Picture
Picture Credit score
Mark Blinch / Contributor through Getty Photos
Picture Dimension
landscape-medium
Drake’s climb again into the limelight has not been straightforward, particularly after Kendrick Lamar’s practically career-ending “Not Like Us.” The diss observe made historical past as the primary — and to this point, solely — one to win 5 Grammys and prime the Billboard Scorching 100 three separate instances. However past the numbers, the “licensed pedophile” accusations left a severe mark on Hip Hop’s as soon as golden little one, a lot in order that he later filed a lawsuit towards Common Music Group.
With all that being stated, 2024 didn’t see Drake at full all-time low. Exterior of diss tracks like “Push Ups” and “Household Issues,” followers bought fairly a bit of recent music, just like the beloved “SOD” and “It’s Up,” one among his and 21 Savage’s higher collaborations post-Her Loss. He additionally went on fairly the function run, flipping Metro Boomin’s “BBL Drizzy” on Sexyy Crimson’s sophomore venture, In Sexyy We Belief, and wrapping up the “It is All A Blur Tour — Huge As The What?”
With out additional ado, listed below are 12 methods Drake tried to get again within the public’s good graces after his feud with Lamar. Have a look under.
1. Embracing The “69 God” Moniker
“Freaky-a** n**ga, he a 69 God / Hey, hey, hey, hey, run in your life,” Lamar rapped on the Mustard-produced “Not Like Us.” The road caught on a lot that even Drake determined to lean into it — for a second, at the least. Throughout a bowling evening with a couple of of his OVO associates, the Canadian rapper set his participant title to the notorious moniker. Aspect word: Drake, who landed a spare within the temporary clip shared on-line, is surprisingly fairly good at bowling.
2. Sidestepping Into Home Music
Drake has dabbled in home music loads of instances, most notably with Actually, Nevermind. Nonetheless, he circled again to the style on Gordo’s DIAMANTE. “Sideways” had him crooning about the way it was simply his flip, whereas “Therapeutic” had him reflecting on issues he “ought to’ve stated extra.” The July 2024 venture was not the worst launch however contemplating he had simply taken a giant L from Lamar, followers had been hoping for one thing completely different. Happily, Drake answered the decision a little bit over every week later.
3. Dropping 100 GIGS
Through the beef, Drake had turned various outdated collaborators into new rivals. Rick Ross, Metro Boomin and The Weeknd all caught strays on “Push Ups,” however within the course of, he additionally misplaced a great chunk of their shared fanbases. So, his subsequent transfer was to drop 100 GIGS, a set of outdated footage, studio classes — together with from Take Care, Scorpion and Licensed Lover Boy — and a few brand-new tracks.
For higher or worse, not one of the new songs saved the back-and-forth with Lamar going. The primary spherical of releases included “It’s Up” with 21 Savage and Younger Thug, “Blue Inexperienced Crimson” and “Housekeeping Is aware of” that includes Latto. Then, a couple of weeks later, he added three extra: “Circadian Rhythm,” “No Face” that includes Playboi Carti and “SOD.”
4. His Shock Look At Latto’s “Sugar Honey Iced Tea” Toronto Cease
On “Not Like Us,” Lamar rapped, “You run to Atlanta while you want a couple of {dollars} / No, you not a colleague, you a f**kin’ colonizer.” Lil Child, Future, 2 Chainz, 21 Savage and Quavo had been all talked about within the scathing verse aimed toward Drake. Latto, who hadn’t collaborated with OVO label head on the time, was understandably not part of the verse.
That made it all of the extra fascinating when Drake popped up for a shock efficiency throughout her “Sugar Honey Iced Tea Tour” cease at Toronto’s HISTORY — sure, the identical venue that shut out High Dawg Leisure artists like ScHoolboy Q and SiR. Ladies have at all times been on the core of Drake’s fanbase, so making an look at Latto’s present appeared like an try to remind the world the place his actual help lies.
5. Reducing His Braids
“What’s it? The braids?!” In November 2024, Drake stated goodbye to his braids in favor of the fade that followers may bear in mind from his earlier eras. Perhaps he was simply prepared for a change, or possibly it was a part of a much bigger reinvention. Both means, the transfer undoubtedly bought individuals speaking.
6. Showing On xQc’s Stream
Drake is aware of his means round streaming, having partnered with Kick a couple of instances, however linking up with xQc undoubtedly felt like a calculated option to win some individuals again. Through the livestream, the “God’s Plan” artist threw pictures at his critics, referred to as Steve Lacy his “fragile opp,” and naturally, the 2 gambled some cash away. “I’m right here, as you’ll be able to see, absolutely intact. Thoughts, physique and soul. In case you’re questioning, proper?” Drake stated. “You want details to take me out. Fairytales gained’t do it.” Once more, contemplating how a lot of a grip streaming tradition has on the sport proper now, leveraging that house was a becoming option to hold himself seen, even when it was a little bit awkward at instances.
7. Giving $10,000 To Fan In Look-alike Contest
Celeb look-alike contests have been having a second since 2024, and oddly sufficient, now we have Timothée Chalamet to thank for that. Toronto’s Casuals Cakery determined to get in on the development by inviting followers who resemble Drake — or at the least suppose they do — to battle it out for the last word Drizzy doppelgänger title. To sweeten the deal, the 6 God was sort sufficient to throw in $10,000 because the “predominant prize.”
8. His Drizzmas Giveaway
To wrap up the vacation season, Drake and Adin Ross got here by way of with their Drizzmas Giveaway, and identical to the title suggests, they unfold loads of post-Christmas cheer. The prizes weren’t small, both. Two individuals bought a yr’s value of lease lined, one couple scored a “greezy” dream trip, and three households had the prospect to win both a Lamborghini or a Mercedes G-Class SUV. Drake additionally used the second to have a little bit enjoyable at his rivals’ expense, together with a reference to Lamar’s “euphoria” and clowning Rick Ross within the course of.
9. Carrying A Bullet-Riddled Hoodie Throughout Australian Tour
They tried to take him out, however he’s nonetheless standing — simply in probably the most terribly Drake-like means potential. On the opening evening of “The Anita Max Win Tour,” the five-time Grammy Award winner made his entrance in a bullet-riddled hoodie with smoke pouring from the again. For a metropolis he had not carried out in for over eight years, “Over My Useless Physique” couldn’t have been a greater opener.
10. Giving Followers Cash Throughout “The Anita Max Win Tour”
Freely giving cash mid-show is nothing new for Drake, particularly after his joint trek with 21 Savage, however he appears to be making a press release of it on “The Anita Max Win Tour.” Throughout his second evening at Perth’s RAC Area, the Views creator dropped $20,000 on two fortunate {couples} within the crowd. A number of days later, at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Area, he gave $25,000 to a fan holding an “Adonis for President” signal. One other attendee walked away with $20,000 and an all-expense-paid birthday dinner. Seems, holding up an indication at a Drake live performance is likely to be extra profitable than taking part in the lottery.
11. Naming A Track After Younger Thug’s Legal professional, Brian Metal
Main as much as $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, his collaboration with PARTYNEXTDOOR, Drake unveiled the tracklist, and one title instantly caught followers’ consideration: “BRIAN STEEL.” Named after the lawyer who helped safe Younger Thug’s freedom in Georgia’s longest-running RICO trial, the two-minute minimize instantly sparked curiosity concerning the Barter 6 artist making a visitor look. “He’s so sort, thoughtful, beneficiant, inspirational, clever — a real chief and nice mannequin for our group,” the lawyer reacted shortly after noting that he and Drake have crossed paths earlier than.
12. Dropping ‘$ome $exy $ongs 4 U’ With PARTYNEXTDOOR
$ome $exy $ongs 4 U marked Drake’s first venture of 2025, and to be utterly sincere, it’s arguably a few of his finest music shortly. With a lot of the jabs and subliminal messages taking a backseat, the 21-track venture lets him and PARTYNEXTDOOR do what they do finest: delivering late-night confessions that remind followers why they cherished the duo within the first place. If successful again the general public was the purpose, Drake might have achieved the mission with this joint album.