Rap Fans Want Drake, Kendrick, and J. Cole to Weaponize Their Wild 'GQ' Photoshoots Against Each Other

These 'GQ' photos have not aged well.

Images via Getty: Astrida Valigorsky / WireImage; Joseph Okpako / WireImage; Cole Burston

There are three things guaranteed in hip-hop: death, taxes, and a GQ photoshoot that will come back to haunt you.

As rap fans eagerly await Drake's potential response to the shots on Kendrick Lamar's verse on the No. 1 hit "Like That," images have resurfaced online of the genre's so-called "Big 3" in photos for GQ that haven't aged well.

More than a few Twitter users are now wondering why J. Cole, Kendrick, and Drizzy aren't using these looks as ammo.

The "big 3" — photographed by GQ pic.twitter.com/PMxfOPaIaw

— Kurrco (@Kurrco) April 11, 2024
Twitter: @Kurrco

these pictures coming to the forefront in the midst of the beef is absolutely beautiful 😭

— 4:44. (@ovodlo) April 11, 2024
Twitter: @ovodlo

Cole should've used Kendrick's GQ photoshoot in the diss https://t.co/h1qyiqQpa8

— Ghassan Abunura: Ghassanime (@StrawhatYoshi) April 11, 2024
Twitter: @StrawhatYoshi

GQ got everyone tbh https://t.co/j0aXo4U5HV pic.twitter.com/eRAZkL0ZNi

— madeintheurl.com 🍉 (@madeintheurl) April 10, 2024
Twitter: @madeintheurl

I’m dying at how this went from diss tracks to the internet roasting all three of them. Lol https://t.co/ucdpFKMhI3

— colie (soup girl) (@bring_snaaacks) April 11, 2024
Twitter: @bring_snaaacks

This the biggest rap beef of the decade? pic.twitter.com/TRRvhDKhTj

— Tervis Scoot (@tervisscoot) April 10, 2024
Twitter: @tervisscoot

He really do look like he apologizes a lot https://t.co/nd7asChmNl pic.twitter.com/LE0Xhqsc8X

— Melech. (@MelechThomas) April 12, 2024
Twitter: @MelechThomas

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 https://t.co/wJeWVF3zE7 pic.twitter.com/gTTB0PFkDE

— “I Hope This Finds You Well.” out now! (@realbrodyglover) April 10, 2024
Twitter: @realbrodyglover

except for one https://t.co/zelPyIiarZ pic.twitter.com/z9MfuCs4Lv

— Cole World (@JColeVillle) April 11, 2024
Twitter: @JColeVillle

This may honestly be the reason why I couldn’t take “I remember you was conflicted” seriously.

His image change for DAMN was much needed. https://t.co/SQlujn6l23

— Question For The Culture (@Nightshawn101) April 12, 2024
Twitter: @Nightshawn101

Man why GQ had Kendrick looking like a damn ghetto pastor lol https://t.co/a5vxeNZB4z

— J Raliegh (@JusRaliegh) April 11, 2024
Twitter: @JusRaliegh

Okay but wait let’s talk about this GQ Kendrick Lamar photoshoot they actually ate with This one pic.twitter.com/oLe2tkjwBy

— Ⓜ𝒶𝓀𝒶𝓋ℯ𝓁𝒾 𝒹ℴ𝓁𝓁 ✞ 🐆. (@MakaveliDoll22) April 11, 2024
Twitter: @MakaveliDoll22

If he didn’t become a rapper he would have definitely been a podcast hoe I mean bro. https://t.co/dJzj59nUAV

— Plantain Lover (@Bekkethatiswack) April 12, 2024
Twitter: @Bekkethatiswack

gq did more damage than that kendrick verse https://t.co/Mjy6k6LFKb

— ️️ ️️️️️️️️️ ️️ ️️ ️️ (@everywone) April 11, 2024
Twitter: @everywone

Only Kanye, Travis and Thug don’t look like they drink ovaltine as a nightcap. Had everybody else looking CORNY. https://t.co/gtbRMfofle

— Niree (@NireeMusic) April 12, 2024
Twitter: @NireeMusic

All we can say is that Drake, J. Cole, and Kendrick Lamar have all graced the cover of Complex over the years and we swear we never did them this dirty. But that's just our humble opinion, judge for yourself.

Meanwhile, Joe Budden shared on his podcast this week that "people that can rap" have informed him both Kendrick and Drake have already gone into the studio to record "nuclear" diss tracks.

"I have it on good information that both sides went in the booth and came out," Budden said. "And what I'm hearing about both sides is that it's nuclear. It's up-up. I'm hearing this from people that can rap. So I want to come in here and say that speculation time is over. Debate time is over."

Could we be in for another Kendrick verse on Future and Metro Boomin's imminent sequel album We Still Don't Trust You? Is Drake hinting at an impending response track with images referencing Vybz Kartel on Instagram? Check out this piece from Complex's Jordan Rose for a thorough breakdown of the connections there.

One big question regarding Drake is: what dirt does he have on Kendrick? Maybe the Toronto hitmaker can lean on some of Kung-Fu Kenny's GQ looks as ammunition, because these shoots are already backfiring on everyone—and we mean everyone.

look how they did bron smh pic.twitter.com/QcWqv4amU1

— Lord (@lordtaylorvb) April 10, 2024
Twitter: @lordtaylorvb

Nah GQ really been hip hop’s biggest opp 💀 pic.twitter.com/AJg8G5gAaw

— King Wow (@wowthatshiphop) April 11, 2024
Twitter: @wowthatshiphop

They got my goat fs😭 pic.twitter.com/ylhaMjybgN

— Penzel (@silversvrfer1) April 11, 2024
Twitter: @silversvrfer1

fuck typa sh pic.twitter.com/kr2i5uaUE4

— 5 (@sinc0e) April 11, 2024
Twitter: @sinc0e

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