Drake has returned as the “Iceman.” And the stakes couldn’t be higher.
The Canadian rapper released his ninth studio album Friday alongside two additional surprise projects, “Habibti” and “Maid of Honour.” In all, the “Hotline Bling” rapper released 43 songs.
The releases are his first since his very public feud with Kendrick Lamar.
The beef between two of hip-hop’s biggest stars erupted in the spring of 2024, with the pair trading a series of vitriolic tracks that culminated with Lamar’s release of “Not Like Us.” The hit song was a direct attack on Drake, spurring Drake’s defamation lawsuit against their shared label that was dismissed. Drake’s appeal of the dismissal is pending, but in hip-hop spaces, Lamar’s victory over Drake is undisputed.
Drake is at a crossroads. He’s still one of the most popular artists on the planet, and a successful entrepreneur with businesses spanning music, fashion, sports, online gambling and beyond. But he hasn’t had a smash single in a few years.
‘Iceman’
“Iceman” is no surprise release. Drake has been teasing it for weeks, with livestreams and themed YouTube skits. He covered his favored courtside seats at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena in ice and turned a parking lot in downtown Toronto into a massive ice block installation. Fans used blowtorches, sledgehammers and pickaxes to reveal the album’s release date.
“Iceman” includes collaborations with 21 Savage, Future and Molly Santana.
Several tracks on the album appear to address his rivalry with Kendrick Lamar, including “Make Them Cry” and “Dust.”
“What was the year you said you had slaps, cause I don’t remember it going like that, I don’t remember one word of your raps,” he says in “Dust.”
Drake also takes swipes at A$AP Rocky, Rihanna, Jay-Z, LeBron James and Playboi Carti.
Drake is getting honest about the downside of gambling. The rap superstar is known for his love of sports betting and shocked fans with a peek at his recent losses, sharing on June 18 that after wagering $125 million in one month, he’s down nearly eight figures.
‘Habibti’ and ‘Maid of Honour’
The second of the trilogy of albums released has 11 songs and features collaborations with Sexyy Red, Loe Shimmy and PARTYNEXTDOOR.
Maid of Honour contains 14 songs and collaborations with Stunna Sandy, Central Cee, Popcaan and Sexy Red.
The ninth, 10th and 11th studio albums are his first since 2023’s “For All the Dogs.”
In hip-hop, reputation is central to cultural clout
Drake’s album rollout seems to reflect the pressure of the moment.
This could be his comeback album, says Sowmya Krishnamurthy, author of “The Blueprint: Inside the Business of Roc-A-Fella Records” — and not just in terms of streams. “Reputation, culture, these are things that cannot be quantified,” she says. “Maybe he does spectacular commercially and that is great, but that doesn’t mean that the music is good or has any lasting impact.”
That’s why “Iceman” feels so pivotal. “Let’s say it doesn’t perform to certain standards. It will get harder and harder to see him as a viable artist,” she said.
“The Kendrick battle absolutely dethroned Drake. Up until then, he was considered the leader of the pack, insofar as sales and hit records,” says Sowmya Krishnamurthy, author of “The Blueprint: Inside the Business of Roc-A-Fella Records.”
Kendrick Lamar is gearing up for his Super Bowl halftime show. During the Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show press conference on Feb. 6 ahead of the big game, the rapper reflected on his recent Grammys success.
“He also just hasn’t been able to recover with a hit record. I often like to say all is forgiven with a hit,” she said.
Since the feud began, Drake has had only a few modest successes: “Nokia” and “What Did I Miss?” peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Peter A. Berry, a music journalist with work in XXL and Complex, takes it a step further: “People have beefed in rap before and people have lost public rap battles. But the loss that Drake took to Kendrick Lamar on a national and global stage is probably the biggest loss any rapper has ever taken in a big rap conflict.”
He points to “Not Like Us” taking home record and song of the year at the 2025 Grammys, a first for a rap diss track. The victory lap concluded with Lamar performing the chart-topper onstage at the Super Bowl halftime show.
Not only did Drake lose the battle, but he was struck by his own weapons: “Not Like Us” is a rap song so catchy it bordered on pop, fueled by meme-able lyrics — the kind of thing Drake has long been known for. (See: “Kiki, Do you love me?” from 2018’s “In My Feelings,” or even “YOLO” from 2011’s “The Motto.”)
And yet, he’s still one of the most popular artists of the 21st century. Just last month, Spotify named him the third-most streamed artist in the history of their platform, globally, just behind Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny.
“He remains this kind of immutable pop culture force,” says Berry, even though he hasn’t had a long-lasting, multiweek No. 1 hit since 2018’s “Nice for What,” “God’s Plan” and “In My Feelings.”
Gabe P launched On The Radar in 2018, a trending and inclusive music YouTube channel that offers music visibility to growing and established artists, including personalities like Akon, Ice Cube and Drake.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.nbcnewyork.com ’
