The rap showdown between Canadian legend Drake and West Coast icon Kendrick Lamar took another juicy turn as politics tried to mingle with hip hop. Our Great North rapper didn’t seem too pleased with a homegrown politician attending Kendrick’s concert; understandably, sparks flew.
The politician under the accidental spotlight was Jagmeet Singh, the ex-federal leader of the socialist-leaning New Democratic Party. He was spotted bopping to K. Dot’s jams during the Toronto leg of Kendrick’s highly anticipated Grand National Tour—the one where TDE’s bewitching SZA is co-headlining, remember?
This didn’t sit well with our ‘Take Care’ hitmaker, who probably felt slighted by Singh’s seemingly divided loyalties. After viewing some snaps and videos of Singh relishing his evening, Drake took to Insta to voice his displeasure. He did what any man of honor would do—slide into Singh’s DMs. Responding to Singh’s public enjoyment, he fired off a quick “You’re a goof.”
That’s right! Drake’s spicy call-out prompted Singh to clear the air regarding this brewing tension. Showing some class, Singh personally addressed Drizzy through an IG story confessing, “I went for SZA not Kendrick.” He took it one step further, acknowledging the enormous impact Drake has had on Toronto’s cultural scene, saying, “OVO and Drake have lifted up this city and Canada.” Singh concluded his humble message, pledging his loyalty with “For me, it’ll always be Drake over Kendrick.”
The Heat from Drake’s jibe was clearly felt in Canada, as it left the digital sphere abuzz. Fuelled with speculation, some cynics wondered if Singh was eyeing polls rather than playlists, “Did he apologize to get back in Drake’s good books, or is he just thinking about future Toronto votes?” wrote one IG user. Clearly, Singh’s political conduct did not save him from the fans’ scrutiny.
However, the reveal of Drake’s fiery DM lit up the debate even more, notably shedding light on his deep-rooted love for Canada and his dominating presence. Amidst a flood of comments, one fan boasted about the ‘God’s Plan’ rapper’s influence, “That’s POWER right there. Drake really is the king of Toronto, and the entire country of Canada while we’re at it.”
While the Canadian 6ix God continues to uphold city pride, we can’t help but wonder how this drama will shape the Drake-Kendrick saga. Keep your eyes glued to the feed, and don’t forget to drop your thoughts below.
