LeBron James Has No Shame In His Drake Fandom Despite Falling Out

BY Aron A.
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NBA: Preseason-Philadelphia 76ers at Brooklyn Nets
Oct 8, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Lebron James (23) during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
LeBron James was getting hype to "Whisper My Name."

LeBron James had an impressive pre-season debut with the Philadelphia 76ers, and maybe Drake deserves some credit for that. Ahead of last night’s game against the Brooklyn Nets, LeBron was spotted catching a vibe to Drake’s “Whisper My Name” from ICEMAN, which was blaring through the arena. 

While it’s not uncommon for LeBron, the self-proclaimed hip-hop historian, to openly appreciate new music, the tension between these two has dominated headlines for the past few years. Regardless, it doesn’t seem like LeBron is as committed to holding the grudge that Drake has against him.

Of course, much of the tension between the two surrounds LeBron’s open appreciation for Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.” Not only was he spotted listening to the song during the Summer Olympics, but he was also in attendance at The Pop Out. Needless to say, Drake wasn’t particularly happy about it.

LeBron James Puts Some Respect On ICEMAN

During a 2025 interview with Complex, LeBron opened up about the status of their relationship. Without diving into specifics, he made it clear that he holds no negative feelings toward the Toronto star.

“Always wish him the best. Obviously, different places right now. He's doing his thing. I'm doing mine. But, it's always love for sure," he said.

Drake clearly doesn’t feel the same way, though. On “Make Them Remember,” Drake took a few shots at LeBron, most notably rapping, “Stop asking what’s going on between 23 and me/ I’m a real n***a and he’s not, it’s in my DNA.” He also makes a more pointed reference to LeBron’s appearance at The Pop-Out, rapping, “I shouldn’t even be shocked to see you in that arena/ Because you always made your career off of switchin’ teams up.” 

Then, he pulled up to one of his NOCTA events with a shirt that read, “The Only LeBron I Rate Is Juan.” 

About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.

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