The 10 Greatest Diss Tracks in Hip-Hop History
Rap beefs have given us some of music history’s rawest, most unforgettable tracks. When tensions rise, MCs step into the booth with one goal: obliteration. From personal betrayals to full-on lyrical massacres, these tracks didn’t just take shots—they left scars.
Here are the top 10 diss tracks of all time, ranked by impact.
1. Kendrick vs. Drake: The New Gold Standard for Rap Beefs
Rap beefs come and go, but every once in a while, one explodes and shakes the entire culture. That’s precisely what happened when Kendrick Lamar and Drake took their simmering tension and turned it into all-out war. With every diss, the stakes got higher, and by the end, we were left with some of the most brutal shots in hip-hop history.
Here’s a breakdown of the hardest-hitting tracks in this battle, ranked by impact.
1. “Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar
The knockout punch
If there’s a track that defined this beef, it’s “Not Like Us”. Kendrick didn’t just diss Drake—he buried him. Over a hypnotic West Coast beat, he painted Drizzy as a fraud, a culture vulture, and (in his hardest accusation) someone with disturbing ties to underage girls. The Toronto mansion on the cover? Marked with symbols for sex offenders. Ouch. And the music video continues the diss:
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Hardest line:
“Say, Drake, I hear you like ’em young / You better not ever go to cell block one.”
Impact:
This wasn’t just a diss track—it was a moment. Clubs, radio, and TikTok ate it up. It topped the charts, won multiple Grammys, and cemented Kendrick as the clear winner of the beef.
2. “Euphoria” – Kendrick Lamar
The psychological attack
If “Not Like Us” was the club banger, “Euphoria” was the slow, agonizing dismantling of Drake’s entire persona. Kendrick took his time, dissecting everything from Drake’s fake tough-guy act to his personal life. This was Kendrick in full villain mode, and it worked.
Hardest line:
“I got a son to raise, but I can see you know nothin’ ’bout that.”
Impact:
This track had people really questioning Drake. It didn’t get as much replay value as Not Like Us, but it was pure ether.
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3. “6:16 in LA” – Kendrick Lamar
⏳ The calm before the storm
Dropped before “Not Like Us,” this was Kendrick’s way of saying, “Oh, we doing this for real?” It wasn’t his hardest track, but it set the tone. Drake had been throwing shots for years, and Kendrick finally decided to stop playing nice.
Hardest line:
“Can’t Toosie Slide up outta this one.”
Impact:
Not the biggest bomb in the battle, but it made it clear that Kendrick wasn’t backing down.
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4. “Family Matters” – Drake
Drake fires back… kinda
Drake swung back with “Family Matters,” but it felt a little desperate. He tried to paint Kendrick as an unfaithful partner, bringing up rumors about his personal life. The problem? It felt like damage control, especially after Kendrick’s Euphoria landed first.
Hardest line:
“Your friend fathered your child, that’s what the rumor is now.”
Impact:
Some fans thought this would turn the tide, but instead, it barely made a dent.
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5. “Meet the Grahams” – Kendrick Lamar
The full exposé
Kendrick wasn’t done. He dropped “Meet the Grahams,” a deep dive into Drake’s alleged skeletons. Family drama? Check. Sketchy behavior? Check. A warning that authorities were watching? Oh yeah.
Hardest line:
“Your mansion’s ’bout to get raided too.”
Impact:
It kept the pressure on Drake, but by this point, Not Like Us had already done the damage.
Final Verdict
This beef was a masterclass in battle rap, and let’s be real—Kendrick walked away with the W. Drake put up a fight, but between the cultural impact of “Not Like Us” and the surgical precision of “Euphoria,” Kendrick just hit harder.
One thing’s for sure: we haven’t seen a rap beef this wild in a long time.
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2. “Hit ‘Em Up” – Tupac Shakur
The most vicious diss track ever recorded
Target: The Notorious B.I.G.
Release Date: June 4, 1996
Beef Winner: Nobody—this one ended in tragedy
Pac wasn’t playing around. This wasn’t just a diss—it was a full-scale war declaration. He accused Biggie of orchestrating his 1994 shooting, mocked his marriage, and went straight for the jugular with one of the most disrespectful opening lines in rap history:
Hardest line:
“First off, fuck your bitch and the clique you claim.”
Impact:
“Hit ‘Em Up” took things beyond music. The East Coast-West Coast feud was already intense, but this track turned it into something deadly. Within a year, both Tupac and Biggie were gone.
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3. “No Vaseline” – Ice Cube
One man vs. an entire group
Target: N.W.A.
Release Date: October 29, 1991
Beef Winner: Ice Cube—no question
Cube walked away from N.W.A., and instead of taking the high road, he lit a match and burned the bridge to the ground. He called out Dr. Dre, MC Ren, and DJ Yella, but saved his most savage bars for Eazy-E and their manager, Jerry Heller.
Hardest line:
“You let a Jew break up my crew.”
Impact:
Cube walked away from the group and somehow came out even bigger. “No Vaseline” left N.W.A. with no real response. They took the L, and Cube thrived.
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4. “Ether” – Nas
☠️ The definition of a lyrical takedown
Target: Jay-Z
Release Date: December 4, 2001
Beef Winner: Tie
Jay-Z fired first with Takeover, but Nas came back with something nuclear. Ether was pure disrespect—Nas attacked Jay’s character, career, and credibility in ways no one had before.
Hardest line:
“Started cockin’ up my weapon, slowly loadin’ up this ammo / To explode it on a camel (Haha) and his soldiers I can handle.”
Impact:
Jay still had an incredible run, but Ether gave Nas the underdog win in one of rap’s greatest battles. Even today, “ether” is slang for utterly destroying someone in a battle.
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5. “Takeover” – Jay-Z
The cooler, more calculated diss
Target: Nas, Prodigy of Mobb Deep
Release Date: September 11, 2001
Beef Winner: Tie (because Nas hit back with Ether)
Unlike Nas’ Ether, Jay’s Takeover wasn’t about rage—it was all swagger. He systematically picked apart Nas’ career, even suggesting he only had one good album.
Hardest line:
“You made it a hot line, I made it a hot song.”
Impact:
Takeover set the stage for one of rap’s greatest back-and-forths. Nas fired back with Ether, and the rest is history.
Watch Jay-Z perform the song live:
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6. “The Story of Adidon” – Pusha T
The diss that exposed a secret child
Target: Drake
Release Date: May 29, 2018
Beef Winner: Pusha T—easily
Pusha T didn’t just drop a diss track—he ended an entire marketing rollout. Drake had planned to reveal his son, Adonis, through an Adidas campaign. Instead, Pusha did it for him.
Hardest line:
“You are hiding a child, let that boy come home!”
Impact:
Drake had no real response. “Duppy Freestyle” was solid, but this? This was a career-defining moment for Pusha T. Watch how the song was received:
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7. “Back to Back” – Drake
The first diss to become a club hit
Target: Meek Mill
Release Date: July 29, 2015
Beef Winner: Drake—he turned a diss into a Billboard hit
Drake vs. Meek wasn’t the most legendary beef, but it was hilarious. After Meek accused Drake of using ghostwriters, Drake went in, dropping a diss that not only won the battle—it got radio play.
Hardest line:
“Is that a world tour or your girl’s tour?”
Impact:
Meek’s response was weak, and by the time he recovered, it was too late. Drake took the W.
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8. “Real M*thaphuckkin G’s” – Eazy-E
The West Coast civil war
Target: Dr. Dre
Release Date: August 26, 1993
Beef Winner: Eazy-E
Dre dissed Eazy on Dre Day, so Eazy fired back with receipts. He called Dre out for changing his image, going from wearing sequins in World Class Wreckin’ Cru to being a gangsta rapper.
Hardest line:
“The same records that you makin’ is payin’ me!”
Impact:
Eazy held his own in a battle against one of hip-hop’s biggest producers. That’s a win.
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Final Thoughts
The best diss tracks aren’t just about insults—they expose flaws, challenge legacies, and sometimes, end careers. From Kendrick’s modern war against Drake to Tupac’s unfiltered rage, these songs define rap’s most unforgettable battles.
Who had the hardest diss? That’s for you to decide.
Read more hip-hop lists and articles from The Beat.
