DeMar DeRozan has clarified his stance with Drake after appearing in Kendrick Lamar’s music video for the Canadian star’s “Not Like Us” diss song.
While the NBA star is a Los Angeles native like K.Dot, he formed a relationship with Drake in the mid-2010s when he played for the Toronto Raptors for several years. In addition, they even appeared together on the cover of Slam magazine’s “6 Gods” special issue in 2016.
However, when the athlete appeared on stage at the Compton rapper’s “Pop Out” show in Los Angeles last month, many began to question the status of their relationship. A few weeks later, he even appeared in the aforementioned video.
In a new conversation with Fox40 Sports’ Sean Cunningham released on Tuesday (July 9), DeRozan explained that while he will always love the OVO rapper, Kendrick is like family to him.
“Love Drake. We can always play him [here at the Sacramento Kings’ arena]”Kendrick has been a friend of mine — a close f*cking relative — for a long time, a while. We’re from the same city, in the same neighborhood,” he said, referring to his current team. Growing up in the neighborhood. So it was always there, not always openly, but that was basically the family.
Ask DeMar DeRozan about his performance in Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” video and whether it signals the end of playing Drake at Golden One Center. pic.twitter.com/0cRtBImfQm
— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) July 9, 2024
On July 4, Kendrick Lamar released the much-anticipated video for his chart-topping diss track “Not Like Us,” which features several Easter references aimed at his rivals Easter eggs.
Drake’s OVO logo provides ammunition for K.Dot, whose visuals feature him opening an owl-shaped piñata with a broom handle and staring menacingly at the owl locked in a cage.
Another scene shows him dancing with fiancée Whitney Alford and their two children to a song produced by Mustard, as they are dragged into a fight by Drake.
The video, which is a more subtle dig at Drizzy, was co-directed and guest-starred by Kendrick’s longtime manager Dave Free, who was accused of early In a recent feud with Kendrick (Drizzy), he may be the father of one of his pgLang partner’s children.
Following the video’s release, Drake found himself on the receiving end of even more ridicule from Kendrick Lamar fans when he showed up to Michael Rubin’s annual Fourth of July White Party in the Hamptons.
Footage from the party shows Drizzy chatting with GloRilla and even jumping on the mic to perform hits like “Sticky” and “Wants and Needs” with Lil Baby.
However, one of the photos is getting a lot of attention because it shows the 37-year-old rapper looking exactly his age while hanging out with Rubin — at least that’s what fans think.
The photo, which the billionaire host shared on Instagram, sparked a slew of jokes about Drake’s appearance, many of which referenced his recent feud with Kendrick Lamar.
“Drake has aged 20 years since eating beef,” one person joked, while another wrote: “Drake looks like he’s been through some weather.”
A third asked: “Is it me or does a friend look stressed? [crying face emoji]”.
