Hip Hop/ Rap
Drake Dethrones Kendrick Lamar on Spotify With Record Monthly Listeners Amid Explosive Rap Feud
Drake has officially reclaimed his throne as the most-streamed rapper on Spotify, narrowly edging out his fiercest rival, Kendrick Lamar, amid their ongoing and headline-grabbing feud. According to Chart Data, Drake now boasts 80.65 million monthly listeners, just above Kendrick’s 80.62 million, in one of the closest races in streaming history.
This digital domination comes just days after Drake’s triple-headlining appearance at Wireless Festival in London, where he delivered a blistering live set that immediately translated into a spike in global streams. Meanwhile, Kendrick Lamar is deep into his Grand National Tour alongside SZA, performing sold-out shows but clearly losing some streaming ground, at least for now.
Spotify Showdown: Numbers Don’t Lie
Chart Data made the announcement via X (formerly Twitter), writing: “Drake is now the rapper with the most monthly listeners on Spotify currently. He surpasses Kendrick Lamar.”
The update arrives just four months after Drake made history by becoming the first artist ever to surpass 110 billion total Spotify streams. It’s another notch in the belt for the Toronto native, who continues to dominate the charts despite his controversial back-and-forth with Lamar.
Drake is now the rapper with the most monthly listeners on Spotify currently.
He surpasses Kendrick Lamar. pic.twitter.com/mdROQxFbG3
— chart data (@chartdata) July 13, 2025
A Feud Bigger Than Just Bars
Their feud, which began in earnest with Kendrick’s brutal verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That,” has evolved into hip-hop’s most electrifying rivalry in years. Kendrick’s chart-busting diss track “Not Like Us”, which went viral for its pointed shots—including calling Drake a “certified pedophile” (an accusation Drake denies)—sparked a firestorm that shook the rap world.
Drake responded with his own savage counterpunches: “Push Ups” and “The Heart Part 6,” the latter a direct response to Kendrick’s allegations and viral hits.
Drake Dominates Spotify as the Most-Streamed Artist of 2024, Where is Kendrick Lamar?
The feud even reached the Super Bowl stage, with Kendrick performing a censored version of “Not Like Us” and sharing the spotlight with SZA. “No round twos,” Kendrick warned in a subtle jab at Drake’s promise of another diss track volley.
Lawsuits, Labels, and Spotify Drama
Amid the beef, Drake even initiated legal action against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify, accusing them of inflating Kendrick’s numbers via bots and pay-for-play schemes. Though the pre-action filing was ultimately withdrawn, it exposed the high stakes behind chart success in the streaming era.
While Kendrick Lamar may be winning the cultural debate with his Super Bowl spotlight and Compton West Coast push, Drake is winning the numbers game. With Spotify’s monthly listener crown now on his head and a global tour rumored for late 2025, Drake is proving he still owns the rap charts—if not the full narrative.
