Since the beginning of hip-hop, rappers have utilized their music as a platform to candidly express their personal experiences, emotions, and relationships, including those with their ex-partners. Through poignant lyrics and captivating beats from some of today’s biggest producers, artists have navigated the complexities of love lost, heartbreak, and moving on. However, this method of storytelling is not always harmonious. Some of our favs have taken raw jabs at their exes on wax, doing very little to conceal their true thoughts about the often less-than-amicable splits. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane to several rappers who dissed their exes with nothing but bars.
Future (Maybach)
Future is infamous for aiming at his former lovers in music. In an ongoing feud with her ex-girlfriend, Ciara, Future has taken several jabs at her and her husband, Russell Wilson. On his most recent strike at the couple, Future rapped, “I got it out the field f**k Russell” on the July 2023 Quavo single, “Turn Yo Clic Up.” However, Cici isn’t the only ex-lover to feel his wrath.
In the June 2021 42 Dugg track, “Maybach,” Future slammed model Lori Harvey. The two dated from December 2019 until August 2020. In that record, he once again took a direct approach and name-dropped Lori’s father, Steve Harvey, rapping, “Tell Steve Harvey I don’t want her. One thing I never seen was a b***h that leave.” It’s unknown why she and Future parted ways, but it certainly does not appear amicable.
Drake (Fear of Heights)
Rihanna told Vogue in 2018 that she and Drake no longer have a friendship after their on-and-off relationship ended. This may not have sat right with Drizzy, who took shots at the Savage Fenty founder. On the October 2023 track “Fear of Heights” from his eighty studio album, “For All the Dogs,” Drake used several lines to get at RiRi.
“Why they make it sound like I’m still hung up on you? That could never be. Gyal can’t ruin me. Better him than me. Better it’s not me,” Drizzy rapped, though he didn’t stop there, referencing her 2016 album “Anti” and its single “Sex With Me.”
“I’m anti, I’m anti. Yeah, and the sex was average with you. Yeah, I’m anti ’cause I had it with you,” he added. Rihanna has not commented on the song, though she will likely never. Instead, she is raising her two children with a rumored fiance, ASAP Rocky.
Nicki Minaj (Barbie Dreams)
We all remember the nasty breakup between Nicki Minaj and Meek Mill. The pair dated for two years before ending things in 2016. However, that did not stop them from battling it out. In 2020, Meek and Nicki’s husband, Kenneth Petty, got into a screaming match in a West Hollywood boutique. Two years before this public spat, Nicki dissed Meek on her August 2018 track, “Barbie Dreams,” rapping, “Meek still be in my DMs, I be having to duck him. ‘I used to pray for times like this,’ face a** when I f**k him.” By this time, we know Meek was in a relationship with Milan Harris, which would make that bar even messier.
Pardison Fontaine (Thee Person)
When Megan Thee Stallion dropped “Cobra” in November 2023, she made a stunning revelation: ”Pulled up, caught him cheatin’, gettin’ his d*ck sucked in the same spot I’m sleepin’.”
While she didn’t mention any names, social media assumed this was about her ex, songwriter Pardison Fontaine. He took exception to this and fired back with his diss record, “Thee Person.”
In one line, Pardi raps, “Your soul is disgusting. You have everything, but you’re still not happy,” before mentioning his former boo by name in another line: “I tried to pull you up out of the mud here you are tryna drown me on purpose, This ain’t for Megan Thee Stallion, it’s for Megan Thee person.”
Meg responded to his track on Instagram Live, alluding to Pardi feeling guilty about something by feeling compelled to respond to her despite her not mentioning his name in “Cobra.”
Eminem (Bad Husband)
Eminem is known for calling out just about anybody, but his ex-wife, Kim Scott, formerly known as Kim Mathers, is one of his most famous subject matters. Throughout his career, he has dissed the mother of his daughter numerous times. The most recent dagger came in 2017 on his record, “Bad Husband,” from Em’s “Revival” album.
On the track, Em rapped, “I’m sorry, Kim. More than you could ever comprehend. Leaving you was harder than sawing off a body limb.”
Em and Kim married in 1999 after spending years dating. However, in 2000, he filed for divorce. They settled their split in 2001, and they’ve still hurled accusations of abuse at one another over the years.
