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A$AP Ferg, A$AP Rocky and Kendrick Lamar attend 2013 BET Awards
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Key Takeaways:
- A$AP Ferg compares the tension between Drake, Kendrick Lamar and A$AP Rocky to a sibling rivalry rooted in growth.
- He attributes their current distance to creative evolution and the desire to step out of each other’s shadows.
- The “Work” rapper’s insights come from touring with all three artists and witnessing their bond firsthand.
A$AP Ferg has had the privilege of witnessing the rise of rappers A$AP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar and Drake firsthand. During a Wednesday (Nov. 19) interview with “The Bootleg Kev Podcast,” the Harlem rapper offered keen insight into what allegedly caused the current animosity between all the aforementioned parties.
The conversation between Bootleg Kev and Ferg covered a range of topics including the late A$AP Yams, Harlem rappers and even Playboi Carti. Considering the high-profile beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake, as well as the stray shots that Rocky caught, the fellow A$AP Mob member’s thoughts on the matter seem to offer more perspective.
Back in 2012, Pretty Flacko and K. Dot were both opening acts on the 6 God’s “Club Paradise Tour.” Ferg accompanied Rocky on the tour and had a front row view of all the rising rap superstars at work, and how their friendships evolved over the years.
“[Drake] had great showmanship,” said Ferg, who had nothing disparaging to say about the Boy. “He knew how to rock a crowd.”
Kev then commented on how all the participants of the “Club Paradise Tour” are now “at odds with each other.” Ferg offered a diplomatic response.
“I feel like that’s kind of natural, though, because even when you think about the family dynamic and like, little brother, big brother things, a lot of the times a little brother wanna grow up and prove himself and don’t want to be under the wing of the big brother,” Ferg said. “That happens a lot, people grow into individuals.”
The “Shabba” rapper also chalked it up to individual talents coming into their own. “A lot of the times, where we start is not who we really are,” Ferg added. “We’re still growing into the person we are. So, the K. Dot that was on tour, or the Drake that was on tour, or the Rocky that was on tour, or the Ferg that was on tour, is not that same person. We were still learning ourselves during that time, so when you grow, you can’t expect for the relationship to be the same.”
Oh, what a difference a dozen or so years make. In 2024, after plenty of passive aggressive animosity in song, Lamar threw a direct shot at Drake on “Like That” from Metro Boomin and Future’s WE DON’T TRUST YOU album. The same year, Rocky took aim at Drizzy on “Show of Hands” from Metro and Future’s WE STILL DON’T TRUST YOU album.
Drake inevitably answered in kind to both on “Family Matters.” The rest — “Not Like Us” — is history, and Ferg has managed to avoid any strays, for now.
Watch Ferg chop it up with Bootleg Kev below.