Did Kendrick Lamar Really Diss Young Thug on “Squabble Up”? Fans Debate After Leaked Calls

The hip-hop world thrives on rumors, subliminal messages, and lyrical puzzles, and the latest debate centers around two of the genre’s most influential figures: Kendrick Lamar and Young Thug. Recently leaked jail phone calls from Young Thug, who has been behind bars due to ongoing legal issues, have fans speculating about whether Lamar aimed a subtle diss at him on the November 2024 track “Squabble Up.”

The leaked conversations reveal Young Thug’s frustrations with Kendrick Lamar, particularly regarding collaboration requests and industry dynamics. Meanwhile, the lyrics of “Squabble Up” have listeners dissecting every line for hints of subliminal shots. So, did Kendrick Lamar actually diss Young Thug, or is this another case of rap fans overanalyzing? Let’s break it down in detail.

Young Thug’s Jail Phone Call: The Source of the Tension

The entire controversy stems from Young Thug’s jail phone calls, which surfaced online in mid-2025. In one call, Thugger shared how he wanted a Kendrick Lamar verse for his 2023 album Business Is Business, but Lamar turned down the request.

Thug expressed his frustration with Lamar’s decision:

• He criticized Lamar for declining features, questioning why an established superstar wouldn’t collaborate with other big names.

• He compared Lamar’s approach to that of Drake, pointing out how Drake consistently works with a wide range of artists, helping them achieve mainstream success.

• He vented that Lamar primarily focused on collaborating with Baby Keem, his cousin, while ignoring requests from industry heavyweights like himself, Lil Baby, and Lil Durk.

For Thug, this refusal felt like a missed opportunity for Lamar to “bless” other rappers with his artistry. His disappointment boiled down to the idea that Kendrick Lamar wasn’t contributing to the culture in the same way Drake was.

The Accusations: “You’ll Never Be Bigger Than Drake”

One of the most viral parts of the leaked phone call was Young Thug’s claim that Kendrick Lamar would “never be bigger than Drake.”

• According to Thug, Lamar’s lack of willingness to collaborate with other superstars was a major reason why he would never surpass Drake’s global influence.

• He suggested that Lamar’s insular approach, working primarily with Baby Keem, limited his reach.

• He even accused Lamar of not helping Keem enough, despite putting him on several big projects.

This part of the rant caught the attention of both Thug’s fans and Lamar’s loyal base. The Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar debate has long been a hot topic in hip-hop circles, and Thug’s commentary only reignited the fire.

Kendrick Lamar’s Lyrics on “Squabble Up”

The debate intensified because of specific lyrics from “Squabble Up,” released in November 2024.

On the third verse, Lamar rapped:

“Pipe down, young, these some whole other politics / … / ‘Ayy, Dot, can I get a drop?’ I’m like, ‘Nah.’”

Fans interpreted these lines as potentially directed at Young Thug:

1. “Pipe down, young” — This could be seen as a subliminal aimed at Young Thug, especially since Thug has openly called himself “Slime” and “Thugger” throughout his career. The “young” reference may not be a coincidence.

2. “These some whole other politics” — This line suggests Lamar’s decision to decline features wasn’t personal, but rooted in industry politics.

3. “Can I get a drop? … Nah.” — This could reflect Lamar’s refusal to give a verse to Thug or others who had asked for collaborations.

Of course, Kendrick Lamar is known for layered, cryptic writing. His lyrics often carry multiple meanings, and without confirmation, it’s impossible to know whether these bars were about Young Thug or someone else entirely.

Fans React: Speculation Runs Wild

The hip-hop community is split on whether Kendrick Lamar actually dissed Young Thug.

• Supporters of the theory argue that the timing of the leaked phone calls and the lyrics from “Squabble Up” line up too neatly to be a coincidence. They believe Lamar was addressing the exact frustration Thug expressed.

• Skeptics point out that Lamar often raps about broader industry themes rather than specific individuals. They argue the lyrics could just as easily apply to countless other rappers who have sought features from him.

On social media, the debate has spawned threads, videos, and fan theories, with some even linking Lamar’s bars to past rumors about tension between the two artists.

Young Thug’s Perspective: Feeling Shut Out

It’s worth considering why Young Thug was so upset in the first place.

• For Thug, getting a Kendrick Lamar verse wasn’t just about personal validation. It was about cultural capital and credibility. Lamar is often considered one of the greatest lyricists of his generation, and being featured alongside him could have elevated Business Is Business even further.

• Thug also saw himself as a peer to Lamar and felt that rejecting his request was a sign of disrespect.

• His comparison to Drake reveals his belief that hip-hop should be collaborative, and that superstars should help elevate each other.

In other words, the frustration stemmed from both ego and opportunity.

Kendrick Lamar’s Reputation for Selectivity

On the other hand, Kendrick Lamar’s selectivity with features is nothing new.

• Lamar has historically been cautious about who he collaborates with, choosing quality and alignment over quantity.

• He often avoids the spotlight outside of his own projects, surfacing occasionally for meaningful guest verses like his appearances with Baby Keem or other close collaborators.

• This approach has reinforced his reputation as a serious, intentional artist, but it also fuels narratives like Thug’s — that Lamar is “too big” to work with others.

For Kendrick, the refusal may not have been personal. It may have simply reflected his creative philosophy.

The Bigger Picture: Rap Rivalries and Fan Narratives

Whether or not Kendrick Lamar actually dissed Young Thug on “Squabble Up,” the speculation highlights a bigger truth:

• Rap thrives on tension. Rivalries, subliminals, and unspoken feuds have been part of hip-hop since its earliest days.

• Fans fuel the fire. Even without explicit confirmation, fans build narratives that keep discussions alive, adding to the mystique of the artists.

• Perception matters. For Young Thug, being denied a verse felt like rejection. For Lamar, rapping about feature requests might just have been a reflection of reality.

Ultimately, both artists remain hugely influential, and the situation may never be fully clarified.

Conclusion: Did Kendrick Lamar Diss Young Thug?

So, did Kendrick Lamar diss Young Thug on “Squabble Up”? The answer is complicated.

• The leaked jail phone calls suggest that Young Thug was frustrated with Lamar’s refusal to collaborate.

• The lyrics of “Squabble Up” contain lines that can easily be interpreted as subliminal shots at Thug.

• However, without explicit confirmation from Lamar himself, it remains speculation.

What is clear is that the incident has sparked one of the most intriguing discussions in recent hip-hop memory. It speaks to the power of Kendrick Lamar’s lyrics, the impact of Young Thug’s voice in the culture, and the endless fascination fans have with rap rivalries.

In the end, this may not be a case of beef, but rather another example of how hip-hop’s storytelling power keeps fans analyzing, debating, and questioning — long after the music drops.