Famed West Coast recording artist JasonMartin, formerly Problem, revealed Kendrick Lamar’s initial reaction to Drake’s diss track “Family Matters” in the latest episode of the Bootleg Kev podcast.
Promoting his upcoming joint album with DJ Quik, Jason previewed Kev to some real insight on Kendrick’s immediate reaction when the diss track dropped in May. “I’m giving you some real insight. You’re hearing this first,” Problem said. “Drake dropped ‘Family Matters,’ and I texted Kendrick, like, ‘This ain’t it. Man, it’s time to step on his head.’ He replied, ‘Say less.’
Problem continued: “I thought it wasn’t anything serious. I went to the bathroom and when I came back, the song ‘Meet the Grahams’ was already uploaded. I was like, ‘Wait, wait, wait!’
“Meet The Grahams” is Kendrick’s response to Drake’s “Family Matters.” In the song, the Pulitzer Prize winner individually addresses Drake’s immediate family over an eerie production. The track was released within the same hour as “Family Matters” to disrupt the attention on the Drake diss track.
In response to “Meet The Grahams,” Problem recounted speaking with Kendrick via text, he explained:
“I texted him (Kendrick), ‘You already dropped the song?!’ He responded, ‘I’ve been waiting for this guy to drop something.’ Drake didn’t even know what he was in for. He shot a video and everything. Sometimes, you just need to know what to do and what not to do.”
In a 2010 studio session, Problem witnessed Kendrick record an entire song in just 20 minutes. He remarked, “I’ve been in the studio with all the greatest artists. I’ve never seen anything like that, ever. He’s the G.O.A.T.”
Kendrick Lamar will perform a concert at the Crypto Arena in Los Angeles on June 19 to celebrate Juneteenth. Amazon will stream the event live.
JasonMartin and DJ Quik release their new album, Chupacabra, on June 14. The forthcoming album features Larry June, Dom Kennedy, Ab-Soul, DJ Drama, and more. The album also features the new lead single, “Since I Was Lil,” featuring Currensy and Bun B.