Drake is trying to start another beef with a Compton native. We’ll see if this one goes better.
The multi-platinum rapper made an appearance on a Toronto Raptors broadcast on Saturday, which was a special game thanks to Vince Carter’s jersey retirement. Drake went out of his way to attack former Raptors All-Star DeMar DeRozan.
“If you ever put up a DeRozan banner, I’m going to go over there and take it down myself,” Drake said. He also called DeRozan a “fool” in another conversation.
DeRozan played the first nine seasons of his NBA career with the Raptors and remains the franchise’s all-time leading scorer. He was traded for Kawhi Leonard in 2018, a move that saddened some fans but proved crucial to the 2019 NBA championship that followed.
Now a member of the Sacramento Kings, DeRozan was asked about the comment after the game and drew laughter by noting, “He’s going to have a long way to go to take it down.”
DeMar DeRozan on his reaction when Drake said he would take down his shirt sign if it went up:
“He will have a long way to climb to bring it down.” pic.twitter.com/jaUcjtG4lV
– Libaan Osman (@libaanstar1) November 3, 2024
The story here is that DeRozan used to have a friendship with Drake when he was on his favorite NBA team and then, well, Kendrick Lamar happened.
One of the most followed feuds in rap history ended with a near-unanimous victory for Lamar, who managed to turn a song that directly accused Drake and his crew of being pedophiles, “Not Like Us,” into a number one hit that is He still gets play, especially in Los Angeles.
DeRozan played a role in that production, first in the lyrics with Lamar saying, “I’m glad DeRoz came home, you guys didn’t deserve it either.” DeRozan, who once said that Drake “always have a friend in (him),” appeared in the song’s music video and on stage at Lamar’s “Pop Out” concert in June, alongside Russell Westbrook. LeBron James and James Harden were also present.
DeRozan then he said she still loved Drake, but the feeling apparently isn’t mutual.