DJ Akademiks Believes All Of Drake's Beefs Are Because Of Jay-Z

BY Gabriel Bras Nevares
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DJ Akademiks All Of Drake Beefs Because Of Jay Z
Jan 13, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Recording artist Drake (standing) watches the action between the Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors during the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images / USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
Amid recent shots between Drake and Jay-Z, DJ Akademiks claimed Drizzy's past enemies like Kendrick Lamar and Pusha T were just Hov's pawns.

Drake has more hip-hop beefs to his name than most rappers out there, and it seems like the biggest one on his plate right now is Jay-Z. They traded shots via the new album ICEMAN and Hov's Roots Picnic freestyle, and it's led many folks to look back on their history. DJ Akademiks recently took a step further on his livestream and claimed all of Drizzy's beefs (Meek Mill, Pusha T, and Kendrick Lamar among them) go back to the Roc Nation mogul.

In a clip shared by DJ Akademiks TV on Instagram, the commentator said Jay has always been on the other side of the 6ix God. While Akademiks didn't explicitly mention all of the Toronto MC's feuds or outright say they are all because of the Brooklyn lyricist, his rant implied he's behind the big ones.

"If you don't know who's on the other side, it's Jay-Z, n***a! The f**k?" he remarked. "It's Jay-Z controlling a whole bunch of n***as. Charlamagne Tha God, Kendrick, Pusha T. I don't know if y'all realize... I got to keep it a bean with y'all. It's always been Drake and Jay-Z. The other n***as are underneath. This is like finally fighting the final boss. Kendrick, that was... You'll even hear some of these guys admit, 'Yeah, Jay-Z been telling n***as what to respond to, what not.' So it's always been Drake and Jay-Z. Kendrick? Pawn. Pusha T? Pawn. Meek? Come on. He not even on the chessboard. He's just there. Everything falls under Jay-Z. We got Drake and Jay-Z. That's it."

Why Did Jay-Z Diss Drake?

Jay-Z's disses toward Drake emerged after many ICEMAN cuts contained Hov disses, specifically tracks like "Janice STFU" and "Whisper My Name." It followed years and years of competitive tensions, momentary reconciliations, hyped collaborations, and a whole lot of shade.

As for other Drake beefs like Kanye West, the recent flare-up with Sauce Walka, and issues with Pharrell, they don't all explicitly have Jay in the orbit. But there's room for interpretation. In any case, fans and media figures alike are wondering if there will be another chapter to this contentious saga.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.

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