Drake tries to start another run with a Compton resident. We’ll see if this one goes better.
The multi-platinum rapper appeared on a broadcast of the Toronto Raptors on Saturday, which was a special game thanks to Vince Carter’s retirement in the jersey. Drake went out of his way to take down former Raptors All-Star DeMar DeRozan.
“If you ever put up a DeRozan banner, I’m going to go out there and take it down myself,” Drake said. He also called DeRozan a “crazy‘ in another conversation.
DeRozan played the first nine seasons of his NBA career with the Raptors and remains the franchise’s all-time leading scorer. He was traded for Kawhi Leonard in 2018, a move that saddened some fans but proved crucial to the subsequent 2019 NBA Championship.
DeRozan, now a member of the Sacramento Kings, was asked about the comment after the game and laughed by saying, “He’s going to have to climb a long way to take him down.”
DeMar DeRozan on his reaction to Drake saying he’ll pull down his jersey banner if it goes up:
“He’s going to have to go a long way to bring him down.” pic.twitter.com/jaUcjtG4lV
— Libaan Osman (@libaanstar1) November 3, 2024
The history here is that DeRozan had a friendship with Drake when he was on his favorite NBA team and then, well, Kendrick Lamar happened.
One of the most followed songs in rap history ended up as a near-unanimous win for Lamar, who managed to turn a song that directly accused Drake and his team of being pedophiles, “Not Like Us,” into a No. 1 hit. it is still played today, especially in Los Angeles.
DeRozan played a role in that production, first in the lyrics where Lamar said, “I’m glad DeRoz came home, you guys didn’t deserve him either.” DeRozan, who once said Drake would “have a friend forever.” [him]”, subsequently appeared in the song’s music video and on stage at Lamar’s “Pop Out” concert in June, alongside Russell Westbrook. LeBron James and James Harden were also in attendance.
DeRozan later said he still had love for Drake, but the feeling is apparently not mutual.
