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Drake versus Kendrick Lamar has been a long time coming. They were the defining rappers of the 2010s, and they even featured on each other’s classic albums. Nothing was the same, however, after K. Dot put out the “Control” verse and referenced Drake by name in 2013. They have have been subliminally dissing each other ever since, which makes the sudden explosion of diss tracks and blatant call-outs so exciting. The gloves are finally off, and one of them could not be more eager to engage in full-on battle.

DJ Akademiks has become the unofficial mouthpiece for Drake throughout the Lamar feud. The online personality has broken news on his live streams and updated fans with messages from the 6 God. He continued to do so during a recent episode of his Off the Record podcast. Akademiks clarified that he doesn’t share every text exchange he has with Drake, but felt that the rapper’s comments about Lamar warranted reporting. He told the other guests on the show that Drake has been waiting for “10 years” to battle Lamar, and is hopeful his opponent rises to the challenge.

DJ Akademiks Says Drake Wants A “Showdown” Now

DJ Akademiks relayed Drake’s frustration with K. Dot and his pattern of dropping combative verses and then going away. “[Drake’s] watched the pattern,” Ak noted. “Like he specifically told me, ‘I’ve watched this guy do the same bait and switch every time. He drops like a verse that people are hyped up about. I’m always ready to engage, always ready to defend myself, and then [Lamar] goes ghost and nothing happens.” Akademiks then referenced the diss track that K. Dot has allegedly been writing for several years, and inferred that Drake’s desire to engage is what has fueled his trolling via social media posts and diss tracks.

“You can tell [Drake] wants the showdown to happen now,” Ak added. “Not for everybody to go back to their corners and reconvene another time. He wants it now.” Drake’s constant trolling could not be more different in approach to Lamar, who has been silent since he dropped the “Like That” verse. Fans have debated which approach has been more effective thus far, but a decisive winner can’t be decided until Lamar decides to come out of hiding and drop a response to Drake’s “Push Ups.”