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Canadian politician Jagmeet Singh has found himself caught in the crossfire of hip-hop’s biggest rivalry after Drake called him out for attending Kendrick Lamar’s recent Toronto concert. The former New Democratic Party leader received a stern DM from Drake, who labeled him a “goof” for showing up at his rival’s show.
The Drake-Kendrick feud has dominated hip-hop headlines since early 2024. What started with Kendrick taking aim at Drake in a song quickly escalated into a full-blown battle of tracks – culminating in Lamar’s devastating “Not Like Us” that many consider the decisive blow in their lyrical warfare.
Drake attempted one final response before effectively conceding defeat.
Kendrick hasn’t been shy about celebrating his victory. He’s incorporated elements of the beef into his Super Bowl LIX performance (which featured SZA) and brought his Grand National Tour to Drake’s hometown last week. The tour – co-headlined by SZA – made history as Kendrick became the first hip-hop act to sell out multiple consecutive shows at Toronto’s Rogers Center.
Singh, who stepped down from his leadership position after losing in April’s parliamentary election, was spotted in the crowd during one of these historic performances. This apparently didn’t sit well with Drake, who had followed the politician on Instagram back in 2019.
Following the rapper’s angry message, Singh quickly took to social media with an explanation. “I went for SZA,” he wrote in his public apology, before pledging his loyalty to Toronto’s favorite son. He emphasized that his attendance wasn’t meant as a slight against Drake.
The incident highlights the deeply personal nature of the feud between the two rappers – where even attending a concert can be viewed as taking sides. Despite Drake’s retreat from the battle, he’s clearly still sensitive about Kendrick’s triumphant appearance in his city.
This Toronto leg of the tour carried particular significance as it represented Kendrick bringing the fight directly to Drake’s home territory – and drawing massive crowds in the process. The shows have been interpreted by many as a victory lap for the Compton rapper.
