At one point in time, Aubrey Graham—more commonly known as Drake—dominated the airwaves and streaming services. You could, and still can, hear his songs on the radio, at parties, in the gym, while shopping, and in clubs. His blend of R&B and rap is the most commercially successful in history. However, he is currently facing the most significant public backlash of his career, mainly due to the impact of Kendrick Lamar’s record-breaking diss track, Not Like Us.
The feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar had been simmering for over a decade, and even after the beef, tension and subliminals continue to be thrown at each other. But after Kendrick won the longstanding rap battle with Not Like Us, Drake has struggled to recover. His response tracks fell flat, his recent singles have failed to gain traction, and now, he’s even suing his own record label. All of this points to what could be the beginning of the end for Drake.
The Heart Part 6
The last diss track released within the beef was The Heart Part 6, Drake’s attempt to preemptively take the title from Kendrick’s The Heart series—a collection of some of Kendrick’s most significant songs. The move failed, as Kendrick still released The Heart Part 6 on his latest album, GNX.
Drake’s last diss had multiple issues. It was only uploaded to YouTube due to the sample not being cleared, and the song was criticized for being weak, lazy, and nonsensical.
Lyrics like:
“Speakin’ of anything with a child, let’s get to that now
This Epstein angle was the s*** I expected”
and
“Drake is not a name that you gon’ see on no sex offender list”
came off as rushed and shortsighted. The backlash was immense, with the YouTube video receiving 1.5 million dislikes, further cementing the perception that Drake had lost the battle.
Lack of Success with Singles
Following the beef, Drake released a string of confusing and poorly received singles. Wha Gwan Delilah—a cover of Hey There Delilah—is widely regarded as one of the worst singles of 2024. Other songs, like U My Everything, in which he was featured, were mocked by both fans and critics.
The well regarded “Drake Stimulus Package”—where his features would launch artists into mainstream success—seems to have lost its power. Collaborations that would have once been instant hits, like his two songs with Camila Cabello, flopped spectacularly.
The only semi-successful single Drake had post-beef was No Face, which peaked at #60 on the Billboard Hot 100—a shockingly low ranking for him. Even Drake himself seemed surprised by its underperformance, leading some to speculate that he suspected foul play, possibly from his own label.
The UMG Lawsuit
Maybe the biggest blow to Drake’s public perception is his lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG). Signed to UMG since 2009, Drake has been one of its most profitable artists. This lawsuit suggests two possibilities: either he has evidence of foul play at UMG, or his ego has spiraled to the point where he believes his recent struggles are the result of a conspiracy against him.
One of Drake’s claims is that UMG engaged in illegal payola tactics that were used against him during the rap beef. His lawyers argue that Kendrick’s Not Like Us falsely portrayed Drake as a predator and that UMG, knowing Kendrick was also signed to them, allowed the song to be released despite its defamatory nature.
Another argument is that UMG intentionally promoted Kendrick’s song over Drake’s to damage his brand, giving them more leverage when renegotiating his contract.
However, the lawsuit is extremely weak. As a public figure, Drake must prove actual malice from UMG, as well as tangible harm to his career. That’s a tough case to make, especially when he’s still selling out arenas—like his recent concert in Melbourne, Australia during the Super Bowl.
Looking Forward
People close to Drake have spoken about his mental state, and recent public appearances show him looking physically exhausted. It’s no surprise considering his biggest rival just accused him of being a predator, hit #1 with a diss track, won five Grammys, and had the entire country singing “A minorrrr” at the Super Bowl.
The only thing that can determine Drake’s comeback now, is the success of his next solo album. If it fails, it could be the final nail in the coffin. He currently has an album with PARTYNEXTDOOR coming out February 14th, Valentine’s Day. The success of this record will give a glimpse of the future of his career.