It goes without saying that Drake and Kendrick Lamar's viral feud made a lasting impact on hip-hop. According to DJ Akademiks, however, that may not exactly be for the best. During a recent livestream, the personality theorized that the beef may be responsible for holding the genre back.
“During the Drake vs Kendrick beef, numbers went crazy, biggest money period of my career, I’m sure it was the same for other media outlets too," he explained, as seen in a clip shared by CY Chels on X. "So media stayed stuck there that’s why they keep milking it long after it ended.”
“Hip-hop runs on storytelling, not just sound," he continued. "And when media keeps recycling one beef, it stops building new narratives, new stars, and new moments.” This isn't the first time Ak has pointed out the long-term effects of Drake and Kendrick's beef. This isn't all he's had to say about the Toronto MC in recent months, either.
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When Is Drake Dropping ICEMAN?
During an interview with VladTV posted back in October, he also claimed that Drake should avoid bringing Kendrick Lamar up on his next album, ICEMAN. Moreover, he said Drake should avoid feuding with any other rappers moving forward.
In his opinion, taking swipes at the Compton rapper directly will likely do little for his career at this point, making it both a waste of energy and a risk.
“When I mean leave him alone, we’ve got to leave the moment. There’s no more direct engaging. There ain’t no more with diss songs. It’s over,” he explained. “He’s still gotta sneak diss him. It’s gotta be the Jay-Z approach.”
“After this battle, it should be Drake’s last," he continued. "Like, why engage with rappers? In any of these situations, you have nothing to gain. Would you go on a business deal you got nothing to gain?”
“When you look at Drake’s career as a whole, why would he engage? It’s over,” Ak concluded. “He’s already solidified.” Drake's new album still doesn't have an official release date, though it's expected to drop sometime in 2026.
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