Kanye West

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Lore & Background

The conflict between West and Drake is rooted in early professional admiration that shifted toward competition. In 2011, Drake rapped 'watch me take it' on 'I'm on One,' referencing West's Watch the Throne album with Jay-Z. By 2016, they hinted at a joint project during OVO Fest, teasing it with a billboard reading 'Calabasas is the new Abu Dhabi.' However, plans were scrapped after West expressed disdain for radio stations playing Drake's 'For Free.' Tensions exploded in 2018 when Pusha T released 'Infrared,' produced by West, accusing Drake of ghostwriting. Drake responded on 'Duppy Freestyle' calling West a 'leech and serpent' over the departure of Virgil Abloh. The feud intensified with Pusha T's 'The Story of Adidon,' which revealed Drake's son Adonis, leading to a brief response track that James Prince stopped from release to protect families.

In Their Own Story

In May 2018, the tension peaked over a specific beat. Drake revealed he was invited to West's Wyoming sessions for Ye but left without a collaboration because West used the 'Lift Yourself' beat for himself instead of selling it for $3,000,000 as agreed. The resulting song featured nonsensical lyrics like 'Whoop-diddy-scoop-poop.' Later that year, between December 13 and 14, West tweeted accusations that Drake threatened his family regarding Travis Scott's 'Sicko Mode,' prompting Kim Kardashian to defend him. By September 2021, the rivalry reignited when Drake dissed West on Trippie Redd's 'Betrayal.' West responded by leaking Drake's Toronto address, which Drake referenced in '7AM on Bridle Path.' Despite this, they reconciled on November 8, 2021, when West posted a video with J Prince reading an apology. They appeared together outside Drake's house days later for the Free Larry Hoover Benefit Concert at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, attended by 70,000 fans.

Reader's Guide

To understand the West-Drake dynamic, track specific releases and dates. In 2015, both featured on Big Sean's 'Blessings.' In 2016, West produced for Drake's Views album while Drake wrote for West's The Life of Pablo. The 2018 escalation included West releasing 'No Mistakes' from Ye two days after Pusha T's 'The Story of Adidon.' In 2021, Donda (August 29) and Certified Lover Boy (September 3) released five days apart; CLB sold 613,000 units to Donda's 309,000. Post-reconciliation exchanges continued: on November 4, 2022, Drake referenced J Prince in 'Circo Loco,' prompting a tweet from West. On April 7, 2023, Drake used a clip of Kim Kardashian discussing her divorce in 'Search and Rescue.' By April 6, 2025, West previewed 'Heil Hitler' containing a slur against Drake, yet later gave positive remarks calling Drake 'a million times better' than Kendrick Lamar regarding the Super Bowl.

Did You Know?

• West directed the music video for Drake's 2009 debut single 'Best I Ever Had' before their feud began.
• In 2018, West kept a beat Drake wanted to buy for $3,000,000 and used it for 'Lift Yourself,' which features phrases like 'Whoop-diddy-scoop-poop'.
• Pusha T revealed in 2018 that Drake has a son named Adonis, a name later used for the scrapped Adidas collaboration 'Adidon.'
• Drake's album Certified Lover Boy sold 613,000 units in its first week, surpassing West's Donda which sold 309,000.
• Despite previewing a line calling Drake a slur in April 2025, West later described him as 'a million times more important' than Kendrick Lamar.