Since the Super Bowl, Kendrick Lamar has been all we’ve been able to think about. From his effortlessly cool bootcut jeans, his reimagining of Uncle Sam as the incomparable Samuel L. Jackson to the continuous jabs he made at Drake throughout his 13-minute performance – Lamar has been crowned by the public as thee professional hater. 

He even says it himself on Euphoria, his first full diss track aimed at Drake, calling himself “the biggest hater”. Over the last year, the general public has revelled in Lamar’s pettiness, celebrating his commitment to the art of the grudge. For many, Lamar inspires them to be better haters. But what kinds of hate are most celebrated in our society and what depictions are condemned? 

In this episode, host Halima Jibril and Elliot Hoste are joined by our music writer Solomon Pace-McCarrick to discuss the Lamar-Drake beef, the kinds of hate that are the most acceptable in society today and how their feud reflects a deeper battle over Black masculinity. 

Listen to episode nine of Dazed and Discoursed above, or find it on Acast, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.