It’s been a dramatic year for rap fans—casual and diehard alike. This year, the rap world was treated to one of the most impactful and fruitful beefs in industry history: a faceoff between Canada’s Drake and LA’s Kendrick Lamar. Anyone who has followed the conflict knows that Lamar has stepped away as the de facto champion.
For now, at least. Rap beef is rarely straightforward—especially in this case when one of the parties in question is arguably more of a pop star. Toss in a bevy of input from other rappers and it’s hard to draw the line between truth and rumor, insult and insinuation. Lamar has stepped away as a cultural hero for many fans of rap… but Drake isn’t shrinking down.
Though he’s had no reply since Lamar’s Pop Out show in Los Angeles, he’s taken to social media to air out some of his grievances. Rappers and famous names who got in on the beef early have since apologized to Drake, too, including Shaq. It hints that the rap beef will be swept under the rug in good time.
But will Drake ever make a comeback to his pre-Lamar-beef levels? Is it a question of separating Drake’s tenuous rap career from his sterling pop records? Let’s take a closer look.
Identifying Drake
Few would argue that Drake isn’t entertaining or talented—most would instead argue that he’s put himself in the wrong place. In other words, Drake isn’t a rapper—and he’s definitely not from any type of gangster background. But that’s only a problem if Drake insists on presenting himself as someone he isn’t.
Enough fans are pleased with his happy-go-lucky attitude. He’s known for his music, but also his personality. Over the years, for example, he’s made a name as a bettor and gamer, showcasing some of his adventures to fans via social media. He’s a fan of games like roulette, which is available across the US and Canada via online casino platforms.
Those gaming sessions might not seem like much, but they bridge the distance between fans and Drake. He plays roulette and other games for fun, allowing his fans to see a bit more about his life and hobbies. After all, casino games are popular around the world.
Finding the Drake Lane
Drake has a more casual approach to his fans. But the overwhelming focus of Lamar’s beef with Drake has been on his image as a performer. As stated above, Drake has leaned too much on a gangster image that his personal life and history don’t follow.
But Drake has succeeded as a pop star. Alongside The Weeknd, he’s helped launch one of the most impactful rap and R&B labels in Canadian history. He’s notoriously added a ‘soft boy’ image to the world of more serious and aggressive male performers. In other words, he’s put his own spin on R&B and rap… but a decidedly pop one.
Even his fan interactions reflect this. Sticking with that casino example, Drake is known for sharing his exploits via social media. His focus is on having fun while also letting fans take a closer look at his personal life. Along with casino gaming, he’s a vocal sports fan (repping all Canadian teams), runs his own philanthropic Drake Foundation, and shows off his latest fashion finds.
So long as Drake honors his true legacy, there’s little reason for him not to continue his career as a successful performer. But that hinges on his ability to stick to pop rather than attempt to extend his reach in the rap world.
Looking at a Legacy
One of the most interesting elements of Drake’s beef with Lamar is that it’s not his first row with a rapper—and it’s not his first loss. Back in 2018, Drake’s beef with Pusha T resulted in a devastating diss track—one that revealed personal secrets about Drake’s life. For many rap fans, Drake’s credibility (and rap career) ended there.
That makes his feud with Lamar a second major loss. This, once more, instills the idea that Drake won’t be remembered as a rap star but a pop star who leaned too far into the wrong genre. Still, it doesn’t negate all the work he’s done for pop music and R&B. So, will Drake make a comeback? It looks likely, but it depends on the genre of his next releases.