Is anyone else starting to feel a little bad for Drake? The Toronto superstar’s 2024 probably didn’t go the way he planned it, but at this point, he’s got to be really regretting accepting Kendrick Lamar’s invitation to a lyrical firefight on “Like That.”
Fans on social media are rubbing salt in his wounds in the wake of the 2025 Grammy nominations, of which he has five: Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year, Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance, and Best Music Video — all for, you guessed it, “Not Like Us.”
Here’s where Drake goofed: On his Kendrick diss “Family Matters,” Drake tried to taunt K. Dot with his Grammys success. “Kendrick just opened his mouth / Someone go hand him a Grammy right now,” he rapped. However, fans didn’t take it quite the way Drake intended, mocking him for trying to turn what most would consider an objective positive into a liability. Say what you want about the Recording Academy’s milquetoast preferences in rap, but a golden gramophone still holds a lot of weight in the recording industry.
Drake’s prediction has come back to haunt him as fans ridicule the hitmaker — who has five wins of his own to his name out of 55 nominations — with the fact that Kendrick could have matched Drake’s lifetime totals with just his wins from this year (if he hadn’t already bypassed his rival long ago; he’s got 17 out of 50 nominations since 2013). He could also win Best Rap Performance for “Like That,” meaning no matter what, any win will have been for a track dissing Drake. Yikes.
Drake is the King of Toronto. The rapper has helped give the city a musical identity, and his co-sign will always mean a lot when artists come through and perform. This has been evident with Nicki Minaj, with PARTYNEXTDOOR, and now with Latto. Drake attended Latto’s Toronto concert on November 7, and his mere presence delighted both the rapper and the audience. It got even more exciting, though, when the 6 God decided to bust out in song during the concert.
Drake was handed a microphone, and he performed his Latto collab “Housekeeping Knows” alongside the rapper. It was a fun impromptu moment, especially since the Toronto icon never even left his seat in the audience. The 6 God merely stood up and spit his bars right where he was. He appears to be having a blast before handing it off to Latto to finish the rest of the song. Drake and Latto have been admirers of each other’s music for quite some time. Latto praised Drake (along with Kendrick Lamar) for helping to revive competitiveness in hip hop earlier this year.
“They both still that n**ga, they both still the GOAT,” Latto told Billboard. “That sh*t fye for the culture, bruh. They both so talented, and they both on they high horse flexing their talent and capabilities.” Latto has also received Drake comparisons over the years. Most notably, on her new album, Sugar Honey Iced Tea. Fans came out of the woodwork to label the album “Drake-coded,” and felt Latto had taken the mantle of female Drake. Some even branded her the first lady of OVO, despite the fact that she isn’t signed to the Toronto label.
Latto has not shied away from these comparisons. When one Twitter user cited her as an example of the 6 God’s influence, she agreed. “Drake the GOAT,” she tweeted in response. It has definitely benefited her in the long run. “Housekeeping Knows” cracked the Hot 100, making it Latto’s tenth single to make it on the charts. The fact that Drake showed up to perform and lend his support also says a lot. He will usually only show out for longtime collaborators. Hopefully we get more Drizzy and Latto collabs in the future.
Drake really needs to drop a good album. It’s not that the rapper has been dropping trash, but he’s reached a point in his career where his personal antics have overtaken his professional output. The world is more fascinated with Drake’s feelings about Kendrick Lamar. Or what DeMar DeRozan has to say after the 6 God dogged him during an NBA game. Drake needs to place the focus back on the music, and an album with PARTYNEXTDOOR is as good a bet as any. It seems like we’re getting it soon, too.
PARTYNEXTDOOR has been on tour, but the R&B singer told fans he would prioritize the album as soon as he wrapped up his last performance. It seems like he’s lived up to his promise. The singer hopped on Instagram on November 7 to teases the joint release. “Finito party people,” he wrote on IG. “Everybody, thank you, reloading…” “Reloading” is a term that PARTYNEXTDOOR has used repeatedly over the last few months. The difference here, though, is that Drake chimed in. The OVO honcho commented on the singer’s post to further drum up hype. “$$$ THAT TIME,” he wrote.
Drake didn’t elaborate, but it doesn’t take much to put together what he means. The 6 God did, after all, promise that the joint album would be dropping during the fall. “I know all you girls are outside and when it gets a little chilly,” he told a concert crowd in August. “PARTYNEXTDOOR and Drake album will be right there for you.” PARTYNEXTDOOR has kept the hype alive in recent months by dropping hints about the album’s tracklist and its status. He promised the album was “getting finished” on November 5, and he’d previously teased that there would be 15 songs.
Drake’s musical output has been frequent, but it hasn’t really been consistent in 2024. The rapper has tried his hand at everything from Mexican corridos to dancehall covers of Plain White T’s songs. It’s not been the easiest year for the 6 God since “lost” the battle to Kendrick Lamar. If he’s able to lock in with PND, however, the narrative could shift. Drake and PARTY have always had musical chemistry, and fans are hopeful that the OVO veteran could bring the best out of his boss.
Drake is a proud dad. Yes, the details surrounding his parentage got off to an auspicious start thanks to Pusha T, but he has been celebrating his son ever since. Adonis Graham has appeared on Drake’s social media posts, as well as his songs. He’s appeared court side with him at NBA games, and even made a cameo in the music video for “8AM In Charlotte.” Adonis Graham is part of the Drake brand at this point, and both Grahams recently celebrated their birthdays. It was perhaps this shared bond that spurred the 6 God to share a heartwarming message from his son.
Drake to his Instagram Story on November 7 to share insight into his life. He posted a letter that his son Adonis had written him. The letter is brief, but the sentiment, especially given Adonis’ age, is very sweet. “Thank you for giving me such a good life,” Adonis wrote. “And a good family. I love you dad.” Drake has discussed his son in song multiple times over the years. “March 14,” the closer to his 2018 double album, Scorpion, was dedicated to Adonis and their relationship. The rapper has talked fatherhood more often in recent interviews, however.
Drake went on Sundae Conversation with Barstool Sports’ Caleb Pressley in 2022. He discussed what it has been like juggling parenthood with his career as a superstar. “Fatherhood,” he stated. “I just mean, in an encouraging way, like, You can always bet on fatherhood. For all the people out there, you can always bet on fatherhood.” Drake also commented on the fact that Adonis has repeatedly complimented him for being a good father. “He definitely is like always vibing out with me,” he noted. “And telling me how great I am as a father, like a single father.” This is definitely supported by the letter the rapper shared.
To further convey the bond between Aubrey Drake Graham and Adonis Graham, the latter interrupted the Sundae Conversation and requested to go to the restroom. It’s nice to see Drizzy take a step back from a seemingly ongoing feud with DeMar DeRozan to focus on family. The rapper was caught mean-mugging the NBA superstar during a recent game, which has sparked widespread debate. Some championed the rapper, others felt he was being sensitive. Which, we mean, it’s Drake. Sensitivity is build into his musical persona.
Houston Rocket’s Fred VanVleet commented on new Texan Drake‘s caution regarding the Toronto Raptors hanging Demar DeRozan‘s jersey in their rafters when he retires on Draymond Green’s podcast. Drake’s actions and comments toward DeRozan at Sacramento Kings against the Toronto Raptors last week went viral, with the Raptor’s ambassador claiming he would pull down Demar’s jersey should the team retire it with the organization. “If you put up a banner and, I’ll personally pull it down,” said Drizzy when asked about DeRozan by commentators.
A trending topic, Draymond asked VanVleet, a former Raptors player before signing a massive deal with the Rockets, if DeMar DeRozan, now playing for the Kings, can have his jersey retired with the Raptors. When asked about DeRozan’s retirement, Fred VanVleet said: “Yeah, I think it should. I think it should. I think that when you look at what he did, you know, especially when you want to give the history of the franchise and what Vince and all of those guys meant at the beginning and what that meant for Canadian basketball.”
Drake and Demar’s issues stem from the Compton-bred basketball star’s appearance in the music video for the Drizzy diss track “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar. In previous interviews, Demar shared that he appeared in the video because of his West Coast roots but did not have an issue with Drake. Many believe that Drake lost the iconic clash against Kendrick Lamar with “Not Like Us,” which spawned an Amazon-presented concert that united Los Angeles hip-hop. Demar responded to Drake’s comment about retirement after the game by saying, “He going to have a long way to climb to take it down.”
VanVleet played for the Raptors from 2016 to 2023. Traded to the Rockets in 2023, Drizzy made headlines trolling Fred during a regular-season game against the Raptors. Drake refers to Fred as his “look-alike.” Hip-hop shared mixed reviews of Drake’s antics towards the basketball stars. Do you think Demar will retire in Toronto? Will the 6 God seriously rip down the jersey if Toronto hangs it in their rafters? Share your thoughts in the comments section below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
The Toronto Raptors traveled to Sacramento to take on the Kings on Wednesday night in a game that has suddenly given us a little spiciness off the court. Sacramento went to Toronto on the night of Vince Carter’s jersey retirement ceremony last week, which was the first time that DeMar DeRozan played in front of Drake since he appeared in the music video for Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.”
While DeRozan, in the immediate aftermath, said he has tons of love for Drake despite his cameo in the video, Drake expressed that he doesn’t want to see DeRozan get his number retired in Toronto when his career comes to an end, and DeRozan seemed to have a lot of fun responding. And on Wednesday with Drake’s beloved Raptors in town, Kings owner Vivek Ranadive decided to show some support to his star forward by wearing a shirt with the words “THEY NOT LIKE US” on it.
The Kings picked up a 122-107 win on Wednesday to move and 5-3 on the season. All five starters scored in double-figures for Sacramento, with DeRozan leading the way with 27 points on 11-for-21 shooting. It is unclear if he was motivated by the fact that the team’s owner showed up and wore a shirt that trolled Drake, but I’m sure at least part of him appreciated it.
LeBron James is in his 22nd season in the NBA, and has been part of the national basketball consciousness since he was, at least, a junior in high school. His presence as one of the most prominent figures in basketball hasn’t just meant he’s been part of the sports conversation for the last quarter century, but he also became the reference point for basketball in the music world as well.
Similar to Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and Allen Iverson, LeBron has been regularly mentioned by artists in the hip-hop world and beyond. You can find hundreds if not thousands of songs that name-drop LeBron, both positively and negatively, and here we wanted to look at 23 notable examples of LeBron’s impact on the music world by way of the lyrics that shout him out, starting from 2003 all the way to 2024.
“Gangsta Sh*t” — G-Unit (2003)
I keep a holster on my shoulder like I’m John Wayne/Shooting these n****s lights out like LeBron James
One of the first LeBron mentions on a track came early in his rookie year in 2003, when Young Buck says he’s shooting like LeBron, which I have to note is a little funny given shooting was the one thing LeBron rather famously wasn’t very good at as a rookie.
“Gettin It In” — Jadakiss ft. Kanye West (2004)
N****s tryna figure out, since Kan’ came/Who the rookie of the year, me or LeBron James?
Kanye West, fresh off the release of “College Dropout” earlier that year, boasts his rookie season is as strong as LeBron’s in his verse on this Jadakiss track.
“Dough Is What I Got” — Lil Wayne (2006)
When it comes down to this recording/I must be LeBron James if he’s Jordan/No, I won rings with my performance/I’m more Kobe Bryant of an artist
Lil Wayne wouldn’t release “Best Rapper Alive” until 2008 on Tha Carter II, but his remix of Jay-Z’s “Show Me What You Got” two years prior asserted that position in the midst of his iconic mixtape run. To illustrate that fact, he made a reference to LeBron but became one of the first artists to use that as a bit of a jab, saying he’s more Kobe than LeBron because he “won rings with my performance.” I’m not sure what the first RINGZ argument was to be used against LeBron, but I have to imagine Lil Wayne doing so three years into James’ career was one of the earliest.
“Make Tha Trap Say Aye” — OJ Da Juiceman ft. Gucci Mane (2008)
Banana donk Chevy interior like the Lakers/LeBron James wrist when I’m f**kin’ with that caper
What did OJ Da Juiceman know in 2008 when he referenced the Lakers and LeBron James in back-to-back lines??? An aside, OJ Da Juiceman is an underrated Atlanta artist, and this isn’t even his best NBA reference off this album (“Nah Ming” is a classic).
“Empire State of Mind” — Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys (2009)
Me? I gotta plug Special Ed, “I Got It Made”/If Jeezy’s payin’ LeBron, I’m payin’ Dwyane Wade
Probably the LeBron reference that pops into most people’s heads first when it comes to a rap lyric. By this point, LeBron had passed Michael Jordan in terms of being synonymous with the number 23 in pop culture. The reference is to Jeezy’s “23, 24” in which he says “I used to pay Kobe (24), but now I pay LeBron (23)” in the chorus, with Jay-Z noting that if Jeezy’s paying 23, he’s just paying Dwyane Wade (3). I have to say, there’s no way this was a profitable venture for Jay-Z’s plug if he was getting bricks for $3,000. Also, in hindsight, it’s kind of wild Jay-Z put this bar down a full year before LeBron left Cleveland for Miami to play with Wade.
“Dead Presidents II” — J. Cole (2009)
I’m nothing like these ho-like rappers, my whole life practice/To be the one, what’s it like to be LeBron
Another artist who has frequently made mention of LeBron (and plenty of other NBA stars), J. Cole compares himself to LeBron with shouldering expectations to be the greatest in this track off 2009’s “The Warm Up”.
“Popular Demand” — Clipse ft. Pharrell and Cam’Ron (2009)
Used to have this white b**ch, she looked like Madonna though/Heard that she f**king LeBron, but s**t, I don’t know/Like that, Bron-Bron? I had that long time ago
As mentioned in the intro, not every LeBron reference was the most positive and this was the time where LeBron fatigue had set in a bit. This one, however, had nothing to do with James’ failures to land a ring by 2009, but instead Pusha T offered up some allegations of impropriety in what I have to imagine is one of LeBron’s least favorite mentions he’s ever gotten.
“Gotta Have It” — Jay-Z and Kanye West (2011)
West: Sorry I’m in pajamas, but I just got off the PJ/And last party we had, they shut down Prive
Jay-Z: Ain’t that where the Heat play? (Yup)/N****s hate ballers these days (Yup)
West: Ain’t that like LeBron James?
Jay-Z: Ain’t that just like D-Wade? Wait
We probably could’ve pulled 23 references about LeBron just by these two, but in their triumphant track off “Watch The Throne”, Jay-Z and West go back-and-forth with a shoutout to the two stars of the Miami Heat at the time.
“Martians vs. Goblins” — The Game ft. Tyler, the Creator and Lil Wayne (2011)
Fall back like LeBron’s hairline against the Mavericks…he lost
Leave it to Tyler, the Creator to have one of the funnier bars about LeBron James, making both a hairline joke and a Heat losing to the Mavs in the Finals joke all in one line on this track with The Game.
“Believe It” — Meek Mill ft. Rick Ross (2012)
I ball hard like LeBron James/And Rozay D-Wade n****
The LeBron/Wade pairing made for a lot of song references in their time in Miami, this time with Meek Mill comparing he and Rick Ross to the Heat duo — these two also are frequent LeBron name-droppers.
“Timber” — Pitbull ft. Kesha (2013)
Club jumpin’ like LeBron now, Voli/Order me another round, homie
One of the biggest songs in terms of popularity to feature a LeBron reference, courtesy of Mr. Worldwide (formerly Mr. 305), who shouts out the then Heat star in one of his biggest hits.
“LeBron James” — Yo Gotti (2013)
I’m LeBron James, you a f**kin rookie
There are a lot of songs that name-check LeBron but Yo Gotti was one of the first major artists to release a song with James’ name as the title, using his name as a main part of the chorus.
“Bitch Better Have My Money” — Rihanna (2015)
Pay me what you owe me/Ballin’ bigger than LeBron
Rihanna was once a regular courtside at NBA games and a noted LeBron fan, so it came as little surprise when she mentioned James in the opening verse of her 2015 hit single.
“Sleep Walking” — Migos (2015)
I’m a fool with the rock like LeBron James
For a time there were few groups that were more prevalent at NBA games and All-Star Weekends than the Migos, and Offset led off their 2015 track with a LeBron mention in the opening verse.
“Trap Trap Trap” — Rick Ross ft. Young Thug and Wale (2017)
Renzel got me all day, I’m Kyrie, he LeBron James
By 2017, the references to James and a fellow star teammate had flipped from Dwyane Wade and LeBron to Kyrie and LeBron, which pops up in another Rick Ross track, this time in Wale’s verse.
“Nonstop” — Drake (2018)
Catch me cause I’m gone (Outta there, I’m gone)/How I go from 6 to 23 like I’m LeBron?
Another artist with plenty of references to LeBron in songs through the years, Drake’s 2018 hit is probably the biggest with a LeBron mention, as he plays off both of LeBron’s numbers from Miami and Cleveland (and L.A.).
“RNP” — Cordae ft. Anderson Paak (2019)
Cordae: I bought a Moncler coat for the times we were broke
Paak: I’ma wear it in the summer on LeBron James’ boat
This might be one of my favorites because it has nothing to do with basketball, it’s just Paak flaunting that his life is dope enough he might get invited to hang out on a yacht with LeBron.
“Disco S**t” — 03 Greedo and Kenny Beats ft. Freddie Gibbs (2019)
Dope game, brought the kilos on the plane/23, LeBron James, got my package on the airline, yeah, now
A decade after Jeezy’s “23, 24” and Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind”, LeBron remained the go-to reference for the number 23 in rap, as Freddie Gibbs proved again on his verse here.
“Está Cabrón Ser Yo” — Bad Bunny and Anuel AA (2020)
LeBron James, cabrón, yo juego toa’ la’ posicione’/Michael Phelps tirao’ pa’ atrá’, nadando en mi’ millone’
LeBron’s influence in the music world isn’t stateside, as he has been regularly mentioned by Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny, including in this 2020 track (along with Michael Phelps).
“All In” — Lil Baby (2020)
I go LeBron when it’s crunch time, it ain’t no holdin’ me
One thing you notice when you lay these lyrics out chronologically is how the narrative around LeBron changed constantly. If someone had rapped “I go LeBron when it’s crunch time” in a song in, say, 2009 it would’ve had a wildly different meaning than in 2020 when Lil Baby said it boastfully.
“Dynamite” — BTS (2020)
Sing-song when I’m walkin’ home/Jump up to the top, LeBron
Further cementing LeBron’s status as a global superstar, he found his way into one of the biggest K-Pop hits with a reference in the opening verse of BTS’ massive 2020 hit.
“The Scenic Route” — Dr. Dre ft. Rick Ross and Anderson Paak (2021)
Ross: In them funny pants, I had a gun in mine
Dre: LeBron James numbers, go ‘head, analyze ’em
By 2021, LeBron had climbed to the top of most pages in the NBA’s record books which Dr. Dre referenced in his boastful track going back-and-forth with Rick Ross.
“Meet The Grahams” — Kendrick Lamar (2024)
Hey, LeBron, keep the family away, hey, Curry, keep the family away
The most sinister of the LeBron mentions comes on Kendrick Lamar’s scathing diss track on Drake from this year, in which he leaves no doubt his feelings on the Toronto star and warns LeBron, Stephen Curry, and others to “keep the family away.”
The Toronto Raptors retired Vince Carter’s jersey last week, the highest honor the team can give to one of the most iconic players in franchise history. The game happened against the Sacramento Kings, which are the current team of someone else who will probably get his jersey retired by the Raptors some day, DeMar DeRozan.
While the night was all about Carter, there was some tension between DeRozan and noted Raptors fan Drake, which presumably all revolves around DeRozan appearing in the music video for Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.” The whole ordeal rubbed former Toronto player Lou Williams the wrong way, which he expressed on FanDuel’s “Run It Back.”
“If I’m gonna speak candidly, I thought that was selfish of Drake,” Williams said. “Drake, as well as the country of Canada, the city of Toronto, they know what DeMar DeRozan has contributed to the culture up there, and what he’s contributed to the Toronto Raptors, and to that community. It goes way bigger than his personal relationship with Drake, it goes way bigger than his personal relationship with Kendrick Lamar. So for Drake to say, ‘If you put up a banner and I’ll personally pull it down,’ it’s like, is it just about you or is it about the Toronto Raptors?”
Drake expressed during the game that if the Raptors put up a DeRozan banner, “I’ll go up there and pull it down myself.” DeRozan was asked to respond to this after the game and told the press that “He gonna have a long way to climb to take it down. So, tell him good luck.” The following day, DeRozan posted a clip from Friday to his Instagram Story, and it’s not hard to read between the lines that he was talking about Drake.
Drake is being criticized by ATL Hip-Hop pioneer Jermaine Dupri for not attending the historic LilWeezyAna Festival honoring Lil Wayne in New Orleans over the weekend.
Dupri let Drake feel the heat after the festival, but Drizzy was tied up courtside at the Toronto Raptors game.
Dupri wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “This is amazing !! Southern HipHop at its best,” before adding: “I cant believe drake missed that, couldn’t have been me.” The So So Def founder then added, “Pardon me for getting excited about the amazing show they just had, ima HipHop nigga and this was a moment.”
Dupri was referring to the monumental reunion of all the Hot Boys members, including Turk, B.G., Mannie Fresh, and Juvenile. This was the first time all Hot Boys were on stage together in over 25 years.
Cash Money head honcho Birdman and in-house producer Mannie Fresh joined the crew on stage to perform “I Need a Hot Girl,” sealing the Cash Money reunion after decades of feuding and legal issues.
To cap off the historic moment, Mayor LaToya Cantrell and NOLA rap legend Master P gave Weezy his own day and the key to the City of New Orleans.
We’re getting close. PARTYNEXTDOOR and Drake shook day one OVO fans to their core when they announced plans for a joint album in August. The 6 God came out during a PND show and confirmed that fans will have something to listen to come the fall. Well, the fall has been here for a bit, and there’s still no word on the album. Drake has gone radio silent. PARTYNEXTDOOR has continued to tour. Thankfully, the latter gave fans a much-needed update on November 4.
PARTYNEXTDOOR hopped on Instagram Live to confirm that he will kick the album into high gear once he gets off tour. “I have one more show on this tour,” he explained to fans “And then the album is getting finished.” It’s the most concrete update fans have gotten in months, and it tracks with what we’ve been told previously. PARTYNEXTDOOR claimed that the joint album will feature 15 songs. OVONoel, a veteran member of Drake’s team, also gave fans a hint as to what to expect during an October appearance on The Fry Yiy Show.
“You guys know what’s coming for you,” OVONoel told the host. “Party and Drake have a classic. We trying to put the finishing touches on it.” The fact that finishing touches have yet to be applied a month after OVONoel’s comments is not the most encouraging sign. That said, PARTYNEXTDOOR’s tour does make sense as a reason why. The singer has been traveling the world in promotion of his last album, PND 4. It was during this tour, actually, that Drake came out and dropped the bombshell about their plans.
It’s encouraging to know that PARTYNEXTDOOR is getting into album mode. Drake has been very public over the last few months, but not in a musical capacity. The rapper celebrated his birthday, and spoke to a Toronto crowd about feeling betrayed. He also attended a Toronto Raptors game where he stared down and openly taunted opposing player DeMar DeRozan. The latter took Kendrick Lamar’s side in the 2024 rap battle, and appeared in the “Not Like Us” video. It’s obvious Drake still feels a way about it. Here’s hoping he can channel his energy into making a great R&B album.
