Drakeo the Ruler’s Dad Claims Kendrick Lamar Used Son’s Style Without Credit Because of ‘Politics’

Drakeo the Ruler‘s father is weighing in on Kendrick Lamar‘s 2024 album GNX, claiming that the Compton rapper borrowed his late son’s distinctive flow without giving credit.

In a recent appearance on No Jumper with Adam22, Drakeo’s dad described his surprise upon hearing a track on Lamar’s album and realizing it sounded strikingly like one of Drakeo’s songs. Since the release of GNX, people have been claiming Kendrick stole Drakeo’s style and lingo as his own, and now the late rapper’s dad may feel the same way.

“I’m not a big Kendrick Lamar person listening to his music, I’m really picky with music just being a musician and all that. But I heard this one song of his, and I’m like ‘Wait.’ I didn’t know if I was listening to a Drakeo song that I just didn’t hear yet. I’m like, ‘oh, this is one of my son’s songs that I haven’t heard yet,'” he said.

COMPLEX SHOP: Shop the brands you love, anytime and anywhere. Uncover what’s next. Buy. Collect. Obsess.

Drakeo, who was tragically killed in 2021 after being stabbed prior to a YG concert, was a foundational figure in the modern L.A. hip-hop scene, and on GNX Kendrick highlighted that movement by having several underground artists from the city featured on the album. Drakeo’s father noted that the rhyme patterns, syncopation, and overall style on certain GNX tracks were unmistakably similar to Drakeo’s signature sound.

According to Drakeo’s dad, Kendrick should have given credit to Drakeo despite understanding why he wouldn’t do it in the first place, as that could’ve hurt his image, given Drakeo’s lyrical content and legal issues.

“The rhyme pattern, the syncopation, all of that was the same; the flow, everything was the same. Now, as far as him giving him the props, maybe it was a politics thing,” said Drakeo’s dad. “You know what I’m saying? ‘I can’t be trying to go on that bandwagon right now with what I’m trying to do. I’m trying to make this positive movement, you know, right now with these rappers and this rap stuff. And if I, you know, shout out Drakeo, you know, and just let people know I’m using this flow, that might be bad for what I’m trying to do.’ So, I can understand it on that level, but at some point, you got to keep it real.”

Kendrick Lamar has historically paid tribute to fallen West Coast legends, such as 2Pac and Nipsey Hussle; however, fans are wondering why Drakeo hasn’t received the same public recognition from the pgLang rapper, such as at the Pop Out concert, where L.A. unity was on full display.