Rap beef has always walked a fine line between competition and chaos, but in 2025, that line was blurrier than ever. Once a matter of high-stakes lyrical sparring, feuds like Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s can now drive streams, hashtags, and brand visibility through the roof, bringing new questions along. Many observers have been left asking: Is beef a sport, a marketing tool, or something more dangerous?

“Social media has made everything more amplified,” says Trent Clark, head of TMZ Hip Hop. “Even a casual fan can have a weighty opinion with very minimal knowledge.” He points out that the sheer volume of conversation around these conflicts has turned rap beef into its own entertainment vertical that the industry and its algorithms eagerly exploit.

Rob Markman, Genius’ VP of music and co

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