drake
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Drake continues to have one of the worst years in Hip-Hop after Kendrick Lamar handily dismantled his rival in a series of songs that reached a peak with the “Not Like Us” diss track. In a recent livestream, Drake lashed out at K-Dot’s fellow Compton native Steve Lacy by referring to him as a “fragile opp,” sparking the talented singer to lean into the jab hilariously.
Earlier this week, Drake made an appearance on the Kick streaming channel of fellow Canadian and streamer, xQc. In the clips that surfaced online, the 6 God is continuing to lean into a defiant stance despite the several chinks his armor has taken since his public battle with Kendrick Lamar.
During the stream, Steve Lacy, who Drake referred to as a “fragile opp,” caught a stray for reasons that one can assume are related to Lamar. This happened ahead of Drake throwing a shot at former collaborator The Weeknd and asking xQc to skip the singer’s “Starboy” song. Drizzy did, however, say that Lacy’s track was, quote, a “good song.”
Taking to Instagram, Lacy embraced the petty and trolled Drake for the “fragile opp” bar before asking his legion of fans which one of them wanted the title, effectively taking all the sting out of the insult.
Check out Steve Lacy firing back at Drake’s “fragile opp” shot below.
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Photo: Getty
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Source: Ethan Miller / Getty
Drake is doubling down. After initially accusing Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify of boosting Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” to his detriment, in a second filing, Drizzy claims that UMG and iHeartRadio defamed him in the process of making the song massive.
According to Billboard, Drake filed this latest petition in Texas, and he alleges that K. Dot “falsely” accused him of being “a sex offender” in his megahit diss song “Not Like Us.” But his label promoted it anyway.
Per Billboard:
A day after filing an action in New York accusing UMG of illegally boosting Lamar’s track on Spotify, Drake’s company leveled similar claims in Texas court regarding radio giant iHeartRadio. The new filing, filed late Monday and made public on Tuesday, claims UMG “funneled payments” to iHeart as part of a “pay-to-play scheme” to promote the song on radio.
But the filing also offers key new details about Drake’s grievances toward UMG, the label where he has spent his entire career. In it, he says UMG knew that Kendrick’s song “falsely” accused him of being a “certified pedophile” and “predator” but chose to release it anyway.
Part of the backlash to Drake’s initial filing was that he had all this energy to question Kendrick Lamar’s ht song getting all these spins, but none for the accusation of being a pedophile. However, the way he addresses it in this filling is not earning him any points. Instead, the Toronto rapper sounds sour that UMG dared to make money at his expense—when considering they surely made cash off his own diss tracks.
“UMG … could have refused to release or distribute the song or required the offending material to be edited and/or removed,” Drake’s lawyers write. “But UMG chose to do the opposite. UMG designed, financed and then executed a plan to turn ‘Not Like Us’ into a viral mega-hit with the intent of using the spectacle of harm to Drake and his businesses to drive consumer hysteria and, of course, massive revenues. That plan succeeded, likely beyond UMG’s wildest expectations.”
While Spotify and iHeartRadio have yet to respond, UMG did so on Monday (Nov. 25). From the tone of its statement, the entity is not to happy with their superstar rapper and the nefarious actions he is insinuating.
“The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue,” said the company in a statement to Billboard. “We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns. No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.”
This is only going to get more interesting, while Drake is going to continue getting cooked online.
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Anyway you spin it, Drake is looking funny in the light. The 6 God’s lawyers have reportedly filed a motion against Universal Music Group, accusing their client’s own record label of inflating Kendrick Lamar’s streaming numbers.
“Drake has initiated legal action against Universal Music Group and Spotify over allegations that the two companies conspired to artificially inflate the popularity of Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us.’”https://t.co/DW4Ti6C7kh pic.twitter.com/VEM8dzlrNT
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) November 25, 2024
Before we get started, yes, Drake’s people are suing the same people responsible for promoting his own music. And yes, social media took this as essentially Drake asking to speak to the manager or even calling the cops after Kendrick Lamar hit him with the lyrical fade that is “Not Like Us,” which is up for a Grammy Awards.
Yes, there are Drake fans who still believe it was the Toronto rapper who actually won the battle. We just can’t take said acolytes seriously, respectfully.
As for that lawsuit, Drake claimg UMG and Spotify conspired by using bots to inflate the “Not Like Us” plays. Reports the UK’s Independent.
In an eyepopping court filing obtained by The Independent, Drake, born Aubrey Drake Graham, says Universal Music Group (UMG) used a network of bots, in conjunction with a so-called pay-to-play scheme, to “manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves” with Lamar’s smash hit song “Not Like Us,” all to Drake’s detriment.
The filing accuses UMG, which has deals with both performers, of paying Spotify to recommend “Not Like Us” to users “who are searching for other unrelated songs and artists,” claiming the label also paid Apple to have Siri “purposely misdirect” users requesting songs from Drake’s catalog, serving up “Not Like Us” in its place. UMG’s ploy, the filing argues, created “the false impression that the Song was more popular than it was in reality.” Making matters even stickier, Drake says in the filing that UMG has tried to hide its alleged propping up of Lamar at Drake’s expense “by terminating employees associated with or perceived as having loyalty to Drake.”
Reportedly, UMG has refusing to entertain Drake’s claims, going as fas as saying his beef is with K. Dot, so he should sue the Compton rapper.
Welp.
Since the suit went public, a Drake “source” has told the media that Drake is mad with UMG’s business practices, and not Kendrick Lamar. Yeah, well, the damage has already been done, and social media is frying Drizzy for acting like a Hip-Hop Karen, allegedly.
Peep some of the more obtuse reactions in the gallery.
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Source: Carmen Mandato / Getty / Drake
Kendrick Lamar is still on a victory lap following the release of his latest album, GNX. Meanwhile, his favorite punching bag, Drake, was on a Kick stream throwing jabs.
Even Stevie Wonder can see that Kendrick Lamar has really hurt Drake’s ego. Over the weekend, Drake appeared on Canadian streamer xQc’s Kick channel, and he used the opportunity to talk sh*t about his opps, and even himself.
Showing that he’s still butthurt about the success of Lamar’s diss record towards him, the 6 God sent a jab at the Compton rapper while introducing himself to watchers. “I’m here — mind, body and soul fully intact, in case you were wondering. You need facts to take me out; fairytales won’t do it,” Drizzy said.
Drake’s tone is a response to Kendrick Lamar’s claims on his numerous diss records, including the hit record “Not Like Us’ that the “Take Care” crafter has a penchant for engaging in inappropriate behavior with underage girls, keeps the company of pedophiles around him and also has a secret daughter.
Drake also had time for singer Steve Lacy, calling him a “fragile” opp, and then The Weeknd, telling the popular streamer to turn off his music when the song “Starboy” came on.
Kendrick Lamar & Steve Lacy Both Had A Response For Drake
Drizzy’s salty behavior did get a response from both Lacy and Lamar. Lacy reacted with a series of Instagram posts, while Lamar reacted in a text exchange shared by his friend Reli.
In the screenshot of the conversation, Reli jokingly said to K.Dot, “You done turned blood into a streamer on Phillies [laughing face emojis],” and Lamar responding with several laughing emojis.
“That’s a damn shame,” Reli continued with Lamar asking, “He tripping??!”
Reli continues, “Blood don’t won’t [sic] no smoke Philly gang,” before covering the rest of the conversation.
Social media has been clowning Drake for his behavior on the stream. You can see those reactions in the gallery below.
1. Damn shame
2. Truuuueeee
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We think it’s safe to say that 2024 wasn’t too kind to Drake as Kendrick Lamar basically turned a good portion of the culture against the Canadian crooner/rapper, but before that Drizzy was embroiled in a heated battle with Pusha T and his former producer, Pharrell caught a wild stray as a result.
In a recent interview with GQ magazine, Pharrell was asked about a 2023 Drake “diss” when the King of The North threatened to melt down some of Skateboard P’s fancy jewelry that he purchased after Pharrell sold off more than a million dollars worth of his personal belongings. In his guest appearance on Travis Scott’s 2023 cut “MELTDOWN,” Drake threatened to, well, meltdown some of Pharrell’s signature chains and pieces saying “Man, f*ck all that spinnin’ the narrative sh*t / I melt down the chains that I bought from yo’ boss / Give a f*ck about all of that heritage sh*t.”
While we Drake ever followed through with his threat at all, Pharrell doesn’t seem to care much for what might’ve happened to his old jewelry anyway. When asked if he was phased when he found out that Drake was buying his old iced out pieces, Pharrell gave an honest answer and explanation behind it.
Per GQ:
No, because I think beyond all of the on-goings, at the heart of all of it, he’s a fan of music. He’s a fan of the history of what it is, and I happen to be a part of that, and those artifacts are a part of it.
And then when he was rapping about melting the jewelry down and saying, “Come get his legacy out my house” and all that stuff, how did that strike you?
It didn’t.
That didn’t strike you?
No.
It’s interesting that these things are weighing on you, you get rid of them, somebody else takes them on, and what they mean to him—I guess that’s for him to decide?
Or not. I guess some things are not for me to understand. When you let things go, a huge part of it is actually letting go. Not just of the physical item, but letting go of your connection to what it’s supposed to mean, or the memory. You’re literally letting them go. That was the purpose. It’s like when people sell something and they go, “I just want to make sure you take care of it because this is my baby.” And I’m like, “No, no, no.” This is not my baby. That’s why I’m letting it go.
One can only hope to touch the level of zen that Pharrell has seemingly reached. Just sayin,’
Though Drake has rocked Pharrell’s pieces as recently as his video for “Family Matters,” he could’ve melted down a piece or two since then just to make a point. Then again, why would he? Could Drizzy be that petty? Guess we’ll have to wait and see.
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It seems like just yesterday Drake and former Toronto Raptors star, DeMar DeRozan were rubbing elbows and enjoying a bromance North of the border. But with DeRozan’s appearance in Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” video, Drake has soured on his one-time buddy.
According to TMZ, the unforeseen drama between the two men was put on public display this past Saturday (November 2) when Drake and his right-hand man, OVO Chubbs parked themselves on some courtside seats at the Toronto Raptors game on the night that DeMar DeRozan’s Sacramento Kings team were in town.
Attending the game on the same night as Vince Carter’s jersey retirement ceremony, Drake could be seen ice-grilling DeRozan every chance he got as the player did his best to ignore the cold stares.
Drake even went so far as to say that if the one-time Raptors star were to ever get his jersey retired he’d go up to the rafts and pull it down himself.
“If you ever put up a DeRozan banner, I’ll go up there & pull it down myself.” -Drake speaks on DeMar Derozan
LLLMMFFAAOOOOOpic.twitter.com/4aXQ09TF9Z
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) November 3, 2024
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Drizzy is still salty that DeRozan seemingly chose a side in the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle though he has since said that he’s got love for Drake. The 6 God is, apparently, an unforgiving one.
As if that comment weren’t a statement enough, Drake was seen calling DeMar a “pu**y” while standing courtside during the game.
When asked about the comments Drake made, DeRozan kept it professional and didn’t indulge in any real back-and-forth.
Per TMZ:
During the post-game press conference, DeRozan learned about Drake’s banner remarks … and from the look on his face, he wasn’t pleased.
“He gon’ have a long way to climb to take it down,” DeRozan said. “Tell him good luck.”
Drake is being hella petty out here for no real reason, but hey, so are a lot of rappers in the Hip-Hop game. It might be time to call in Will Ferrell to help squash this beef.
What do you think about Drake’s comments toward his former homie? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Photo: Getty
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Source: Elsa / Getty / 50 Cent
50 Cent has been in his share of Hip-Hop battles, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone that he had some advice for Drake, but many are giving the Queen’s rapper the side eye for what he said.
In a recent interview with Billboard, 50 Cent touched on many topics, including his Las Vegas residency and his 07 sales battle with Ye, aka Kanye West, but his comments regarding Drake’s dustup with Kendrick Lamar were quite interesting.
Speaking with Billboard’s Michael Saponara, the Queens rapper uttered Drake’s name numerous times, likening the Canadian rapper’s current stance with Hip-Hop fans to when he dropped his album, Curtis.
“Drake is in that position right now,” 50 Cent said, noting that he is a fan of Kendrick Lamar but also doesn’t feel that any music put out by Drake during the beef “was wack at any point.”
Saponara asked 50 Cent if he had any advice for the 6 God, and he pretty much coddled Drake, telling him he didn’t lose anything in his lyrical battle with K.Dot.
“On some real shit, I said, ‘They said you lost, okay. Well, what did you lose?’” 50 said. “What exactly did he lose, if he got $300 something million on his last tour? You didn’t lose a motherfucking thing, man. If that’s the moment, you keep your creative energy in the right place, and keep creating.”
Social Media Does Not Agree With 50 Cent
50 Cent might feel that way, but many others don’t.
“If you fight somebody, and afterwards your dawg tells you “it don’t matter cuz you got more bitches than him” or “you got more money than that nigga”………he is confirming that you indeed lost that fight,” one user wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
True.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
2. A clear sign you lost
4. Howling
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Source: Cole Burston / Getty / Drake
Drake is still very much going through some thangs following his battle with Kendrick Lamar.
Drizzy’s style has changed many times throughout his career, but recently, many people have wondered if the Canadian-born musician is having a mid-life crisis.
The “God’s Plan” crafter has been getting trolled on X, formerly Twitter, after sharing another duck lip face selfie to his Instagram Story Tuesday night.
The Six God tried to take a page from West Coast legend Snoop Dogg’s book by rocking sleek pigtails with baby blue bubble barrettes and his hair parted down the middle.
The fit wasn’t any better, with Drake wearing a baggy-ass Canadian tuxedo (all denim for those who don’t know), an oversized leather bomber jacket that would make the Dipset proud, and white-on-white Air Force 1s.
Unfortunately for Drake, he didn’t look as cool as Uncle Snoop, and X didn’t hold back on the jokes.
Another user on X wrote, “Drake going thru [sic] his mid life crisis..what the hell possessed him to go put his hair in pigtails and pose with duck lips lol..just give us the slaps my boy.”
Speaking about the hair, another user on X wrote, “Drake with those f–king pigtails, EIGHT DAYS away from being THIRTY EIGHT years old is pissing me off so bad.”
Bruh.
We are sure Drake could care less about what people think about his style or infamous duck lip selfies; in fact, we think he’s doing this to keep his “haters” talking.
Well, if he thinks he looks cool, that’s on him.
But one thing is sure: he will keep getting these jokes after dropping these photos.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
1. H O W L I N G
5. Accurate
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J. Cole inserted himself in the middle of Drake and Kendrick Lamar‘s feud with “7 Minute Drill” from his Might Delete Later project, a song he actually did delete later. J. Cole, who caught plenty of ire over walking back the diss, addresses Kendrick Lamar on the new “Port Antonio” track and X has thoughts as expected.
After an active 2024 with several features alongside the likes of Tee Grizzley, Tems, and A$AP Rocky, J. Cole dropped “Port Antonio” via his YouTube channel. The track, reportedly produced by DZL, Dreamville artist Omen, and Cole himself, has a sound somewhat reminiscent of Jay-Z’s ” Dead Presidents II” while also sampling Cleo Soul’s live version of “Know That You Are Loved.”
The verse is a return of the ultra-confident emcee, but with the added nuggets of wisdom that the North Carolina star often adds to his lyrics. However, the second verse is where he gets into his connection to the Drake and Kendrick Lamar feud and shouts the Canadian superstar out by name while also giving him advice.
From “Port Antonio”:
They instigate the f*ckery because it’s profitableBut singin’ “stop the violence” tunes when dudes in hospitalsI pulled the plug because I’ve seen where that was ’bout to goThey wanted blood, they wanted clicks to make they pockets growThey see this fire in my pen and think I’m dodgin’ smokeI wouldn’t have lost a battle, dawg, I woulda lost a broI woulda gained a foe, and all for what? Just to attain some mo’Props from strangers that don’t got a clue what I been aimin’ for?Since the age of fourteen, Jermaine is no kingIf that means I gotta dig up dirt and pay the whole teamOf algorithm-bot n*ggas just to sway the whole thingOn social media, competin’ for your favorable meansTo be considered best of live and rest, the weight of both thingsI understand the thirst of being first that made ’em both swingProtecting legacies, so lines got crossed, perhaps regrettablyMy friends went to war, I walked away with all they blood on me
Later in the verse, J. Cole speaks directly to Drake saying, “Drake, you’ll always be my n*gga/I ain’t ashamed to say you did a lot for me, my n*gga/F*ck all the narratives, tappin’ back into your magic pen is what’s imperative.”
On X, folks are taking shots at the Dreamville honcho for mentioning the beef and propping up Drake, although some applauded the maturity of J. Cole. We’ve got reactions from all sides below.
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Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty
Lately, it seems like Drake has been doing a fair amount of sub-posting and speaking on things just vaguely enough that people think they know who he’s talking to and what he’s trying to say about them—but also, maybe not.
Recently, the “Hotlight Bling” rapper posted to his Instagram story the infamous photo of R&B singer Solange after she put hands on Jay-Z in an elevator in 2014. Folks on social media are wondering if the post had anything to do with Kendrick Lamar headlining next year’s Super Bowl halftime show, which a lot of people have speculated was a decision made unilaterally by Jay-Z. (It wasn’t, but there tends to be no point in introducing facts into discussions like these.)
Drake real petty for posting these pictures of Solange after the elevator incident😂 n just to follow it up with a pic of Aaliyah, what’s going on in Babylon pic.twitter.com/V3shydUKW2
— RICH VENDETTA 🎭 (@richvendetta8) October 7, 2024
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In fact, it doesn’t appear that Champagne Papi can do much of anything without people drawing connections back to his internet-exploding beef with K-Dot, and the Toronto artist isn’t dissuading the rumor mill from running wild by being the opposite of candid when he speaks on whatever it is he’s going through as of late.
From Hot New Hip-Hop:
Still, Drake’s message here is pretty vague and mysteriously unclear, especially after his recent rant about fake friends. “One things about nostalgia, this party here?” he said at Toronto’s Nostalgia party. “My real friends are definitely in the building. But I’m going to tell you. You’re going to come to a point in life where people you thought were friends or people you thought were close to you, they might switch up. They might try to move funny with you. They might stab you in the back, they might do a lot of things to you. You’ll come to that realization, wherever you’re at in life. You’ve probably been there and you’ll be there again, that’s how life is. But look, sometimes, it’s you and you alone by yourself. Sometimes it’s you alone with your thoughts.”
Again, fans across social media speculated that Drake was speaking about “friends” who turned on him once it became overwhelmingly clear that Kendrick won the beef that exploded between the two emcees over the summer.
But who knows? Maybe Drake is just badly in need of a journal. Maybe the Solange incident just crossed his mind and he reflexively posted it on IG. Maybe he just knows how people get to talking and he needs a little attention. It might not have anything to do with Kendrick Lamar or Jay-Z at all.
Maybe we’ll never know.