Kendrick Lamar - Euphoria
From Genius
[Part I]
[Intro]
eurt si em tuoba yas yeht gnihtyrevE
Euphoria
[Verse]
Them super powers gettin' neutralized, I can only watch in silence
The famous actor we once knew is lookin' paranoid and now is spiralin'
You're movin' just like a degenerate, every antic is feelin' distasteful
I calculate you're not as calculated, I can even predict your angle
Fabricatin' stories on the family front 'cause you heard Mr. Morale
A pathetic master manipulator, I can smell the tales on you now
You'rе not a rap artist, you a scam artist with the hopes of being accеpted
Tommy Hilfiger stood out, but FUBU never had been your collection
I make music that electrify 'em, you make music that pacify 'em
I can double down on that line, but spare you this time, that's random acts of kindness
Know you a master manipulator and habitual liar too
But don't tell no lie about me and I won't tell truths 'bout you
[Part II]
[Intro]
Shoo, shoo, shoo
Shoo, shoo, shoo
Bee, bee, bee, bee, bee, bee
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[Verse 1]
Yeah, I'm out the way, yeah, I'm low, okay
Yeah, the island right here's remote, okay
I ain't thinkin' about no reaper, nigga, I'm reapin' what I sow, okay
Got a Benjamin and a Jackson all in my house like I'm Joe, okay
Hellcat, made his homeboys and them type sell they soul, okay
Everybody wanna be demon 'til they get chipped by a throwaway
And I might do a show a day, once a lame, always a lame
Oh, you thought the money, the power or fame would make you go away?
Have you ever played have-you-ever? Okay, nigga, let's play
Have you ever walked your enemy down like with a poker face?
Have you ever paid five hundred thou' like to an open case?
Well, I have, and I failed at both, but I came out straight
I hate when a rapper talk about guns, then somebody die, they turn into nuns
Then hop online like "Pray for my city," he fakin' for likes and digital hugs
His daddy a killer, he wanna be junior, they must've forgot the shit that they done
Dementia must run in his family, but let it get shaky
I'll park his son
The very first time I shot me a Drac', the homie had told me to aim it this way
I didn't point down enough, today, I'll show you I learned from those mistakes
Somebody had told me that you got a ring, on God, I'm ready to double the wage
I'd rather do that than let a Canadian nigga make Pac turn in his grave
Cutthroat business, you got shit twisted
What is it? The braids?
I hurt your feelings? You don't wanna work with me no more? Okay
It's three GOATs left, and I seen two of them kissin' and huggin' on stage
I love 'em to death, and in eight bars, I'll explain that phrase, huh
It's nothin' nobody can tell me, huh
I don't wanna talk on no celly, huh
You know I got language barriers, huh
It's no accent you can sell me, huh
Yeah, Cole and Aubrey know I'm a selfish nigga, the crown is heavy, huh
I pray they my real friends, if not, I'm YNW Melly
I don't like you poppin' shit at Pharrell, for him, I inherit the beef
Yeah, fuck all that pushin' P, let me see you push a T
You better off spinnin' again on him, you think about pushin' me
He's Terrence Thornton, I'm Terence Crawford, yeah, I'm whoopin' feet
We ain't gotta get personal, this a friendly fade, you should keep it that way
I know some shit about niggas that make Gunna Wunna look like a saint
This ain't been about critics, not about gimmicks, not about who the greatest
It's always been about love and hate, now let me say I'm the biggest hater
I hate the way that you walk, the way that you talk, I hate the way that you dress
I hate the way that you sneak diss, if I catch flight, it's gon' be direct
We hate the bitches you fuck 'cause they confuse themself with real women
And notice, I said "we," it's not just me, I'm what the culture feelin'
How many more fairytale stories 'bout your life 'til we had enough?
How many more Black features 'til you finally feel that you're Black enough?
I like Drake with the melodies, I don't like Drake when he act tough
You gon' make a nigga bring back Puff, let me see if Chubbs really crash somethin'
Yeah, my first one like my last one, it's a classic, you don't have one
Let your core audience stomach that, then tell 'em where you get your abs from
V12, it's a fast one, baow-baow-baow, last one
Headshot for the year, you better walk around like Daft Punk
[Verse 2]
Remember?
Ayy, Top Dawg, who the fuck they think they playin' with?
Extortion my middle name as soon as you jump off of that plane, bitch
I'm allergic to the lame shit, only you like bein' famous
Yachty can't give you no swag neither, I don't give a fuck 'bout who you hang with
I hate the way that you walk, the way that you talk, I hate the way that you dress
Surprised you wanted that feature request, you know that we got some shit to address
I even hate when you say the word "nigga," but that's just me, I guess
Some shit just cringeworthy, it ain't even gotta be deep, I guess
Still love when you see success, everything with me is blessed
Keep makin' me dance, wavin' my hand, and it won't be no threat
I'm knowin' they call you The Boy, but where is a man? 'Cause I ain't seen him yet
Matter fact, I ain't even bleed him yet, can I bleed him? (Bet)
When I see you stand by Sexyy Red, I believe you see two bad bitches
I believe you don't like women, it's real competition, you might pop ass with 'em
Let's speak on percentage, show me your splits, I'll make sure I double back with ya
You were signed to a nigga that's signed to a nigga that said he was signed to that nigga
Try cease and desist on the "Like That" record?
Ho, what? You ain't like that record?
"Back To Back," I like that record
I'ma get back to that, for the record
Why would I call around tryna get dirt on niggas? Y'all think all my life is rap?
That's ho shit, I got a son to raise, but I can see you don't know nothin' 'bout that
Wakin' him up, know nothin' 'bout that
Then tell him to pray, know nothin' 'bout that
Then givin' him tools to walk through life like day by day, know nothin' 'bout that
Teachin' him morals, integrity, discipline, listen, man, you don't know nothin' 'bout that
Speakin' the truth and consider what God's considerin', you don't know nothin' 'bout that
Ain't twenty-v-one, it's one-v-twenty if I gotta smack niggas that write with you
Yeah, bring 'em out too, I'll clean 'em out too, tell BEAM that he better stay right with you
Am I battlin' ghost or AI?
Nigga feelin' like Joel Osteen
Funny, he was in a film called A.I.
And my sixth sense tellin' me to off him
I'ma blick niggas all in they coffin
Yeah, OV-ho niggas is dick riders
Tell 'em run to America, they imitate heritage, they can't imitate this violence
What I learned is niggas don't like the West Coast, and I'm fine with it, I'll push the line with it
Pick a nigga off one at a time with it
We can be on a three-hour time difference
Don't speak on the family, crodie
It can get deep in the family, crodie
Talk about me and my family, crodie?
Someone gon' bleed in your family, crodie
I be at New Ho King eatin' fried rice with a dip sauce and a blammy, crodie
Tell me you're cheesin', fam
We can do this right now on the camera, crodie
Ayy, fuck y'all niggas, I don't trust y'all niggas
I wave one finger and thump y'all niggas like mmm
Field goal, punt y'all niggas, they punk y'all niggas, nobody never took my food
Whoever that's fuckin' with him, fuck you niggas, and fuck the industry too
If you take it there, I'm takin' it further
Psst, that's something you don't wanna do
[Outro]
Ooh
We don't wanna hear you say "nigga" no more
We don't wanna hear you say "nigga" no more
Stop
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Euphoria" is a diss track written and recorded by American rapper Kendrick Lamar, in response to Canadian-American rapper Drake's single "Push Ups" and his independently released song "Taylor Made Freestyle". It was unexpectedly released on April 30, 2024, via Interscope Records, initially as a YouTube exclusive before being released to streaming platforms hours later.
The song was produced by Cardo and Kyuro, with additional work from Johnny Juliano, Sounwave, and Yung Exclusive. Its extended introduction contains a sample of Teddy Pendergrass's 1981 song "You're My Latest, My Greatest Inspiration". "Euphoria" was met with generally positive reviews from music critics, who praised its humorous yet hateful tone, Lamar's versatile performance, and complex entendres. However, criticism was directed at the production and a few punchlines that some considered objectionable. The song broke the single-day streaming record for a hip hop song in 2024.
Background[edit]
Main article: Drake–Kendrick Lamar feud
On March 22, 2024, Kendrick Lamar made a surprise appearance on Future and Metro Boomin's collaborative studio album We Don't Trust You on the single "Like That". His featured verse was a diss against Drake and J. Cole in response to their single "First Person Shooter". Cole rebutted "Like That" first with the polarizing "7 Minute Drill",[1] which he later retracted and removed from streaming services.[2][3]
Drake offered two responses to "Like That". His first, "Push Ups", was premiered by media personality DJ Akademiks after a low quality demo version that sampled "Get Money" by Junior M.A.F.I.A. was leaked.[4] Throughout the song, Drake mocks Lamar's short stature and musical authenticity, all the while generating rumors of him being extorted by his former label, Top Dawg Entertainment.[5]
The second response, "Taylor Made Freestyle", was released on Drake's social media accounts immediately after "Push Ups" was released to streaming platforms.[6] The song used vocals generated from artificial intelligence of Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg, two of Lamar's musical idols, to entice him to release his own response.[7] He also questioned his friendship with singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, whom the freestyle is named after.[8] Shakur's estate sent Drake a cease and desist letter accusing him of violating the rapper's personality rights and abusing his legacy. They further claimed that the AI-generated vocals being used against Lamar, a "good friend" of the estate who respected Shakur publicly and privately, compounded the disrespect.[9] Drake was ordered to remove the song from his social media accounts or face litigation; he obliged to the former demand.[10]
Composition[edit]
The song begins with an audio sample, which was revealed to be a reversed audio clip from The Wiz, a 1978 remake of The Wizard of Oz starring Michael Jackson (who Drake has often compared himself to), in which Richard Pryor, who plays the titular Wiz, states "Everything they say about me is true. I'm a phony."[11] After this, the song starts out "softly" with Lamar waiting until the final line of the first verse to directly address Drake. The song's intro builds around a sample of Teddy Pendergrass's song "You're My Latest, My Greatest Inspiration". Lamar talks about a "paranoid", "pathetic", and "spiraling" master manipulator "fabricating stories on the family front".[12] The beat then picks up as the delivery gets "sharper", while the rapper makes references to Drake's name ("Draco Pistol"), as well as the previous diss track "Taylor Made".[13]
Lamar later mentions Drake and Cole by name and references "The Story of Adidon", a 2018 diss track by Pusha T aimed against Drake, in the context of fatherhood.[13] In other instances, he accuses Drake of being a "scam artist" and namedrops artists such as YNW Melly, Gunna, Daft Punk, Lil Yachty, and Sexyy Red.[14] Lamar also accuses Drake of sending a cease and desist letter to prevent the release of "Like That": "Try cease and desist on the 'Like That' record / Ho, what? You ain't like that record?" Further references in the song include Drake's Meek Mill diss track "Back to Back".[15]
Release and promotion[edit]
"Euphoria" was first released to YouTube on April 30, 2024, with no prior announcement. It was published on the platform at approximately 8:24 a.m. PT, which many alluded was a nod to the basketball player Kobe Bryant; he was a shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers under the jersey numbers 8 and 24.[16] Hours after its YouTube launch, "Euphoria" was made available on music streaming services through Interscope Records. Brian Zisook, co-founder of Audiomack, noted that the song is Lamar's first release under a new direct licensing agreement with Interscope following his departure from Top Dawg Entertainment (under a joint deal with Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope); Lamar's own creative communications company, PGLang, is reportedly not involved in the deal.[17]
The song's cover art is a screenshot of Merriam-Webster's definition of the word "euphoria", but journalists believe that its title is also a reference to the American television series of the same name.[18] Drake is one of the series' executive producers, which has been a subject of controversy for its use of mature content, including sexual material, amongst its teenage characters.[19]
Critical reception[edit]
Professional ratingsReview scoresSourceRatingComplex42/50[20]
Per a Complex assessment, which graded the song's lyrics, presentation, quality and overall effectiveness, "Euphoria" received a score of 42 out of 50 (84%). Its examiner, Peter A. Berry, concluded that the song is a "bit too sprawling" for its own good, and the production is "kinda mid," but it ultimately offers a "potent mix of skill, viciousness, and humor that would be hard for anyone to overcome."[20]
Vivian Medithi of The Fader described "Euphoria" as a standout rap song and a "dynamic study in hating."[21] Rolling Stone's Andre Gee was impressed at how Lamar sounded like a "seasoned vet" despite the song being his first official diss record.[22] Angel Diaz, writing for Billboard, felt that his response was "worth the wait" and praised its dense lyricism.[23]
In less favorable reviews, Pitchfork's Alphonse Pierre felt that "Euphoria" lacked a "knockout blow" that could have pushed Lamar's feud with Drake past "fleeting spectacle". Pierre felt that the track was substandard to other disses like Nas' "Ether", especially on the matter of what Pierre perceived as "gay jokes"[a] in "Euphoria". Pierre also commented negatively on the song's production, especially believing that the track has "the worst beat switch-ups you'll hear all year."[24] Ben Beaumont-Thomas for The Guardian similarly wrote that for someone whose artistry "rests on his self-presentation as flawed but enlightened", Lamar demeaned himself with the usage of "outright" misogynistic and homophobic lyrics; particularly the usage of the term dickrider to describe Drake's OVO labelmates. Beaumont-Thomas also criticized the production, describing the beat as "blah even if Lamar does ride it with skill and animation".[25]
Impact[edit]
"Euphoria" was the subject of extensive press attention following its release. New Ho King, a Chinese restaurant located in Toronto's Chinatown neighborhood, was flooded with five-star reviews on Google Maps after it was mentioned in the track.[26][27]
Commercial performance[edit]
"Euphoria" reached number one on the US Spotify charts, as well as number one on the US Apple Music and global music charts. It debuted at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
