This week, Kendrick Lamar struck back at Drake with the incisive diss track “Euphoria.” However, it looks like he still wasn’t satisfied; today, he doubled down with another new record, “6:16 In LA.” This time, he continued the direct approach, claiming that Drake’s own circle was feeding him info he would use to embarrass the Toronto superstar.
Yet for all the revealing info he shared, he left fans with as many questions as answers. The one most easily resolved, though, is what sample he used for the beat — and why. “6:16 In LA” is constructed around an interpolation of the 1972 Al Green song, “What A Wonderful Thing Love Is.” The song appeared on Green’s album I’m Still In Love With You and had previously been sampled on Kanye West’s mixtape track “Out The Game.”
Some astute fans pointed out that Drake has a familial connection to the original song. Drake’s dad, Dennis Graham, is the nephew of the song’s producer, Willie Mitchell. Although Drake’s Canadian origins are well-known, it seems many folks don’t know that he spent summers in Memphis with his father’s family — including the Mitchells — learning about the music business.
Wtfff?? I never ever knew Drake was related to Willie Mitchell! My dad n his Memphis native friends always talked about him (along with that insane story about Al Jackson, Al Green’s brother) https://t.co/yqnYhxO3Iu
— DJ R-Tistic (@DJRTistic) May 3, 2024
Fans think Kendrick’s use of the Al Green sample shows that he’s well aware of Drake’s music industry ties, and subtly suggests that the “Started From The Bottom” rapper may have had more of a leg up than he lets on. (So does half the music business, but that’s probably not going to sway rap fans who already want to see Drake fail.) It’s yet another demonstration of the advantages Kendrick feels he has over Drake in their long-running feud.