If Taylor Swift taking potshots at her exes in her new album The Tortured Poets Department didn’t seem exciting enough, the music industry has a new rap battle to offer. Unlike Swift’s subtle easter eggs though, the diss tracks in the rap genre are straightforward — and currently neither Kendrick Lamar nor Drake are mincing any words. Amidst the ongoing Drake vs Kendrick Lamar feud, let’s take a look at who is richer in terms of net worth, and how both rappers spend their millions.
The past weeks have been exciting for rap fans given that it’s been raining diss tracks from both ends as Drake and Lamar continue their war of words. While the tracks have garnered millions of streams, panic has also ensued online because of the serious allegations the two rappers have hurled at each other by referencing offences like domestic violence and child abuse. If you’re wondering how the whole Drake vs Kendrick Lamar beef began, here’s a quick rundown.
Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s history
The tense relationship between the two goes back over a decade. Initially, Drake invited Lamar to his Take Care album and also gave him an opening spot on his 2012 Club Paradise Tour while the latter was still an up-and-coming artist. In fact, Drake also featured on Kendrick’s debut album Good Kid, M.A.A.D City‘s track Poetic Justice.
Drake & Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Poetic Justice’ has entered the top 50 on US Apple Music for the first time EVER
It is seeing its highest activity in years across all streaming services. pic.twitter.com/JlSnvRCHM4
— Hip Hop All Day (@HipHopAllDayy) May 7, 2024
However, cracks developed between the two after Lamar took shots at Drake as well as other rappers including J. Cole, Meek Mill, Mac Miller and Pusha T in a guest verse on Big Sean’s Control. The famed lyrics said, “I got love for you all, but I’m trying to murder you” and from thereon, the relationship between the two has only gotten worse.
The re-ignition of the rap feud
The recent escalation goes back to October last year when Drake released his eighth album For All The Dogs featuring a collaboration with J. Cole. It consisted of a verse where Cole suggested that he, Drake and Kendrick were the “big three” of the current hip-hop era. While the song became Cole’s first number-one song on the US singles chart, it sparked a response from Lamar in March 2024 via an uncredited verse. The rapper took direct jibes at Cole and Drake refuting the idea of the three of them being hip-hop greats. Thus began a back-and-forth between the two rappers that seemingly has been good for business given how these diss tracks are performing on the charts.
Considering music is subjective, there may never be a fair barometer to compare who is better between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. They are two of the biggest rappers in the world who have made millions and hence besides their music, we examine the major differences between their earnings and spending habits. From splurging on luxury cars to real estate and more, let’s take a look at Drake vs Kendrick Lamar’s net worth, album sales and more.
Drake vs Kendrick Lamar: Who is richer with a higher net worth?
While Drake has established his career as a hitmaker, Lamar is a more reserved artist who doesn’t drop new music too often. There are major differences in the way Drake and Lamar approach music lyrically as well. With each rapper having sealed a place for themselves in the music business in terms of monetary gains, Canadian rapper Drake finds himself in a higher position over Compton-born Kendrick Lamar when it comes to net worth.
Drake’s net worth, endorsements and more
Drake’s net worth is estimated to be USD 250 million according to Celebrity Net Worth. While most of his earnings come from his music including album sales and tours, he also makes a fortune out of endorsements and other business ventures including his label OVO Sound which reportedly earns him an annual salary of USD 70 million.
In terms of album sales, his latest album For All The Dogs impressively sold 402,000 album units in its first week including 514.01 million on-demand streams of the songs.
It’s also well-known that Drake has dabbled in acting. He famously played Jimmy Brooks on Degrassi: The Next Generation which further added to his fortune. His connection to the entertainment industry also goes beyond acting as he has also served as a producer of Zendaya’s HBO series Euphoria (also the title of Kendrick’s diss track). Additionally, he’s also an investor in several business ventures such as DreamCrew Entertainment, MoonPay, and 100 Thieves.
Among his various endorsement deals including those with sneaker brand Nike and more, the rapper scored one of his biggest deals with Apple Music in 2016. He promised exclusive releases and promotional appearances through the deal worth USD 19 million. All of these have contributed to Drake’s impressive net worth.
Kendrick Lamar’s net worth, album sales and more
Compared to the Toronto native, Kendrick Lamar’s net worth is significantly less and is estimated to be USD 75 million. The rapper is known to have made most of his earnings not only from his album sales but also his 2023 rap tour which made over USD 110.9 million from nearly 73 shows.
In terms of album sales, Lamar’s most successful album has been Damn which reached number one on the Billboard 200 after its release and has since been certified 3 x Platinum. It is the same album that also won him the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Music, making him the first non-classical and non-jazz artist to ever receive the honour.
Despite his lesser net worth than Drake, Kendrick Lamar’s success is reflected in the fact that he has sold over 70 million records in the United States alone so far. Additionally, he also produced and curated the soundtrack of Marvel’s Black Panther which likely came with a big Disney paycheque. Other projects that have added to his net worth also include his acting debut on the Starz drama series Power in 2018.
Like any other musician, Kendrick has also struck major endorsement deals. He earns millions from his deals with Nike and American Express according to Forbes.
Drake vs Kendrick Lamar interesting facts
- In a 2016 interview, former US President Obama picked Kendrick Lamar over Drake as a potential rap battle winner when questioned who was better.
- Neither Drake nor Kendrick Lamar feature in the top 5 richest rappers in the world. Jay-Z tops the list with a net worth of USD 2.5 billion as per Forbes.
- Drake and Taylor Swift have never collaborated on a song, but Kendrick Lamar not only featured on Bad Blood but also won a Grammy for its music video.
- Tennis star Naomi Osaka sided with Team Lamar when asked about Drake vs Kendrick Lamar’s rap battle during a recent press conference.
After comparing the net worth of the two rappers, let’s dig deep into how they fared on their diss tracks streaming war.
Drake vs Kendrick Lamar: Who is winning the charts in streaming stats?
The Drake vs Kendrick Lamar rap feud resulted in fans of the latter receiving new music within a matter of days as opposed to the uncertain waiting periods. Drake even took a jibe at Lamar’s stingy habits when it comes to dropping new tracks as he rapped, “At least your fans are getting some raps out of you / I’m happy I could motivate you” in The Heart Part 6.
Evidently, Lamar’s diss tracks directed at Drake indeed gained massive momentum within hours of their release. In fact, Lamar’s Not Like Us which was released on May 4 is already beating Drake’s new releases and has broken Spotify’s single-day streaming record for a hip-hop song with a total of 6.59 million streams.
.@kendricklamar‘s “Not Like Us” breaks the all-time record for biggest single day streams of a hip-hop song in US Spotify history, passing @Drake and @lilbaby4PF‘s “Girls Want Girls” (6.593 million). pic.twitter.com/YLN6KHSPcz
— chart data (@chartdata) May 7, 2024
On the Billboard 100 chart as well, Lamar beat Drake as Euphoria which dropped on April 30 debuted in the 11th spot, while Drake’s song Push Ups trailed by in 17th place. Even on Apple Music, Lamar’s Not Like Us is in the top spot while Drake’s Family Matters is placed third (as of May 9).
Lamar also beat Drake in terms of YouTube streams with Not Like Us clocking over 28 million views, while Family Matters has a current total of about 19 million hits.
Kendrick Lamar’s ‘DAMN’ is currently receiving more daily streams than ANY Drake album on Spotify (8.5m)
Despite releasing over 7 years ago it was streamed nearly 9 MILLION times yesterday. pic.twitter.com/oUqIlfWUij
— Hip Hop All Day (@HipHopAllDayy) May 9, 2024
The fiery rap battle also resulted in Kendrick’s old music getting a new lease of life as fans seemingly rushed to devour his discography to look for any past disses directed at Drake. An X account of Hip Hop All Day also claimed that the rapper’s seven-year-old album Damn is currently receiving 8.5 million daily streams which is allegedly more than any of Drake’s albums on Spotify.
While the battle of the rappers seemingly continues, here’s more to know about their massive fortunes and how they spend their wealth.
How Drake and Kendrick Lamar spend their millions on the expensive things they own
Drake’s luxury watches and jewellery collection
Rappers have a reputation for earning massive bucks and also splurging them fast. Several artists are known to have a penchant for collecting luxury items and in the case of Drake, the Certified Lover Boy hitmaker isn’t shy to drop big dollars for watches and jewellery. On many an occasion, he has been spotted flaunting diamond rings and eye-catching chains as well as limited edition watches.
One of the most expensive pieces in Drake’s watch collection is a Rolex x Chrome Hearts Day-Date timepiece. The gold watch with a diamond-encrusted bezel costs a whopping USD 311,000.
Drake has also spent his earnings on other incredibly expensive watches such as the emerald-encrusted Patek Philippe Nautilus and a Richard Mille RM 69. He also owns a timepiece worth USD 126,000 from the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak collection.
Apart from watches, Drake’s love for diamonds is visible in his massive jewellery purchases which include a cupid gold chain encrusted with 75 carats of diamonds, priced at approximately USD 467,000. Another expensive jewellery item from Drake’s collection is a chain from Homer, his friend Frank Ocean’s label. The diamond-heavy piece is worth a whopping USD 2.9 million. However, you will be shocked to find out the price of his most coveted neckpiece. The Alex Moss-designed engagement ring necklace flaunted by the rapper during his live performances is approximately worth USD 19 million.
Real estate and cars
The rapper is a well-known car enthusiast and hence it’s no surprise that his garage has a fleet of luxury cars ranging from Ferraris to Rolls-Royces. The God’s Plan singer is a proud owner of the Ferrari LaFerrari which reportedly was a part of an exclusive collection of only 400 units.
Another swanky car included in his enviable car collection is the Bugatti Veyron – Sang Noir Edition known to deliver a top speed of 254mph. Undoubtedly one of the most exclusive cars owned by Drake is the Mansory Rolls-Royce Phantom which is a custom design specifically made for him featuring his label OVO’s owl logo.
Drake’s real estate portfolio is as enviable as his car collection. The rapper owns a mansion in his hometown Toronto which recently made the headlines following a shootout that injured a security guard on the premises. Previously, he had also purchased a luxury Tuscan-style mansion for USD 75 million in Beverly Hills which was formerly owned by British singer Robbie Williams.
Last year, the rapper put up the same house for sale at USD 88 million. Another impressive real-estate dealing of the rapper also saw him earn a profit as he sold the Yolo Estate, a Hidden Hills ranch for USD 12 million after buying it for nearly half the price.
Expensive things owned by Kendrick Lamar
For someone who earns millions, you would think their biggest fear wouldn’t be about going broke but for Lamar, his relationship with money has exactly been like that. In a 2014 interview with Complex, the rapper spoke about why he doesn’t spend lavishly on himself and said, “I treat myself every now and then, but for the most part I be wanting to be smart about it.”
In keeping with his words, after he shot to fame, the first big purchase made by Lamar was a real estate investment worth USD 523,500. This move seemingly echoed his Vanity Slave lyrics where he raps, “So if you get your first big check and you cop a chain before you buy a house. You’re a vanity slave.”
The rapper has continued to invest most of his earnings in properties across Los Angeles and not long ago also bought a USD 8.6 million penthouse in Brooklyn. In 2018, he also bought a massive 5,400 square feet home with six bedrooms and six bathrooms priced at USD 2.65 million.
Apart from real estate, if there’s one luxury item from K-Dot’s purchases that has always intrigued fans, it is his custom crown of thorns made in collaboration with Tiffany & Co. Featuring over 8,000 diamonds totalling over 137 carats, it is crafted in high-polished titanium. The crown is famously featured on the cover art of his album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. The rapper was also seen wearing it at the Glastonbury Festival in 2022 and during a backstage interview, one of his team members revealed that the price of the crown was USD 3 million while Lamar merely laughed.
While the crown certainly tops his jewellery collection, Lamar’s go-to jeweller is the renowned Tarin Thomas. The rapper owns an Archie ring from the brand which he proudly flaunted in the Humble music video.
In terms of being a motorhead, Kendrick’s car collection boasts of not one but two Cadillacs. The rapper also owns a stunning BMW i8, a Range Rover Sport and a 1964 Chevrolet Impala.
(Main and featured images: Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images; Drake/Instagram)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
– Does Drake have a kid?
Drake has a 6-year-old son named Adonis Graham whom he shares with artist Sophie Brussaux.
– How many Grammys does Kendrick Lamar have?
Kendrick Lamar has won 17 Grammy Awards out of 50 nominations in his career so far.
– Where is Kendrick Lamar from?
Kendrick Lamar is an American rapper born on June 17, 1987, in Compton, California.
– Is Kendrick Lamar the most influential rapper?
Kendrick Lamar is considered to be one of the most influential rappers because of his critical and mainstream acclaim. He has been hailed for the way he represents the voice of Black Americans in his music.
