album GNX, and the two have plans for a co-headlining tour in 2025.
Now, Lamar has returned the favor with a guest verse on SZA’s LANA (SOS Deluxe). But this verse seems to carry some subliminal disses aimed at Drake.
Lamar’s verse is on the track “30 for 30,” and he takes shots at someone SZA is close with. He raps, “You f*ckin’ with n**gas that’s thinkin’ they cuter than you,” and “Say you on your cycle but he on his period too.”
These lines seem to target Drake, who was once romantically linked to SZA. The two also worked together on two major singles in 2023, “Slime You Out” and “Rich Baby Daddy.”
Drake has taken shots at Lamar in the past, even claiming that SZA had Lamar “wiped down” on his diss track “Push Ups.” It seems SZA is now backing her former TDE labelmate in this ongoing feud.
In addition to the direct shots, there are other bars in Lamar’s verse that could be aimed at Drake. He raps about the “tenderness” of his target and compares it to “waygu,” which could be a subtle jab at Drake’s softer image.
Another line, “the tables been turnin’ so much, I was thinkin’ it’s foosball,” could be referencing the shift in popularity between Lamar and Drake.
The title of the song itself, “30 for 30,” is also a possible reference to a Drake song from 2015, further suggesting Lamar’s intent.
These subliminals make sense, especially given the tension between Lamar and Drake. Drake recently launched a legal case against UMG and Spotify over the success of Lamar’s hit “Not Like Us,” claiming that Lamar’s streaming numbers were “artificially inflated.”
It’s clear that Lamar’s bars in “30 for 30” are not just for show—they seem to be aimed directly at Drake.
