Rapper Drake crossed the line when he dissed fellow artist Kid Cudi for his struggles with mental illness in the song he released Oct. 24, “Two Birds, One Stone.” 

The artist called out Cudi, who checked into rehab Oct. 3 for anxiety, depression and suicidal urges, according to an Oct. 4 Facebook post in which Cudi talked openly about his mental health.

The argument that sparked Drake’s new song began when Cudi went on a Twitter rant Sept. 14. In a series of tweets, he called Drake a “hater” and “corny” for not being original. Although Cudi checked into rehab weeks later, that didn’t stop Drake from commenting on Cudi’s mental health in his song. 

“You were the man on the moon/Now you just go through your phases/Life of the angry and famous.”  

“Man on the Moon” is a reference to Cudi’s debut album—Man on the Moon: The End of the Day.

A few lines later, Drake suggests Cudi is weak for using medication: “Still never been on hiatus/You stay xanned and perked up/So when reality set in you don’t gotta face it.” 

Drake seems to blame Cudi’s mental illness for the rift in their relationship and suggests his history of treatment for drug addiction makes him Drake’s inferior.

Call-outs are not uncommon for Drake or in rap culture as a whole.

Song battles between rappers have been around since the ‘90s. Tupac released “Hit ‘Em Up” in 1996, which is primarily aimed at Biggie Smalls. Although the rap addresses the rivalry of West vs. East Coast rappers, Tupac jabs at Smalls by telling him he had sex with one of his girlfriends and then targets his obesity.

More recently, rapper Meek Mill tweeted in July 2015, “Stop comparing Drake to me too….He don’t write his own raps!” The tweet sparked a battle of multiple songs, one of which quickly became a  hit. In the track “Back to Back,” Drake takes on Mill, who is fellow rapper Nicki Minaj’s boyfriend. At the time, Minaj was on tour and brought Mill along. In one line, Drake says, “Is that a world tour or your girl’s tour? I know that you gotta be a thug for her/ This ain’t what she meant when she told you to open up more.”

Drake has sparked a conversation about what parts of people’s personal lives are appropriate to call out in rap, especially for issues as heavily stigmatized as mental health.

Some fans may interpret Drake’s lyrics as the work of a multimillionaire artist venting through his craft. But, when he came at Cudi’s mental illness, fans on Twitter let Drake know how they really felt.

“Depression isn’t a ‘phase,’ but thanks to adding to the terrible misconceptions of mental illness,” one tweet noted. Another said, “Kid Cudi disses Drake’s talent and Drake’s only comeback is to insult Cudi’s health and not musical abilities.”

There is no doubt rap as a genre can seize on personal struggles as subject matter. But fans who identify with the music embrace these raps. When they hear songs like this one where mental illness is mocked, listeners are likely to adopt Drake’s backward attitude about mental health.

Oct. 28 Cudi addressed Drake’s call-out on Twiter saying, “Say it to my face, p—y. You think it’s a game. I want to see you say it to my face. I’ll be out soon. Promise.” Drake has yet to respond.

Cudi showed strength by admitting he needs help for what he’s dealing with. Drake, that is not a sign of weakness—it is life or death.