section_path: History/2013–14: "Control", "The Language", and first indirect confrontation
section_name: 2013–14: "Control", "The Language", and first indirect confrontation
paragraph_text: 2013–14: "Control", "The Language", and first indirect confrontation
  
  On August 14, 2013, Big Sean released the track " Control ", featuring Lamar and Jay Electronica, which was initially intended for Big Sean's album Hall of Fame, but had to be left off due to sample clearance issues. Lamar's verse on the track called out many popular rappers of his generation by name, including Drake, claiming that he "had love" for all of them, but was trying to figuratively "murder" them, to the point of making their fans forget about their existence. The verse quickly went viral on social media, and was widely discussed by hip-hop's biggest names and the public at large.
  
  In an interview with Billboard two weeks later, Drake dismissed Lamar's verse, stating: "It just sounded like an ambitious thought to me. That's all it was. I know good and well that 's not murdering me, at all, in any platform". In September, Drake joined Elliott Wilson 's live interview series #CRWN. When prompted about the "Control" verse, Drake replied that Lamar's in-person attitude contradicted the sentiments of his "Control" verse. "I saw him five days later at the VMAs and it was all love... If it's really 'fuck everybody' then it needs to be 'fuck everybody'. It can't just be halfway".
  
  On September 24, 2013, Drake released his third studio album Nothing Was the Same. Multiple outlets interpreted the first verse on " The Language ", the album's fifth single, as a response to Lamar's "Control" verse, with Drake insinuating that Lamar's music was "not that inspiring" despite popular and critical acclaim. Birdman, head of Drake's then-label Cash Money Records, stated the song was not about Lamar.
  
  In October, during a cypher performance aired on BET as part of the 2013 BET Hip Hop Awards, Lamar responded with a line that was widely interpreted as a diss towards Drake: "Nothing's been the same since they dropped 'Control' and tucked a sensitive rapper back in his pajama clothes".
  
  On December 17, 2013, a remix of Future 's " Shit " featuring Drake and Juicy J was released. Hip-hop fans and outlets alike speculated Drake's verse on the remix was a diss targeted towards Lamar. The same day, Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith and Punch (both key figures at Lamar's record label Top Dawg Entertainment) posted responses on Twitter to Drake's verse disregarding the supposed disses.
  
  Two days after the track's release, Drake addressed Lamar's 2013 BET Hip Hop Awards cypher verse and "The Language" in a cover story for Vibe, mocking the idea of them being "buddy-buddy" and stating he already "stood ground" in response to "Control". Nevertheless, Drake maintained that "The Language" was not targeted towards Lamar. Drake also praised Lamar as a "genius in his own right" and insisted there was "no real issue". In June 2014, Drake posted a video on Instagram of himself rapping along to "Cut You Off (To Grow Closer)" from Lamar's 2010 mixtape Overly Dedicated.
  
  On October 29, 2014, Jay Rock released "Pay for It" featuring Lamar. The latter's verse contained lines seemingly taking shots at Drake while referencing lyrics from Drake's "The Language". Like Drake, Lamar denied growing rumors of tensions between the two. In an interview with Dazed published on November 3, 2014, Lamar clarified: "I got no beef with Drake". On November 4, 2014, Lamar made an appearance on WWPR-FM 's The Breakfast Club and further defused the prospect of a 'beef' between himself and Drake: "It wasn't no issue from the jump. I think people talk about beef... it's just a whole 'nother dynamic. I can't see myself going bar for bar with Drake. We're two different types of artists."
  
  On August 14, 2013, Big Sean released the track " Control ", featuring Lamar and Jay Electronica, which was initially intended for Big Sean's album Hall of Fame, but had to be left off due to sample clearance issues. Lamar's verse on the track called out many popular rappers of his generation by name, including Drake, claiming that he "had love" for all of them, but was trying to figuratively "murder" them, to the point of making their fans forget about their existence. The verse quickly went viral on social media, and was widely discussed by hip-hop's biggest names and the public at large.
  
  In an interview with Billboard two weeks later, Drake dismissed Lamar's verse, stating: "It just sounded like an ambitious thought to me. That's all it was. I know good and well that 's not murdering me, at all, in any platform". In September, Drake joined Elliott Wilson 's live interview series #CRWN. When prompted about the "Control" verse, Drake replied that Lamar's in-person attitude contradicted the sentiments of his "Control" verse. "I saw him five days later at the VMAs and it was all love... If it's really 'fuck everybody' then it needs to be 'fuck everybody'. It can't just be halfway".
  
  On September 24, 2013, Drake released his third studio album Nothing Was the Same. Multiple outlets interpreted the first verse on " The Language ", the album's fifth single, as a response to Lamar's "Control" verse, with Drake insinuating that Lamar's music was "not that inspiring" despite popular and critical acclaim. Birdman, head of Drake's then-label Cash Money Records, stated the song was not about Lamar.
  
  In October, during a cypher performance aired on BET as part of the 2013 BET Hip Hop Awards, Lamar responded with a line that was widely interpreted as a diss towards Drake: "Nothing's been the same since they dropped 'Control' and tucked a sensitive rapper back in his pajama clothes".
  
  On December 17, 2013, a remix of Future 's " Shit " featuring Drake and Juicy J was released. Hip-hop fans and outlets alike speculated Drake's verse on the remix was a diss targeted towards Lamar. The same day, Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith and Punch (both key figures at Lamar's record label Top Dawg Entertainment) posted responses on Twitter to Drake's verse disregarding the supposed disses.
  
  Two days after the track's release, Drake addressed Lamar's 2013 BET Hip Hop Awards cypher verse and "The Language" in a cover story for Vibe, mocking the idea of them being "buddy-buddy" and stating he already "stood ground" in response to "Control". Nevertheless, Drake maintained that "The Language" was not targeted towards Lamar. Drake also praised Lamar as a "genius in his own right" and insisted there was "no real issue". In June 2014, Drake posted a video on Instagram of himself rapping along to "Cut You Off (To Grow Closer)" from Lamar's 2010 mixtape Overly Dedicated.
  
  On October 29, 2014, Jay Rock released "Pay for It" featuring Lamar. The latter's verse contained lines seemingly taking shots at Drake while referencing lyrics from Drake's "The Language". Like Drake, Lamar denied growing rumors of tensions between the two. In an interview with Dazed published on November 3, 2014, Lamar clarified: "I got no beef with Drake". On November 4, 2014, Lamar made an appearance on WWPR-FM 's The Breakfast Club and further defused the prospect of a 'beef' between himself and Drake: "It wasn't no issue from the jump. I think people talk about beef... it's just a whole 'nother dynamic. I can't see myself going bar for bar with Drake. We're two different types of artists."