After netting 13 trophies at the Billboard Music Awards this past Sunday night (May 21), Drake’s quest to music immortality appears imminent. As he continues to smash every possible record in sight courtesy of his 2016 multi-platinum album Views, Drake is also squashing any beef that he can.
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Despite once jumping in the fray with the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Meek Mill, and Tory Lanez, recently, the “6 God” has shied away from fielding any possible beefs. In fact, Drake has been working diligently on mending any possible feuds standing along his way this year.
Take a look at some of the beefs Drake has squashed so far in 2017.
Nicki Minaj – After forging a fruitful relationship through their alliance under Young Money, Drake and Nicki Minaj watched their friendship take a tumble several years ago. In 2013, Minaj hinted at a possible strain in their bond during an interview with Hot 97.
“Drake’s so talented. Sometimes, we’ve seen this. Sometimes when you’re really intelligent and you’re really talented, you also think a lot,” she recalled. “Sometimes your mind is racing with thoughts. It is what it is. People go through their own motions and you’ve gotta respect it and keep it moving. … Whatever is going on now, obviously we’re all very busy and you know, sh-t happens. It gets a little hard to have a real connection when people are on different sides of the world, working on different things. You just never know who people got in their ear or what they’re feeling or maybe they felt wronged in some way.”
Drake also addressed the possible fall-out on “Tuscan Leather” from his 2013 album Nothing Was The Same. “Not even talkin’ to Nicki, communication is breakin’/I dropped the ball on some personal sh-t, I need to embrace it,” he rapped.
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Fortunately, they bounced back in 2014 when Drake appeared on Minaj’s single “Only.” Things got rocky again when the “6 God” got in a contentious battle with Minaj’s then boyfriend, Meek Mill. Vowing not to play sides, Minaj refused to offer any commentary in an interview with New York Times Magazine in 2015.
“They’re men, grown-ass men. It’s between them. … I hate it,” said Minaj. “It doesn’t make me feel good. You don’t ever want to choose sides between people you love. It’s ridiculous. I just want it to be over.”
In the same year, Drake revealed to Beats 1’s Zane Lowe that he and Minaj hadn’t communicated in some time. “I don’t really talk to Nicki. She’s a person I have a lot of love for. A lot of love and a lot of respect,” he told Lowe. “Not only for our past, and how much work and time we put in, but even just the way she dealt with the situation. I understand what love is, and I understand a personal situation. She dealt with me how I would expect her to — which was with class. I could only ever do the same.”
Then, earlier this year, the Young Money triumvirate consisting of Lil Wayne, Drake, and Minaj quashed rumors of any possible tension within the crew with a joyous photo. To further solidify their peace, Drake and Weezy joined the Pinkprint star on her single “No Frauds,” before the trio took the stage together at the BBMAs to mutually celebrate Drizzy’s historic night.
Tory Lanez – Tension began brewing between the two rapper-singers when budding Toronto star Tory Lanez took a swipe at Drake with the release of his 2015 mixtape The New Toronto. Perturbed by Lanez’ title choice, the More Life artist returned a sly stab on his track “Summer Sixteen”: “All you boys in the new Toronto want to be me a little/ All your exes know I like my O’s with a V in the middle.” The two began trading blows, as the “Say It” star attempted to sack Drake with a slew of insults. One most notably came during an interview with D.C.’s WPGC 95.5’s radio station in 2016 where he declared that he was better than his Canadian counterpart.
Earlier this year, fans on social media perceived Drake’s More Life outro “Do Not Disturb” as another attack towards Lanez when he rapped: “If we do a song it’s like takin’ my kids to work with me/ You overnight celebrity, you one-day star/ Swear I Told You that I’m in this b—h for eternity/ I am a reflection of all of your insecurities/ Behind closed doors, a lot of 6 God worshipping/ Done talk now, ’cause there’s other s–t that’s concernin’ me.”
The back and forth finally ceased when the two posed for a picture last week.
Kendrick Lamar – The competitive tug-a-war between Kendrick Lamar and Drake has been the talk of hip hop-for the past several years. The burgeoning rap stars, who were once on friendly terms, grappled with one another after Lamar’s 2012 opus good kid, m.A.A.d city propelled him into the land of top-tier MCs. First, K.Dot took aim on Big Sean’s “Control,” where he fired a volley of shots at the industry, including Drake. The Take Care star shot down Lamar’s attempt during an interview with Billboard in 2013. “It just sounded like an ambitious thought to me. That’s all it was. I know good and well that Kendrick’s not murdering me, at all, in any platform,” he said.
Since then, the two have tirelessly traded barbs subliminally on records. Then, Drake halted the beef after the release of Lamar’s acclaimed project DAMN. this past April. Instead of spewing venom towards his contemporary, the Toronto artist praised him on his Billboard 200-topping LP. “Amazing to see our music moving,” wrote Drake last month. He doubled down his support for the Compton star when he liked a fan’s comment on Elliot Wilson’s page, who asked for a collaboration between he, Lamar, and J.Cole.
A word from Drake —- pic.twitter.com/TmT3CRbp7T
— Word On Road (@WordOnRd) April 29, 2017
Ludacris – The feud between Drake and Ludacris has always been one that went under the radar in comparison to some of the 6 God’s other skirmishes. Things got muddy when Drake threw the first dart aimed at the multi-faceted star in 2010. He called out Ludacris for mimicking the once popular “Supa Dupa” flow that he, Big Sean, Nicki Minaj, and Lil Wayne made popular at the time.
“A bunch of rappers started doing it, and using the most terrible references in the world,” said Drake in a 2010 interview with AllHipHop. “I don’t want to offend somebody. I hate that rappers picked that flow up. I wish they had left that for people that know how to use it. [They go like], ‘It’s a parade! MACYS!'”
Luda lashed back on a track titled “Bada Boom,” where he rapped: “Counterfeit rappers say I’m stealing they flows/ But I can’t steal what you never made up, b—h.”
Drake targeted Ludacris again on his 2014 track “How About Now.” “I used to always try and burn you CDs of my new s–t/ You be like, ‘Who’s this?’/ I’d be like, ‘Me, girl,’ You be like, ‘Oh, word, true sh-t?’/ Then ask if we could listen to Ludacris/ Them car rides made me feel like I was losin’ it.”
In 2015, Luda chimed in on the song during an interview with The Breakfast Club. “I think there is a little bit of a true story behind that,” said the actor/rapper. “His girl, at the time, with all due respect, was probably doing a little bit more than that. It’s a true story and I think that’s why he said that.” Luda also revealed that they had already squashed the beef at the time.
Then, on Sunday night at the Billboard Music Awards, Drake muted any sign of animosity during his acceptance speech for top Billboard 200 album. “Ludacris, we haven’t always seen eye to eye, but I’ve always been a big fan of yours and I got a lot of love for you,” he said. “I want to let you know that face to face, while I’m still here.”
CONGRATS, @Drake — “Views” was awarded the #BBMAs for Top Billboard 200 Album! –? pic.twitter.com/zAZWBmFMtp
— BillboardMusicAwards (@BBMAs) May 22, 2017