“The Toronto Rapper Stays Defiant as Lamar’s Diss Track Takes Home Five Awards”
Drake is speaking out for the first time since Kendrick Lamar dominated the 2025 Grammy Awards, taking home five trophies, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year, for his explosive diss track Not Like Us.
During his Anita Max Win Tour kickoff in Australia on Feb. 4, the Canadian rapper, 38, closed the night with an empowering message to his fans.
“My name is Drake. I started doing music in 2008,” he told the crowd, as seen in a clip shared by NFR Podcast on X (formerly Twitter). “I come all the way from Toronto, Canada. The year is now 2025, and no matter what, Drizzy Drake is very much alive and that’s all thanks to you. I love you.”
Drake, who recently announced a collaborative album with PARTYNEXTDOOR titled $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, made a bold entrance at the concert, donning a hoodie covered in faux bullet holes while a trail of smoke followed behind him—an apparent nod to the ongoing tensions in hip-hop.
Later that night, he posted photos from the performance on Instagram, captioning the post with poetic defiance:
“They thought Einstein was lying & Shakespeare was barely rhyming & Edison wasn’t lit despite what he was designing So how can I give af what they say about my stars aligning.”
A Year-Long Feud Comes to a Grammy Climax
Drake’s response comes just two days after Lamar, 37, secured his Grammy sweep on Feb. 2, solidifying his dominance in their ongoing rap feud. The Compton rapper’s Not Like Us—a track loaded with sharp accusations and personal jabs—became a cultural moment in hip-hop, with lyrics like:
“Why you trolling like a bitch? Ain’t you tired? Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A-Minor.”
Though Drake himself has not directly commented on Lamar’s Grammy wins, his father, Dennis Graham, offered his thoughts in a street interview.
“I don’t care nothing about that s—. That ain’t got nothing to do with me,” Graham, 70, said. “All the best to him, man. I don’t do that bulls—.” He added that he thought the awards show was “excellent” overall.
The feud, which began in late 2023, escalated when Drake released First Person Shooter alongside J. Cole, referring to himself, Cole, and Lamar as the “big three” of rap. Lamar took offense, and a lyrical war ensued, culminating in Not Like Us, which dominated streaming platforms and now, the Grammy stage.
Legal Battles and the Future of the Rivalry
The feud took a legal turn in January when Drake filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), claiming the label—his home since 2009—had “approved, published, and launched a campaign to create a viral hit” with Not Like Us, which he alleges contains “false accusations” and incites violence against him.
“Drake has never engaged in any acts that would require he be ‘placed on neighborhood watch.’ Drake has never engaged in sexual relations with a minor,” the lawsuit states. “Drake has never been charged with, or convicted of, any criminal acts whatsoever.”
In response, UMG denied Drake’s claims, with a spokesperson stating that the company has “invested massively in his music and our employees around the world have worked tirelessly for many years to help him achieve historic commercial and personal financial success.”
With Drake now back on tour and Lamar celebrating his Grammy victories, the question remains—will this be the final chapter in their battle, or is there more to come?
