Jeremiah Griffith 
Over the last decade, renowned rappers Drake and Ye (formally known as Kanye West) have been at each other’s throats, engaging in social media feuds and exchanging diss tracks. Just a few months ago, in August, the two went at it, dropping their albums on the same week to outsell each other. Drake won by the way.
Recently, Ye shocked fans, releasing an Instagram video, asking Drake if he’s willing to end the beef at an event next month.
Drake has yet to accept the invitation but, while fans await Drake’s decision to decline or accept the invite, let’s take a look at the significant events of the beef over the last 12 YEARS!
Ye leaves Drake off of All Of The Lights (2010)
All the lights – Drake
Many people believe the beef started when Ye took Drake off his All Of The Lights track. When Ye did this, everyone was perplexed, including Drake. The two had previously worked together on Drake’s project Thank Me Later. Ye had produced two tracks off the album and directed the music video for Drake’s hit single “Best I Ever Had.”
Even after being confounded and disappointed, Drake still spoke highly of Ye, saying in an interview with Shade 45’s, “I can never sit here and tell you that’s not one of my idols, that’s not one of my favorite rappers.”
Drake notes his competition with Ye (2011)
Up until this point, everyone knew how much Drake admired Ye and his work. But, in an interview with The Source, Drake begins his rivalry with Ye, saying he wants to exceed his idol, insisting he wants to be better than him.
It may be a stretch to say this interview was throwing shade at Ye, but after hearing a few lines from DJ Khaled’s “I’m On One,” it became clear that he had something to get off his chest.
By the way, this verse from Drake was coincidentally around the time Ye and Jay-Z released Watch The Throne (great listen, by the way). He rapped: “I’m just feeling like the throne is for the taking/Watch me take it.”
Ye Calls Out Drake On Twitter (2018)
There would never be a drake without a Kanye west so never come out your mouth with a threat
— ye (@kanyewest) December 14, 2018
This proves shit faker than wrestling pic.twitter.com/E9wzNycJna
— ye (@kanyewest) December 13, 2018
Up until this point, tensions had already risen; Drake had dissed Ye in multiple songs and feuded with Ye’s close friend, Pusha T.
So, as many may assume, Ye would eventually respond; he took to Twitter, first tweeting a screenshot of a text message of Drake, apparently, sending him a clearance request for the track Say What’s Real (a rework of Ye’s 2009 track “Say You Will” from his 808s & Heartbreaks album).
After this tweet, he followed up with another, six hours later, “There would never be a Drake without a Kanye West, so never come out your mouth with a threat.”
That might seem like enough to end the beef all together but not for Ye; he told Drake he “Still need that apology for mentioning the 350s and trying to take food out of your idol’s kid’s mouths.” Sheesh.
Everyone saw it coming and couldn’t wait. Drake and Ye dropped their long-awaited albums in the same week, the battle of the albums. Both albums were loaded with references and disses to each other that everyone picked up upon the first listen.
On Drake’s 7 AM On Bridle Path, he rapped: “Told you I’m aimin’ straight for the head. Now they ‘Amen’ and ‘Please’ I can give a f**k about who designing your sneakers and tees. Had somebody put you on guilt, and you play with my seed.”
Ye’s track “Ok Ok” spoke on the betrayal of Drake, saying: “OK, now they got me, wanna rap again / Heal the wound, and then you stab me in my back again,” continuing, “See me in person, I look like a ghost,” a reference to “Seen ’em in person, I’m seein’ a ghost,” a line from Drake’s 2018 ‘Behind Barz’ freestyle.
The feud between Ye and Drake has been VERY TOXIC, and it seems that the two will make up sooner than later. The question is, will Drake accept the invite? If so, how do you think it will go? Pick an emoji to let us know.
By Jeremiah Griffith, Junior, Noble Academy
Twitter: theballtalk1
