Drake’s Curse Could Spill Over Into NCAA Amid March Madness Uptick

Drake could be on the verge of extending his fabled curse and internally affecting the outcome of the NCAA’s March Madness.

In case you missed it, Drake spent time with Houston University’s Men’s basketball team on Selection Sunday to help them celebrate their No. 1 overall seed in the South Region of the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Commemorating the event, the team captain, Jamal Shead, even presented Drake with his own custom jersey.

Tilman J. Feritta, the chairman at the university and owner of the Houston Rockets, invited Drake to the school to celebrate with the players. And based on Feritta’s comments on Drake’s visit coupled with Houston’s loss to Iowa State University (ISU) the day prior during the Big 12 Championship, he’s either completely oblivious to the curse or unbothered by it.

“We always want to welcome a guy who calls Houston his second home,” Feritta said. “He really wants to be a part of the community. Huge sports fan, he can play a little b-ball too.”

Houston will take on the Longwood University Lancers in their first-round matchup, where they will look to rally a win following the 69-40 loss to ISU. As if overcoming a loss of that magnitude isn’t enough, now it appears Houston will also have to overcome Drake’s now negative sports betting differential as well. Following Anthony Joshua’s literal knockout performance against Drake’s favored heavyweight Francis Ngannou, odds aren’t looking too good for The Boy’s college team.

Check out the clip of Drake parlaying with the team below.






Naomi Sharon On The Vulnerability Of “Obsidian,” Her Purpose, Signing To Drake & 40’s Mentorship

Even though their flagship artist happens to be the most streamed artist on Earth, OVO Sound has benefited from obscurity. PartyNextDoor, Roy Woods, and even DVSN emerged from the shadows of the Toronto area, helping fortify and develop the distinctly eerie R&B sound that emerged from the city in the past decade.

Although it’s no secret that the OVO sound largely caters to women, Naomi Sharon became the first woman signed to the label. The futuristic R&B star hails from Rotterdam, Netherlands, where she got her start in theatre. However, Sharon became a breath of fresh air in R&B since the debut of singles like “Celestial” and “Another Life.”

Much like how PartyNextDoor helped expand Toronto’s R&B sound, and Roy Woods’ intrinsic ability to fuse Caribbean production into his music helped usher in a new sound of pop music, Obsidian felt like it strengthened another era in OVO’s history, one where Drake leaped out of his comfort zone to release, Honestly, Nevermind. As Naomi explains, it was more of a coincidence than a deliberate sonic in-house decision. This is largely due to the contributions that her producers, Beau Nox and Alex Lustig, had on Honestly, Nevermind.

Like Sharon, Nox and Lustig are both European with fundamental understandings of the electronic genre overseas. However, their expertise ultimately helped Naomi Sharon create a body of work that feels timeless. Obsidian strikes deep emotional resonance through her heavenly vocals and trance-like production choices. A primary influence was the sounds that shaped her growing up. Her father was a DJ who spun plenty of deep house. At the same time, her household was filled with plenty of jazz and global sounds, which formed her foundation. These sounds evoke a warm sensation of nostalgia, a delicate emotion she describes as equally complicated and beautiful.

I grew up listening to Sting, a lot of jazz, and a lot of world music, so I try to put everything that I have from that era of my life into my music because it gives me this nostalgic feeling which is very important for me when I make music,” Naomi Sharon told HotNewHipHop in February. “Because whenever I listen to music from back then, it does a lot for me. And where nowadays, we have a lot of songs that kind of sound the same. No disrespect, but I think that people hold this like formula, and they want to make music with that only in mind, you know, instead of really creating something. You can craft something and you can create something and I love to create something.”

As Sharon prepares to kick off the 7-city Obsidian Live tour, we caught up with the OVO songstress to dive into her latest project, spirituality, 40’s mentorship, and why she chose to perform in smaller venues on her first-ever headlining tour. 

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

HotNewHipHop: What about the production on Obsidian made you open up emotionally in such a way? The songwriting and vocals are very intimate yet the production itself is very inviting.

Naomi Sharon: I think, you know, whenever I make songs I create it for people that hold that space as well. You know, like a vulnerable, safe setting where we can talk about life. And so the people that were on the production, they’re my friends, and they know what I like, I know what they like, and we have our own kind of like world or something. We tried to make something timeless, minimalistic. And I think that by doing that, you have a lot of room for vocals and all these important things. I mean, at least to me to build on, and, you know, to create.

How does having that group of trusted collaborators around you help you strike a balance between indulging in this safe space you created emotionally and delivering songs that feel a bit more danceable?

Like I said, when you have a safe space, you feel way more comfortable [sharing] things about your life. And, of course, when you know these people already, it’s easier to just talk about anything in general. I think that we did a really good job at making timeless music. I just hope that this music reaches a lot of people of every age. It’s beautiful when that happens. Also, the more danceable songs were all kind of inspired by the early 2000s and things that I grew up with. And yeah, they hold so much nostalgia.

Read More: Naomi Sharon Is Madly In Love On “Nothing Sweeter”

Can you describe some of those sounds you grew up with? Popular music in Europe is obviously different than in the States but the European vibes are prevalent across this album. 

Yeah, I mean, my dad has always DJ’d and he loves house and deep house and whatever. And I think yeah, it’s such a European vibe, as well, and we really grew up with that. And we have some amazing DJs from the Netherlands, as well, so it’s not that hard to, you know, create something in that world. So we took some inspiration from that and also, [the duo] Everything But The Girl. They have some really crazy tunes that inspired us sound-wise, but then also like, just the aesthetics that it gives off. I grew up listening to Sting, a lot of jazz, and a lot of world music, so I try to put everything that I have from that era of my life into my music because it gives me this nostalgic feeling which is very important for me when I make music.

I think nostalgia is complicated but it’s also very beautiful, almost, like, emotion, you know? And I think that if I evoke that in people whenever I make these types of songs, it’s something that makes me really happy. Because whenever I listen to music from back then, it does a lot for me. And where nowadays, we have a lot of songs that kind of sound the same. No disrespect, but I think that people hold this like formula, and they want to make music with that only in mind, you know, instead of really creating something. You can craft something and you can create something. And I love to create something.

Naomi Sharon via Brandon Bowen

There’s clearly a spiritual aspect to your artistry. From your perspective, how does the songwriting process allow you to unlock and discover parts of yourself and your spirituality?

I mean, it’s kind of like his shadow work. You know, like, whenever I write something, it’s like, it always comes out or it’s like something that I can resonate with. And like, a different period of time in my life. And whatever I’m writing is very truthful. It’s like something that I am going through at that time, or, you know, like, it’s a diary for me, really. And I think it’s important, because whenever I want to tell a story, because I think that making a movie or making music or whatever, we all tell a certain story, right? And I think it’s important that it’s truthful, and that maybe my audience can resonate with it.

Does it get emotionally difficult during that process at all?

I don’t want to say emotionally difficult. I think it’s just part of life to talk about these things. And I think it’s really important to me to talk about whatever I’m going through, and I can do that with my friends or my family, or I can do that on paper, you know? And create something with a melody and give it something special. 

But of course, it’s not the easiest thing when you’re going through a difficult time in your life and you have to write about these things. I would say, maybe, challenging to keep it also positive and lighthearted. And I think with Obsidian, I didn’t want it to be an album with with with [heartbreak as its theme]. I think that whenever you have a heartbreak or you’re going through a difficult time, there’s always a bright side to it or something that you can learn from. 

Was there any particular song that kind of felt like a breakthrough, whether emotionally or musically?

I feel like “Another Life” was a very special one. When we made that in a studio, I remember I was very happy with it. We were playing the song and we were just sitting on a couch listening to it and it got to us. And yeah, there are some other songs, as well. Like for instance, a very vulnerable one is “Regardless.” Like I said,  you know, every song I tried to put my all into it and like, give it a truthful story. So every song has something that can touch me but the songs in particular, I guess. And “Myrrh” as well “Myrrh” is a raw one, as well.

What was the process like recording “Myrrh”?

It was the first song actually that we made for this album. And I was not in a very happy place and I was just sitting with my producer Beau Nox. He writes, as well, and he comes up with this chorus. And immediately, I fell in love with it. And I don’t know, it touches me so deep, that I was like, this is incredible. This is so beautiful. It’s such a spiritual song to me. Right away, I was caught in it and we wrapped it up in like such a short amount of time that day. Whenever that happens, it kind of shows me that it had to be done like that. You know, it was meant to be.

You’ve mentioned how the album’s title is a reference to the obsidian necklace you wore that you felt getting heavier each day. Does the necklace still carry the same weight these days?

I haven’t worn that necklace in a while but I do have an obsidian next to my bed so, I don’t feel like it’s the same energy. I think that back then, I was in a very different place. And right now, I really embrace all these things from life, even when it’s getting darker or whatever, where maybe back then, I was walking away from it. I mean, I’m always very confrontational but I think I am more now than ever. So I think that the obsidian stands for that, as well. You confront your trauma with it. I mean, it’s also a protective stone, but you know, the meaning behind it, it’s going deeper and having this introspective moment with yourself where you can find all these blind spots or whatever. And I feel way more comfortable doing that now.

Read More: Drake “Honestly, Nevermind” Review

In the press release for “Nothing Sweeter,” you describe the record as “a vulnerable song that captures the fragility of falling in love. There’s an indescribable magic in the first kiss with the one you love. Regardless of what follows, that initial kiss remains unmatched and unforgettable.” What’s the importance of living in the moment during the creative process? You know, a lot of people exist with heartbreak for so long that it makes them jaded.

You can feel it in your body when you don’t move on. It’s like, you know, you’re keeping yourself hostage, it’s so important to free yourself from that negativity. It’s not that I’m saying negativity is not a part of life, or it shouldn’t be. Because it is. It’s yin and yang. It’s so important to just realize that everything comes to an end, and also, all these feelings and whatever you have. I wanted to just break free from that and live my life instead of looking back at everything and [feeling] sorry for myself. And there’s so much to enjoy in life, you know? So that keeps me really in the moment and present. 

What I just described about shadow work that I mentioned is – it’s so important that if I can look back at it and be like, “Hey, you survived that.” I think it’s important for me to send that same message to other people who go through the same thing. I think it’s a very beautiful thing if you can inspire people to look a little bit deeper into themselves and, you know, break their patterns for themselves.

You can only do that by analyzing what’s going on in your life and analyzing what the situation is and then you know, to figure out how to break the patterns that you have in life and that are holding you hostage because it’s such a waste of your time, you know? Like, of course, you can be sad or mad or whatever but it’s such a waste of your time to be mad for 30 years or something. People hold grudges all the time. So if I can, if I can do that for myself, I hope that I can do that for someone else as well.

GUESS JEANS Presents

FLORENCE, ITALY – JANUARY 09: Naomi Sharon attends the GUESS JEANS “The Next 40 Years Of Denim” launch dinner at Teatro Del Maggio on January 09, 2024 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images for GUESS JEANS)

On that note, what do you think your purpose in life is beyond releasing music?

Making music, to me, is what I need to do for myself because it heals me.  And I think if you’re coming from a healed place, you can do that for others as well. Or, I mean, inspire them, right? Of course, there’s much more than a career. I really believe in a spiritual life or if you want to call it a spiritual career, maybe. But for me, music is spiritual. For me, music is everything that gets me through the day.  

I don’t want to sound – it’s not a cliche or something. I really try to explain why it’s so important because it’s also frequency. It’s so much more than just the things that we put out. Okay, that’s nice, a music video, we look at it. Okay, on to the next one. Or the formulas that I was talking about. People want to make hits. Okay but with these hits, is it another tune that we don’t need to think about and it’s just like a nice melody, and that’s it? Or is it something with a message? And is it something that I can give to people to think about? I don’t want to call it, like, my job but I think it’s something that I need to do in this life. 

I think we have our own responsibilities as well. I’m not a guru, I’m not an activist, I’m not all these things. I’m just me, I’m Naomi, and I sing and I make music and if it resonates and if it heals people, I think that’s a wonderful thing. It’s not something that I need to force. It’s something that happens naturally because it’s meant to be.

Obsidian, in my opinion, sounds like a sonic extension of Honestly, Nevermind in a few ways. I was just curious whether you had any involvement in Drake’s album.

Well, no, but my producers had. They were working for me. And then Drake was listening to the album and he was impressed by Beau Nox, who’s one of the producers, and Alex Lustig. They’re both from Europe as well, you know, they really understand that type of music. And Drake already had like a beautiful, beautiful body of work. But he wanted to have some special things on it with the other people who helped create this album for Drake as well. Alex and Beau really contributed their thing on it, for sure.

Ah, that’s interesting. I thought there may have been an overlap between when both projects were recorded. 

I mean, Obsidian was made, like, two years ago, two and a half years ago. At the same time, he was making his album but it was already kind of finished. He already had like a skeleton of it. I was starting at the time but at the end of my album, that was the time that I listened to his album because we exchanged that while sitting in the room with each other in the studio with 40. But it was like, my album was already kind of done so we were both like presenting each other a raw body of work.

How’s the chemistry like with 40 in the studio? As much as Drake helped introduce you to the masses, 40’s been the mastermind behind the sound at OVO.

40 is amazing, just want to point that out. He is such a beautiful human being, who is also a genius musically, but also in life, in general. He has such an interesting persona or has such an interesting character. And he is open to a lot of things, you know like he doesn’t really push me into a direction. It’s just like, “Hey, look at this,” or “Maybe, you want to look at that.” And I’m open to that. 

We always have these beautiful conversations about music and what it does. You know, he is definitely a mentor to me. And I’m very glad that he’s part of my world as well because he did so many amazing things. And of course, also for Drake, he had played a big role in his life to get them where they are right now.

Read More: Drake & OVO 40’s 7 Best Collabs

You’re heading back to Toronto during this tour – one of a few select dates. Since you recorded a lot of the album in Toronto, I wanted to know about your first time in the city and how you’re feeling about returning.

Yeah, I mean, I made the album in Toronto so it really is a special place for me. I was there for two months back then, and I love Toronto. It really reminds me of my own city but like on a bigger scale. I think it’s way bigger and whatever, but really reminds me of the city that I come from, Rotterdam in the Netherlands. And I’m so excited. I feel like people over there, the love that I’m receiving from them, and the support is so beautiful. So it really feels like a warm bath, you know, to come there and to play my album for them. I’m really looking forward to it. 

Ottolinger : Photocall - Paris Fashion Week - Womenswear Fall/Winter 2024-2025

PARIS, FRANCE – MARCH 03: Naomi Sharon attends the Ottolinger Womenswear Fall/Winter 2024-2025 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on March 03, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Francois Durand/Getty Images)

I’m looking forward to seeing how your aesthetic with this album translates to the live performance. What colors would you use to describe this album or tour in its totality?

Hmm, I would definitely say black, although it’s not a color. You know, it’s just the stone obsidian and even the latex dresses that I’m wearing right now. To me, when I had that idea in mind, I was like, yeah, I want to have something that resembles the stone. And on stage, latex it’s like a glass stone. It’s obsidian for me. 

Black is a really important color, tint, whatever you want to call it. I think overall, I’m just like a very simple girl, kind of blues and grays. And you know, like, yeah, watery. I’m in a watery team, as always, because it’s my element. No surprise. I think the other day, I saw a comment. Someone commented, “Are you ever going to change your aesthetic to a warmer tone?” And I was like, “No, no, no.”

With this tour, you’re hitting much smaller venues that I think have a capacity of about 150-200. Why did it feel important to hit more intimate settings during your first run?

Because, you know, it’s my first run. Of course, I have some amazing fans, but you never know. You want to take it step by step, at least I want to do that. I just want to take it step by step, and see where we’re going. Of course, I can go to a larger venue but I can say that right now because everything was sold out. I didn’t know that that was going to happen, to be honest with you. It’s beautiful. I’m very lucky that it happened, and now we know that in the future, we can go to a larger venue and do more dates.

I think it’s really important to just take it step by step and see what you can do and know where you’re at. It’s a good thing. It’s not a big tour, it’s like a mini tour and it’s perfect right now. And, also, it’s good to see that people get greedy for the tickets as well *laughs*. You know, it’s a good thing. I’m like, “Oh, it’s in high demand.” It’s beautiful, it’s perfect.

I think it’s dope, especially for where you’re at right now in your career. Once you hit the bigger venues, I think the people who see you now will be so much more grateful for being able to see you play these more intimate spots. Like, I remember seeing Drake 12-13 years ago performing a daytime slot at a festival, and look at him now, you know?

That’s beautiful. Also, you know, in a few years still – I mean, I hope that I’m bigger than I am now. But like, it’s still, for me, so important to have these intimate moments because then you can connect. I don’t think you can really connect with people in a stadium. It’s beautiful but it’s more like – when people are in your face, and you can see their eyes and their smiles or their tears or whatever is going on, that really elevates me as an artist. That really brings my performance to a higher level. So I think aside from being big, or whatever I’m going to be in a few years, I think it’s still something that I would do occasionally to just have that connection because it’s so important to me.

Drake Gifts Pregnant Fan $25K After She Asks Rapper To Be Her “Rich Baby Daddy” 

Drake responded to a pregnant fan’s request to be her “rich baby daddy” after spotting her in the crowd at one of his recent shows. 

The OVO founder has made a habit of blessing his fans with generous gifts during his It’s All A Blur — Big As The What? tour, and it was no different when he spotted a fan holding a sign referencing his For All The Dogs collab with Sexyy Red and SZA. 

“She’s got a sign that says, ‘I’m five months pregnant, can you be my rich baby daddy?’” Drake said, addressing the crowd. “I don’t want to offend your real baby daddy, but I would love to.” 

However, before continuing, Drake shared his concerns for the expectant mother’s safety.  

“First of all, get you out of the pit so we can put you somewhere safe like the V.I.P. or some s###. Because you can’t be pregnant and bouncing around,” Drake told the fan. “When I start playing some of these slappers, we can’t have you getting pushed around. Second of all, I’d love to give you $25,000 so you can be a rich baby mama.” 

Meanwhile, over the weekend, Sexyy Red faced backlash over her Rolling Loud performance of Drake’s “Rich Baby Daddy.” Clips of her set went viral, with fans roasting her noticeably off-key performance.  

“Y’all, [laughing my a## off],” she wrote on Instagram, reacting to the chatter. “I was sick with a fever and couldn’t breathe when I recorded this. I told [Drake] that no one would understand me, and I sounded crazy. He said, ‘No, you’re fine.’ Anyway, here’s the lyrics to [‘Rich Baby Daddy’] once and for all.” 






Drake Gifts Pregnant Fan $25,000 & An Invite Into The VIP Section

Drake has made it a habit to help out his fans in need during his ongoing It’s All A Blur Tour — Big As The What? tour. On the latest stop, the Toronto rapper offered to gift a pregnant fan $25,000 and even had security escort them out of the pit and into the V.I.P. section. She had been holding up a sign referencing his song, “Rich Baby Daddy.”

“She’s got a sign that says, ‘I’m five months pregnant, can you be my rich baby daddy.’ Well, first of all, I don’t want to offend your real baby daddy, but I would love to, first of all, get you out of the pit so we could put you somewhere safe like the V.I.P. or some sh*t. Because you can’t be pregnant and bouncing around,” Drake said. “When I start playing something, we can’t have you getting pushed around. Second of all, I’d love to give you $25,000.”

Read More: Drake Offers To Pay For Fan’s Surgery During Concert

Drake Attends Cavaliers-Rockets Game In Houston

HOUSTON, TEXAS – MARCH 16: Rapper, songwriter, and icon Drake attends a game between the Houston. Rockets and the Cleveland Cavaliers at Toyota Center on March 16, 2024, in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

During a previous stop on the tour, Drake teased that he’s getting back in the studio and working on new music. “You know, I said I was taking a break and all that sh*t, but I’m right back on the road again,” he told the crowd at one show. “It’s hard for me to stay away from y’all — I really do love you. You never know. I might get bored and start making some new music on the road, see where it goes in the next little while.” He had previously told fans he’d be taking a lengthy break after the release of For All The Dogs. He’s since teamed up with 4batz for a remix to “act ii: date @ 8.”

Drake Offers To Help Pregnant Fan

Drake has been performing with J. Cole and Lil Durk on the It’s All A Blur Tour — Big As The What? tour. Be on the lookout for further updates on Drake on HotNewHipHop.

Read More: Drake “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” 9th Anniversary: Revisit The Classic “Know Yourself”

[Via]

Sexyy Red Reacts To Backlash Over Horrendous Performance Of Drake’s “Rich Baby Daddy”

Sexyy Red was among the many artists who performed at Rolling Loud California over the weekend. But one particular moment from her set has Twitter abuzz. On Saturday (March 16), a clip of the Open Shift/gamma. rapper singing SZA’s verse on Drake’s For All the Dogs single “Rich Baby Daddy” went viral. Noticeably off-key, Sexyy Red did her best to sing, but it didn’t quite land. As a result, people ripped her to shreds on social media, pointing out the music industry will make “anyone” famous these days.

The St. Louis native ultimately reacted to the chatter, writing on Instagram, “Y’all, [laughing my a## off]. I was sick with a fever and couldn’t breathe when I recorded this. I told [Drake] that no one would understand me, and I sounded crazy. He said, ‘No, you’re fine.’ Anyway, here’s the lyrics to [‘Rich Baby Daddy’] once and for all.”

Sexyy Red is likely easily ignoring the criticism now that her latest single, “Get It Sexyy,” is crushing it on streaming platforms. The song managed to dethrone Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s “CARNIVAL” hit from the No. 1 spot on Apple Music’s Top Songs chart, bumping the duo to No. 2.

Produced by Tay Keith and Jake Fridkis, “Get It Sexyy” marks her biggest single debut on both Apple Music and Spotify. Drake previously plugged the track via Instagram on Friday (3/15), writing the “GOAT just dropped.” He also gifted her with four Chanel bags around the same time she gave birth to her second child.







Did Latto Confirm Drake’s Relationship With Her Sister? Some Fans Think So

Turns out that the rumors around Drake dating Latto’s sister Brooklyn Nikole might have more weight than anticipated. Moreover, fans arrived at this conclusion after the 777 artist reposted one of Drizzy’s latest Instagram snaps, in which he took a photo of a bottle of water with a “Clayco” label. This is notable for them because, according to speculation, the Toronto superstar raps about Nikole on his remix of 4batz’s “act ii: date @ 8” with the line: “What kind of water they serving in Clayco?” Clayco, short for Clayton County, Georgia, is where Brooklyn and her sister are from, and a lot of people saw this repost as confirmation of their fling.

However, a lot of people rightfully pointed out that Latto doesn’t need any other reason to shout out Drake, because she’s shouting out his reference to her hometown. No relationships needed to show someone love for showing their home city some love. Regardless, people immediately started comparing this alleged romance to Jalen Green and Draya Michele, and it seems like this is a rumor mill that will not close anytime soon. After all, there are still so many alleged relationships and flings around our favorite MCs that should’ve been fully debunked years ago.

Read More: Latto’s Slim Thick Bikini Bod Looks Ready For Another Hot Girl Summer

Latto & Drake’s IG Activity Leads Brooklyn Nikole Rumors To Go Wild

Not only that, but all these rumors also got folks speculating on whether Drake and Latto will team up for a collab. It seems a bit unlikely, considering the latter’s animosity towards the former’s Young Money partner in crime, Nicki Minaj. Still, the 6ix God brought Cardi B out for a show once, so who’s to say he has to play by expected beef rules? Either way, they’re on good enough terms for the Gram, so we guess that anything’s possible in the near future.

Meanwhile, the “Sunday Service” spitter is all but confirmed to be in a relationship with 21 Savage. You see what we meant about certain “couples” just being mostly rumors? Well, while they’ve never outright confirmed that they were together, it’s just a narrative truth that social media tends to follow. In any case, we wish all these folks the best in their romantic lives. For more news on Drake, Latto, and Brooklyn Nikole, stick around on HNHH.

Read More: Drake Allegedly Slid In A Models DMs And Compared Her To Tea

Drake Stays Sliding Into Fans’ DMs – Who’s Next?

Drake has established himself as many things over the course of his career, including a connoisseur of the Instagram DM.

Who Has Drake Messaged?

Drizzy has relied on the IG chat to eviscerate his critics, call out his enemies and, most notably, chase girls—albeit with mixed results. Drake was most recently put on blast by a few fans for his slick behavior. On March 9, a fan who goes by @trillary_banks_ on X, formerly known as Twitter, screenshotted an alleged DM she received from The Boy.

“DRAAAAAAKE?” the fan captioned the screenshot, which read: “Was it you I recognized tonight?”

Fans then questioned why she would post a screenshot of the exchange and not just keep it to herself.

“For what who cares,” the woman responded. “It’s funny and I’m not accepting the request ever.”

A few days later, another fan who goes by @Jazzalinyyy on X noticed a similar behavior in her DM’s. This time around Drake compared his supporter to tea.

“Your body is absolute tea,” Drake appeared to write.

The same instance happened with this fan as well, in which people began trolling her for not accepting Drizzy’s advance.

“All yall saying I fumbled need to stfu he would’ve flew me out f**ked me then Nvr talked to me again DO YALL NOT KNOW DRAKE ?!?” she responded.

Read More: Bobbi Althoff Removed From Drake’s SXSW Party – Report

Drake’s History of Sliding Into DM’s

These are merely the most recent examples of Drake’s flattery. In 2015, Drake’s DM game was put on full blast in what may have been the first time publicly after adult film star Mia Khalifa revealed the 6 God had been sending unsolicited messages to her IG.

“It was flattering, but his intentions were obviously clear,” Khalifa told CBS Miami at the time. “It was so cringeworthy. The whole thing was cringeworthy.”

When the interviewer joked that Drizzy would likely be the type to send a shirtless photo of himself, Khalifa confirmed the description was “halfway there.”

It’s unclear if Drake’s DMing frequency has increased in recent years, but from 2022 on, it’s felt like more and more women have exposed the 6 God’s antics on social media. In 2022 Drake weaponized his direct message and took aim at a troll’s wife after he randomly clowned Drizzy over ghostwriting allegations on Instagram.

“I’m here for u ma,” Drake wrote in the woman’s DM. He then replied to the troll directly, saying, “I just followed your girl cause she’s prob miserable and needs some excitement in her life.”

By 2023, it was back to business as usual. Drake messaged Switzerland soccer star Alisha Lehman asking for a jersey in October of that year, followed by reality TV star Chanel Everett in December. Drizzy’s DM actually sparked a dispute between Everett and her ex-husband Pedro Jimeno in an episode of The Family Everett.

“I heard the rumor that Drake slipped into Chantel’s DM,” Pedro taunted in the episode. “Go with Drake, the famous rapper, you know? Go with him.”

Then in April of 2023, NCAA Women’s Basketball star Angel Reese admitted to The Breakfast Club that both Drizzy and Future slid into her DMs after she led the LSU Tigers to their first national championship. However, Reese claimed it was “all congratulations.”

Then in August of 2023, Drake slid into the DMs of Veronica Correia, the fan who went viral after throwing her 36G bra on stage during the rapper’s show in Brooklyn and catching his attention last year.

“He slid up on a [Instagram] Story and laughed at one, simply sent a laughing face,” Correia told the Club Ambition podcast after the viral moment. “And I took a day or two to respond because I just didn’t know what to say. So I just liked it, and then I left him for like a day. Then I wrote out this paragraph, basically thanking him for the experience, an awesome show, and then I told him I own the coffee shop in Cumberland and asked if he liked coffee and how he likes it.”

She continued by saying he laughed at the idea of her making a coffee for him.

“So, I said, ‘Oh, do you think I’m funny?” Correia added. “And he said, ‘I think you’re really sought-after right now.'”

As shown by all of the above, it doesn’t seem like Drake will be moving away from the DM slide anytime soon.

Read More: Kanye West, Drake’s Feud Continues to Get More Confusing

See Drake’s Best TV Show References

Don’t watch him, watch TV.

Drake Really Is “Mr. Steal Your Girl” Says Social Media Comedian

Drake really is on demon time when it comes to being the center of attention around his associates and their female friends, according to social media comedian BenDaDon.

During a recent appearance on Lil Yachty’s A Safe Place podcast, BeDaDon broke down the embarrassing and somewhat predictable origins of he and Drake’s now infamous skit. In case you missed it, BenDaDon and Drake delivered a skit last year in which Drake successfully stole a woman the comedian appeared to be entertaining on a date after bumping into the pair “randomly” at the bar.

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However, BenDaDon appeared to review the chances of bumping into Drake randomly as random as one would think considering he’s apparently notorious for pulling the same type of stunt with the guys.

“That literally happened because he does that,” BenDaDon said in part.

He continued, remarking on the specific occurrence which inspired the skit in his statement. “I think that we was in D.C. one day. And I was just talking to a girl. And then when I seen the n###a [Drake] come I was like, ‘Ohh s##t,’ and then you try to square your body up away from him or something. Because it’s a bunch of people in here that want to talk to you but right now I’m busy, bruh. This ain’t the time I’m trying to talk to you.”

BenDaDon went on to say that he sometimes feels the need to tell Drake to “back the f##k up,” especially when he’s coming on strong, which he says Drake often jokes about being a light flex.

Check out the original skit above.






Bobbi Althoff Removed From Drake’s SXSW Party – Report

Word on road is podcaster Bobbi Althoff was removed from Drake‘s SXSW party after she tried to casually stroll into the venue amid their alleged friction.

Bobbi Althoff Escorted Out of Drake Party

On Monday (March 11), Drake hosted, in name only, a party at Mayfair nightclub in Austin, Texas during SXSW following the premiere of the documentary Magic City: An American Fantasy, which Drake’s DreamCrew Entertainment co-executive produced. According to a report by Daily Mail, published on Tuesday (March 12), podcaster and speculated industry plant Bobbi Althoff tried to casually stroll into the soiree but was reportedly removed by security.

A source tells Daily Mail, “I have no idea how she got in because she was not invited by organizers or hosts of the event. If you look up the past history between her and Drake, it’s easy to see why she wasn’t invited—and why she was removed as soon as possible.”

Read More: 36 Feuds Involving Rappers Going at Non-Rappers

Tension Between Drake and Bobbi Althoff?

Last July, Drake appeared on Bobbi Althoff’s podcast in a cringy interview that went viral online. Afterward, rumors began to circulate that there was friction between them after Drake unfollowed Bobbi on Instagram shortly after their interview. Back in January, Bobbi addressed the rumored issues with Drake on the Baby, This Is Keke Palmer podcast.

XXL has reached out to Drake’s team for comment.

Read More: Kanye West and Drake’s Confusing Feud Continues to Get More Confusing

See the Artists Drake Has Helped With His Midas Touch

Kanye West, Drake’s Feud Continues to Get More Confusing

Kanye West and Drake are undoubtedly two of the biggest acts in hip-hop history. But their relationship and beef is complicated and confusing, to say the least. The former friends, now frienemies, have seemingly been at odds for the last few years, but there have also been signs that they’ve made amends. It’s become a strange cycle. With Ye recently saying “F**k Drake” in a vitriolic Instagram caption, the question remains: Is this really beef or more along the lines of Impossible Whopper?

In the beginning it was all love. Drake was rapping over several Ye beats on projects early in his career. In 2009, Drake told MTV News that Ye was his biggest musical influence. “Kanye West shaped a lot of what I do, as far as music goes,” young Aubrey revealed. “Before I met him, I had the utmost respect for Kanye West. I’d even go as far as to say he’s the most influential person as far as a musician that I’d ever had in my life.”

They would grow closer in the coming months. Ye directed Drake’s “Best I Ever Had” video that same year, and they both appeared on Jamie Foxx’s “Digital Girl” single that summer. Ye would also appear on Drake’s single “Forever” along with Eminem and Lil Wayne, and coproduced Drake’s 2009 single “Find Your Love,” which appeared on Drizzy’s debut album, Thank Me Later, in 2010.

Watch Drake’s “Best I Ever Had” Video”

What Was the First Sign Kanye West and Drake Had Beef?

The first sign there were issues between the two happened in January of 2011, when Drake appeared on British DJ Tim Westwood’s radio show for an interview and seemed to take a jab at Ye and Jay-Z’s then-upcoming joint album, Watch the Thronewhile talking about his own potential collab project with Lil Wayne.

“I heard some other guys are coming out with an album, too,” he said. “There’s two other rappers that are coming out with an album together. I don’t know where they got that idea.”

That December, Drake appeared to take another swipe at Kanye on DJ Khaled’s “I’m on One” on which he raps, “I’m just feeling like the throne is for the taking/Watch me take it.”

Read More: Jay-Z and Kanye West Drop ‘Watch the Throne’ Album: Today in Hip-Hop

Watch Drake’s Interview With Tim Westwood

Things Between Drake and Ye Looked Good to the Public

However, things appeared to be kosher at least in the public eye. In the summer of 2013, Ye was a surprise guest at Drake’s OVO Festival. During his performance, he gave Drake props for putting pressure on himself and Hov. Drake later talked about the competition respect he has for Ye.

But it wasn’t long before the cycle of praise and shade would rear its head again. In February of 2014, Drake called out Ye for lackluster bars on the Yeezus album during an interview with Rolling Stone. Drizzy concluded by saying he loved “everything about that guy.” Ye didn’t take the negative bait and told the crowd during a concert in New Jersey, “Tonight, it ain’t none of that. We love Drake.”

The following year, Ye teased a joint album with Drake during an interview on The Breakfast Club and again performed at OVO Fest. Besides Drake boasting about having a bigger pool than Ye did on “Summer Sixteen” in 2016, there was no sign of friction. 2018, however, would be a different story.

Watch Kanye West’s Interview on The Breakfast Club

Kanye Tells Pusha T Drake Was Hiding a Son

In May of 2018, Pusha T released his Daytona album that contained the track “Infrared,” which finds Push calling out Drizzy for previous ghostwriting allegations. Drake returned fire on “Duppy Freestyle” before Pusha dropped the bombshell “The Story of Adidon,” on whixh Push revealed Drake was hiding a son. Drake later admitted he believes Ye told Pusha the secret info after confiding in Ye about the news he had a son. The dynamics of Ye and Drake’s relationship would forever change.

Listen to Pusha T’s “The Story of Adidon”

From there, the curious cycle of beef and making up would continue in a series of events. Drake took a shot at Ye on French Montana’s “No Stylist” in 2018. Ye denied he leaked the information about Drake having a son to Pusha T and apologized to Drake on Twitter. A few weeks later, the Chicago rapper-producer changed course and started dissing Drake on Instagram after speculation began circulating about if Drake was referencing Ye’s then wife Kim Kardashian as “KiKi” on the hit song “In My Feelings.”

The rumor that Drake slept with Kim Kardashian was growing, and Kanye wasn’t happy about it. “People making rumors or thinking you f**king my wife and you’re not saying nothing… that don’t sit well with my spirit,” Ye wrote on Instagram.

Drake would later go on LeBron James’s YouTube talk show The Shop and admit he felt betrayed by Kanye. In December of 2018, Ye shared a screenshot of a message from an alleged Drake associate asking to clear a Ye sample for “Say What’s Real.”

“This proves s**t faker than wrestling,” Ye captioned the post. He later shared that he had talked to Drake and things appeared to be settled. Not so fast. The following day, Ye announced that if anything happened to him, Drake should be the No. 1 suspect. Like we said, it’s complicated.

Read More: Drake Appears to Diss Pusha-T on New Headie One Song “Only You Freestyle”: Listen

Kanye and Drake Squash Their Beef for Larry Hoover Event

Fast-forward to 2021. J Prince Jr. convinced Drake and Ye to squash their beef to perform together for a Free Larry Hoover Benefit concert in Chicago. The duo agreed to put their differences aside and performed at a sold-out show. Drake was even seen getting emotional while watching Ye perform “Runaway.” So, all good, right? Right?!

Not so fast. The following November, Drake dropped the 21 Savage collab album Her Loss. On the track “Circo Loco,” Drizzy appeared to address how he temporarily mended his beef with Ye to perform at the Free Larry Hoover Benefit Concert. “Linking with the opps, b***h, I did that s**t for J. Prince/B***h, I did it for the Mob Ties,” Drake raps in reference to the Rap-A-Lot founder.

2023 featured Drake using Kim Kardashian’s voice on his “Search and Rescue” track and also calling Ye’s apologies fake on the For All the Dogs: Scary Hours Edition track “Red Button.”

Ye and Drake’s Beef Continues

Unfortunately, this repetitive revolution continues. Ye recently said “F**k Drake” in an Instagram post that was meant to celebrate Ye and Ty Dolla $ign’s song “Carnival” going No. 1. In the writing, Ye dissed Adidas, Hailey Beiber and Drake. Ye blamed Drizzy for strategically taking Lil Durk on tour to allegedly spite Ye’s Vultures 1 rollout. Durk is featured on Ye’s lead single “Vultures.” Drake appeared to respond by using a hilarious 50 Cent viral video to address Ye.

While Drake and Ye’s issues aren’t of the variety that The Notorious B.I.G. spoke of on “What’s Beef,” there has definitely been plenty of static. There’s also been a lot of love, shared associates, apologies, collaborations and general good will along the way. It’s confusing to say the least. Is there beef between the two or not? Don’t count on the zany back-and-forth between Ye and Drake to stop anytime soon.

Watch the Video Drake Used to Respond to Kanye and See Ye’s Drake Diss

See Unnecessary Hip-Hop Beefs That Never Should’ve Happened

50 Cent vs. Fat, Meek Mill vs. Drake and more.