Drakeo the Ruler’s father has publicly accused Kendrick Lamar of adopting his son’s signature rap style without giving him the credit he deserves.
In a recent appearance on No Jumper with Adam22, the late West Coast rapper’s father expressed his lack of regard for Kendrick’s sound, but noted the seemingly glaring similarities behind Lamar’s recent tracks and his son’s music.
“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,’” the father said.
He went on to describe the similarities in striking detail, pointing to core elements of Kendrick’s delivery, particularly on his GNX album.
“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.”
He added, “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.”
Fans have also taken to social media echoing these sentiments, with some suggesting that Kendrick’s recent chart-topping GNX album reflects stylistic elements pioneered by Drakeo—particularly his off-kilter rhyme schemes, deadpan delivery, and regional slang.
Drakeo the Ruler, born Darrell Caldwell, was widely celebrated for reshaping the sound of Los Angeles street rap with his unique cadence and sharp wit.
Despite legal battles and time behind bars, he built a cult following through mixtapes like Cold Devil and Thank You for Using GTL. Tragically, his life was cut short in December 2021 after he was fatally stabbed backstage at the Once Upon a Time in LA festival. He was 28.
See Drakeo the Ruler’s father speak on Kendrick Lamar below.
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