Drake

Drake Rocks “Free Vybz Kartel” Shirt To Celebrate Kartel’s Release From Prison

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Drake has always had a contentious relationship with dancehall. The rapper was criticized for exploiting the Jamaican genre during the making of the “Find Your Love” video way back in 2010. That said, he has repeatedly voiced his adoration for its artists. He has collaborated with numerous dancehall legends, and helped to boost their profile with American listeners. It’s been a while since Drake dabbled in dancehall in his own music, but the rapper’s recent Instagram post confirms that he’s still very much a supporter. He celebrated the release of Vybz Kartel by rocking a “Free Vybz” t-shirt on Instagram.

This is not the first time Drake has shown off his “Free Vybz” merch. The rapper posted a photo of the shirt on his Instagram Story back on April 2. “Up 2 Di Time,” the rest of the text on the shirt reads. “Free Kartel, free world boss.” The timing could not have been better. Vybz Kartel was sprung from prison on July 31. The Jamaican deejay was convicted of murder back in 2011, but the Privy Council in the United Kingdom overturned his conviction back in March. The Privy Council cited juror misconduct and bribery as the main causes, according to Rolling Stone.

Read More: Eminem Mocks Drake And LeBron James’ Infamous “The Shop” Clip

Drake Cites Vybz Kartel As A Huge Musical Influence

Drake has advocated for Vybz Kartel’s release for most of his career. The rapper praised the deejay during a 2016 interview with Narduwar. “Vybz Kartel is one of my biggest inspirations, one of my favorite artists,” he explained. “You want to talk about a guy coming out of a place that has their own thing, their own culture, and absolutely just taking over. The one person to idolize.” Drake proceeded to single out Kartel’s ability to transcend era, and maintain longevity within Jamaican culture. “I been to Jamaica,” he explained. “And no matter what, people are always holding up Vybz as an icon.” The Toronto artist also revealed that PARTYNEXTDOOR shares his admiration for Kartel.

Drake and Vybz Kartel have never collaborated on a song, for obvious reasons. The former did link up with Kartel’s longtime producer, however, in 2022. Rvssian posted photos alongside the 6 God on IG, fueling rumors that they were going to cook up music together. Sadly, nothing from the sessions has seen the light of day. The closest fans have come to getting an OVO and Vybz Kartel collaboration was the PARTYNEXTDOOR single “Not Nice.” The 2016 song featured a sample of Kartel’s “Real Bad Gal,” which was unreleased at the time. Hopefully fans will get an official Drake and Kartel song, since the latter is a free man.

Read More: Drake’s New Album With Conductor Williams Is Reportedly Dropping Soon

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Drake Supported Vybz Kartel’s Release From Prison, And As With Anything Drake-Related, People Had Thoughts

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Drake hasn’t released a song since Kendrick Lamar metaphorically punted him into the sun with “Not Like Us,” and Drake meekly responded with “The Heart Part 6.”

However, Drake has had plenty to say on his Instagram Story — from causing a stir with a graphic tee to seemingly referencing Lamar and calling out Gordo (formerly known as DJ Carnage).

The trend continued on Wednesday, July 31, when Drake celebrated Vybz Kartel’s release from prison by posting a selfie showing him posing in a “FREE KARTEL FREE WORLD BOSS” graphic tee.

According to Rolling Stone, the Jamaican dancehall artist is “a free man after a decade in prison” after “a Jamaican court of appeals declined Wednesday to retry Vybz Kartel after the dancehall star’s 2014 murder conviction was overturned earlier this year.”

As per Rolling Stone, Kartel had been found guilty in 2014 of murdering Clive “Lizard” Williams, but the UK-based Privy Council overturned the ruling this March after “finding evidence of juror misconduct in Kartel’s initial trial.”

As happens every time Drake gets involved with anything, this news was overshadowed online by people reacting to Drake’s post — mostly jokingly (or maybe seriously) hoping that Kartel will not collaborate on a song with Drake.

Drake’s New Album With Conductor Williams Is Reportedly Dropping Soon

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Drake can’t stop. He announces breaks from the music the way other rappers announce retirements, and none of them stick. The last time the 6 God claimed to be taking personal time, he dropped the critically adored Scary Hours 3. It sounds like he’s getting back into a similar headspace. There hasn’t been a lack of Drake material in recent months, but Ebro dropped a bombshell during the July 30 episode of the Ebro In the Morning podcast. He claimed that the Toronto rapper is going to be dropping an album very, very soon.

Ebro didn’t play coy with his seemingly exclusive information. He came right out on the podcast and made it clear that Drake is in full-on rapper mode. “I heard Drake’s got a project this year,” he told his cohosts. Laura Stylez chimed in, teasing fans with an impending release date. “I heard that it’s coming sooner than we think,” she asserted. The most exciting bit of information, though, came from the third host, Peter Rosenberg. He claimed that Drizzy has been in the studio with Conductor Williams, and the two have been churning out songs together. “I also heard that he has a whole project’s worth of music done with Conductor Williams,” Rosenberg noted. “Which is the opposite [of recent Drake songs], very hip-hoppy.”

Read More: Eminem Mocks Drake And LeBron James’ Infamous “The Shop” Clip

Drake And Conductor Williams Worked On FATD

Fans of For All the Dogs know the magic Drake and Conductor Williams can make together. Williams was responsible for producing “8AM In Charlotte,” which is considered to be one of Drake’s best songs of the decade. He also produced “Stories About My Brother” on Scary Hours 3. The song also contains some of Drizzy’s best rapping in years. If the claims made by the Ebro In the Morning crew are true, than fans will be getting lyrical Drake. It’s possible that not all of Williams’ beats make the final cut of the album, but given their track record, we hope most of them do.

Conductor Williams detailed his working relationship with Drake during a 2023 interview with Complex. “[Drake] is a crafts person,” he said. “And also a person of the arts. That was the main bond. The respect was mutual in that way. He made it so comfortable for me to be myself to where I start sending him the ideas that I’ve always had.” The producer then claimed that Drizzy was one of the greatest artists of his generation. “You got the greatest, one of the greatest artists,” he asserted. “Again, I’m going keep saying this, one of the greatest of my generation inspired to write. Let’s catch lightning in the bottle.”

Read More: Drake Demands Gordo To Give Him His Proper Credit

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Lil Yachty Wished He ‘Never Spoke On’ Drake And Kendrick Lamar’s Rap Beef

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In the aftermath of Drake’s big beef with Kendrick Lamar, it’d be easy to forget that it all started with Future and Metro Boomin paving the way with their joint album, We Don’t Trust You, and its standout track, “Like That.” Lots of other rappers jumped in to voice their thoughts on Drake, not just Kendrick, and it led to one of his few remaining supporters, Lil Yachty, saying, “Drake was deemed a loser in this battle before it started, because people don’t like him.”

However, now Yachty appears to regret saying even that much. Appearing on the Flagrant podcast with Andrew Schulz, Yachty said, “I just wish I had never spoke on it. I wish I hadn’t said anything about it.” While the show’s hosts didn’t give him a chance to elaborate — because podcast hosts aren’t journalists and these in particular are… yeah — it sounds like Yachty’s about as fed up with hearing about the beef as Drake is.

While Drake seemingly waved the white flag after the exchange of diss tracks between the two quickly became one-sided, Kendrick fans have continued fanning the flames, crafting browser games about the feud, which even appeared as a clue on Jeopardy!. I’m sure Yachty would like to be asked about just about anything else, such as his new song with Ian, “Hate Me.” Well, almost anything: He seemed reluctant to discuss the departure of Karrahbooo from his Concrete Boys crew.

You can watch the full episode of Flagrant podcast with Lil Yachty up top.

Fat Joe Claims J Cole’s Legacy Is Tarnished By Kendrick Lamar Battle

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J Cole is in a weird place. The rapper wasn’t defeated in combat the way Drake was. The fact that he chose to forfeit, and cede ground to Kendrick Lamar, though, has been viewed by many as a fate worse than defeat. At least Drake stood on his convictions, right? The debate as to whether Cole made a smart or cowardly decision continues to rage on. Fat Joe recently weighed in on the legacy of the Dreamville star during a recent appearance on the Jay Shetty Podcast. He gave J Cole his flowers, but also noted that things will never quite be the same.

“He definitely got a stripe off,” Fat Joe asserted. “They took a stripe off that because in hip-hop, when they call you out, you come out.” The Terror Squad founder acknowledged that J Cole’s sense of self preservation was smart in some ways, but noted that it came at a great cost. “He probably saw that it could get real messy and real ugly,” Fat Joe added. “So he said, ‘You know this ain’t me I don’t want no parts of it.’” Joe’s reputation is ironclad when it comes to rap beef, so it’s hard to argue with his stance. The rapper has gone at everybody, from 2Pac to JAY-Z to 50 Cent, and never backed down. As far as he is concerned, backing down is not an option.

Read More: J Cole Supported By Trae Tha Truth Over Dropping Out Of Drake & Kendrick’s Beef

Fat Joe Wishes That J Cole Had Risen To The Challenge

Part of Fat Joe’s reasoning is that beefing on record is not the same as beefing in real life. The rapper was perplexed by J Cole’s decision to throw in the towel, given that his battle with Lamar was strictly a lyrical one. “I had one of the biggest, most dangerous beefs with 50 Cent,” Joe relayed to Shetty. “And I was sitting next to him at the game yesterday, having the best time in the world. We’re brothers.” Once again, the rapper took Cole to task for shying away from competition. “When you’re called out in hip-hop, you gotta respond,” he asserted. “I’m a big fan of J Cole, but it started from that.”

Fat Joe isn’t alone in his thinking. Kanye West absolutely laid into Cole on the “Like That” remix, throwing more shots at the Dreamville star than his supposed “main” target, Drake. The Game was also frustrated by Cole’s reticence to attack Kendrick Lamar. “Hip hop [or] rap or whatever y’all calling it these days was already watered down,” the Compton emcee tweeted. “Then Cole apologized and turned this sh*t into Kool-Aid wit no sugar.” Here’s hoping J Cole can bounce back. We will all agree to forget “Grippy.”

Read More: Joe Biden Draws J Cole Comparisons After Dropping Out Of Presidential Race

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Gordo And Drake Drop Inspirational Music Video For “Healing”: Watch

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Gordo and Drake really locked into a tropical vibe on DIAMANTE. There are tons of standout songs scattered throughout the album, but the closer, “Healing,” is especially powerful. It’s one of the most positive and uplifting songs Drake has released in years. As such, the song was a no brainer to get the music video treatment. “Healing” may not align with the visuals that fans DIAMANTE promotes on its album cover, though. Instead of a lush, globe-trotting vibe, the video tells a ground narrative within a South African village.

The music video revolves around South African TikToker “The Don Madfunz.” It details the literal lengths that Madfunz has to walk (nine miles) to get to work each day. The music video then takes an emotional turn when Gordo decides to gift the TikToker a brand new car. It’s very much a page take from Drake’s “God’s Plan” video, in terms of capturing the reactions of those less fortunate, but it is effective. One would be hard-pressed to watch the video for “Healing” and not be swept up in the joy that Madfunz experiences when he first sees the car.

Read More: Drake Demands Gordo To Give Him His Proper Credit

Gordo’s Music Video Focuses On A South African Family

Gordo and Drake don’t technically appear in the music video, but the latter does make a cameo via FaceTime towards the end. He admits that he’s been thinking about the TikToker’s story nonstop. “It means so much to me,” Gordo noted. “How much effort you put into your life. I really love and I just wanted to do something to help, brother.” The producer provides a detailed backstory for “The Don Madfunz” in the YouTube description for the music video. “We filmed in Dududu, a rural area about an hour outside of Durban,” he revealed. “We captured Don’s everyday life – the simple joys, the positivity, and the resilience.”

Themes of universality and connectivity were on Gordo’s mind during the making of DIAMANTE. During a recent Rolling Stone profile, the producer claimed that he wanted to break down cultural boundaries with his music. “There’s a purpose with this album,” he explained. “And the purpose is that I’m connecting the dots between all these different worlds, and I’m doing it the most tasteful way possible.” The music video for “Healing” hammers this point home in a very powerful manner. It’s more powerful than a big, glossy shoot with Drake would have been.

Read More: Drake Has Fans Feeling Like He’s Officially Back Thanks To Two Summer-Ready Gordo Features

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ScHoolboy Q Invites TDE Artists To His Show After Latest Toronto Cancelation

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TDE and Toronto are not getting along these days. The record label has had multiple shows canceled since Kendrick Lamar triumphed over Drake in their culture-shaking battle. ScHoolboy Q was the first, and most notable, given how much he had to say about the cancelation on Twitter. SiR fell victim to a similar fate, however, on July 30. The R&B singer confirmed that the Toronto venue he was slated to perform at pulled out at the last minute. ScHoolboy Q had a lot to say on the matter, and decided to invite SiR to his own show in Phoenix, Arizona.

“Phx tonight,” the rapper tweeted. “It’s sold out if u got sumtHin FROm BLUE LIPS SHOW and I’ll put 20 ppl on list.” ScHoolboy Q then shouted out his fellow TDE artists, and the strife they’re going through in Toronto. “@SiR u sHould slide bro,” he wrote with a laughing emoji. “Bring @zacarip.” SiR and Zacari are the resident singers on the TDE label, with the latter serving as SiR’s opening act on tour. Q is making it clear that he’ll be more than happy to have them at his show, since Toronto doesn’t want them at their designated venue.

Read More: ScHoolboy Q Endures Another Concert Cancelation

ScHoolboy Q Hinted At Drake Being Responsible

This isn’t the first time ScHoolboy Q has commented on SiR’s Toronto troubles. Q was in stitches as soon as the singer confirmed the cancelation. “Hahahahahahahaha,” he wrote. “Take yo a*s home boy. Sing on the bus it’s ova wit.” This, of course, is referencing the theory many fans have put forth, which is that Drake is keeping TDE artists from performing in his own city. ScHoolboy Q alluded to this when his show was canceled on July 18. Q also noted that OVO artists have been allowed to perform in L.A. without issue.

The most ironic part of the whole Toronto saga was the tweet that SiR made after ScHoolboy Q’s show got canceled. He quote tweeted a fan who voiced concern that SiR’s show was the next to be taken off the Toronto venue’s list. “My sh*t ain’t canceled,” he assured the fan. Sure enough, the singer’s show suffered the same fate as his TDE label mate. He even called back to the tweet, and made light of the situation. “This sh*t didn’t age well at all….,” he tweeted.

Read More: ScHoolboy Q Hilariously Trolls Drake After DJ Plays “Not Like Us” In Toronto

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Boosie Thinks Kendrick Lamar Beat Drake but Drake is ‘Not Close to Being Done’

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Boosie Badazz Says 6ix9ine 'Manned It Out' During Gym Beating

Boosie Badazz was back in his residency seat at Vlad TV, and while there, he declared a winner of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef.

“Ain’t no doubt [Kendrick won],” Boosie said. “When you run a race and one just stop, one still running. You still running. You stretching it to win the race. When you stop going, that’s with anything, what you gonna do? You gonna lose the race.”

But Boosie emphatically stated Drake is not close to being done. “Hell no! Not even close,” Boosie said. “Drake somewhere betting 10 million right now.”

The post Boosie Thinks Kendrick Lamar Beat Drake but Drake is ‘Not Close to Being Done’ first appeared on The Source.

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Gordo’s Production Shines On His Genre-Hopping Album “DIAMANTE”

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Gordo has varied taste. The producer teased this variety during a Rolling Stone profile, and assured fans that they would get to hear it on his solo album, DIAMANTE. Well, the album has arrived, and Gordo lived up to his word. The album is one of the most wide-ranging of the year in terms of genre. There’s a blend of dance, reggaeton, rap, and R&B playing out on each track here, and it’s a testament to Gordo’s talent that he pulls these disparate strains together into something cohesive. The opener, “Guard Down,” is the album in microcosm. It’s simultaneously a dance floor banger and a slow burn love song with vocals from Alice Aera.

We’ve already singled out the standout Drake collabs on the album, “Sideways” and “Healing.” Despite being the biggest feature on the album, Drizzy blends seamlessly into Gordo’s global sound. “Sideways” in particular, is an obvious candidate for lead single. DIAMANTE shines even brighter, though, when the producer tweaks the signature sound of his guest features. T-Pain’s voice is altered to the point of being unrecognizable on the yearning track “Target.” Larry June, meanwhile, ditches soul chops to pontificate over Gordo’s busy drum pattern on “Lake Como.” Leon Bridges sounds refreshed over a contemplative musical bed on “Candid Zone,” and Maluma takes a nocturnal left turn on the busy “Pareca.” Gordo has the chops to make each of his collaborators shine, and the result is the most eclectic mainstream album of 2024. It’s going to be hard to top it.

Read More: Drake Is Feeling “Jolly” Since Moving On From Kendrick Lamar Feud, Gordo Reveals

Gordo Challenges His Collaborators On New Album

DIAMANTE tracklist:

  1. Guard Down (featuring Alice Aera)
  2. Sideways (featuring Drake)
  3. HONEYLAND (featuring Afshin Momadi)
  4. Easier (featuring Rampa)
  5. Target (featuring T-Pain)
  6. LAKE COMO (featuring Larry June)
  7. CANDID ZONE (featuring Leon Bridges)
  8. NENE (featuring Fuerza Regida)
  9. Cafecito (featuring Sech & Nicki Nicole)
  10. Pareca (featuring Maluma)
  11. Hombres y Mujeres (featuring Feid)
  12. Kill for This Sh*t (featuring Young Dolph)
  13. TAKE CONTROL
  14. WDYM (featuring Karolina Falk)
  15. AURA (featuring NTO)
  16. Healing (featuring Drake)

Read More: Gordo Claims Drake’s “Honestly, Nevermind” Will One Day Be Revered Like “808s & Heartbreak”

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ScHoolboy Q Hilariously Trolls Drake After DJ Plays “Not Like Us” In Toronto

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Toronto’s stance on the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar battle has been a recent talking point. Drake’s hometown has not been welcoming to those who took Lamar’s side in the battle. Rick Ross was attacked during a recent stop in TO. ScHoolboy Q, meanwhile, claimed that the Canadian tour of his Blue Lips tour was canceled. Well, Q seemingly gotten payback against Drizzy on July 29. ScHoolboy Q got to sit back and watch as a DJ blasted the Drake diss “Not Like Us” on a Toronto stage. Better yet, the same stage that the TDE rapper was supposed to perform on a few weeks prior.

DJ Scheme was the man behind the “Not Like Us” needle drop. He decided to throw on the iconic Drake diss during his Toronto set, and surprisingly, it rang off. The footage of Scheme’s set list shows that fans were more than game to sing along to Kendrick Lamar’s rhymes. The fact that the DJ got away with this would have been enough to elicit discourse, but then ScHoolboy Q chimed in. The rapper quote tweeted the video of Scheme’s set and wrote: “HAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHH.” No extra context needed, really. He was simply thrilled to see Drake getting disrespected in his own city.

Read More: ScHoolboy Q Couldn’t Believe Donald Trump & Joe Biden’s Golf Debate

ScHoolboy Q Had A Good Laugh Over The DJ Set

ScHoolboy Q previously criticized Drake and OVO for being sensitive about TDE artists being in Canada. When the rapper’s show was canceled, he immediately hopped on Twitter and vented. He said that OVO artists had no problem performing in California, so the same courtesy should be extended the other way. “TOP was just wit Wayne & Baby smH,” he wrote. “Partynextdoor just Had a sHow @ tHe palladium. If we wanted to get yall we would’ve just did it.. now wHen sumbody get Hurt don’t cry…” Debate raged on as to whether Drake was behind ScHoolboy Q’s cancelation, but it was eventually confirmed that the show was going to be at a venue partially ran by Drake.

Drake’s relationship with “Not Like Us” has been interesting over the last couple weeks. The rumor that the rapper banned the song from being played in Houston clubs was debunked. Fittingly, by the DJ who started it in the first place. Then, the 6 God posted a clip of an impersonator on his Instagram Story, and mocked him by using the “Not Like Us” line: “Sometimes you gotta pop out.” No word yet on whether DJ Scheme will face repercussions for playing the diss in Toronto. Either way, though ScHoolboy Q is having a great time watching things unfold.

Read More: ScHoolboy Q Seemingly Confirms Kanye West Is The Unfairly Canceled Artist On “Blueslides”

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