It's the beef that's kept us fed for the entirety of this year.

The explosive feud between Drake and Kendrick has divided hip-hop fans all over the world. The two have been digging up dirt and spitting some serious allegations at one another in the process, making it hard to separate fact from fiction.

The general consensus is that Kendrick won a pyrrhic victory and Drake may be done for good. But let's be real, when two of the world's greatest rappers tear each other apart in front of their fans, everybody kind of loses.

It's ugly. It's egocentric. And, at its core, it's kind of sad.

And a win is a win in my eyes.

So, today we're going to look at what marketing insights brands can take away from the most notorious rap beef since Tupac and Biggie.

Think of your fave rap artists. They all possess a distinctive style and voice. Who would Nicki be without her tell-tale aggressive accents and expressive style of rap (think, 'I'm startin' to feel like a DUNGEON DRAGON')? We know and love Nicki because of these traits that set her apart from other female artists in the genre.

Having a distinctive brand identity makes you recognisable. It differentiates you from your competitors and fosters trust among your customers.

Feuds like these force artists to constantly up their game. They have to improve their writing and craft more innovative beats, working reactively and keeping their eyes on the prize.

If Nas hadn't been battling Jay-Z, we may have never got "Illmatic,' and he never would have pushed the boundaries of storytelling in rap as much as he did.

Analysing the Drake and Kendrick beef tells the same story. Drake is notoriously a 'lover boy' rapper, known for his casual writing and fun style of music. Yet, in his responses to Kendrick, we heard bars we'd never have expected from Drake.

The Apple vs. Samsung rivalry pushes both brands to release better and better products, advancing the smartphone industry.

This ultimately benefits us, the consumer.

And the fact that these feuds get people talking means the brands win, too.

Across platforms like YouTube and TikTok, creators play a crucial role in keeping these feuds front of mind. The more conversation around each phase of the feud, the longer its lifespan and reach.

This is why it's important for brands to engage with influencers and creators. Provide them with exclusive or early releases of your product or service and encourage deeper narrative exploration. This allows your audience to tap into the lore of your brand, giving them a deeper insight into who you are and what you're about.

But I'm not talking about just throwing products at influencers and hoping something sticks.

Take Metro Boomin for example. Amid the Drake and Kendrick beef, the producer dropped the instrumental of the Drake diss track. This created a wave of repurposed content and international engagement.

And let's not forget about the plethora of YouTube creators who spent hours breaking down every past interaction between the two rappers for the fans to indulge on.

I've thought about writing this piece for ages, thinking, 'How do I create a link between marketing and a rap beef?'

Because it's all part of the world we consume. And, as marketers, we can take lessons from everything.

Even if it's two grown men publicly bitching at each other.

So, our lessons from Drake and Kendrick:

Build a strong brand identity. Stand out from the crowd and make yourself memorable.

Embrace competition, but keep it clean. Let it fuel innovation, not negativity.