Drake has once again taken over the music world with his latest triple-album release, but amid the excitement surrounding the project, the Toronto rapper also reignited tensions with LeBron James through another apparent lyrical jab.
Drake and the Los Angeles Lakers star have been at odds since James supported Kendrick Lamar during the rappers’ highly publicized feud.
Now, after the leaked track “1 AM in Albany” surfaced online, the drama has once again become a major talking point.
Why Rich Paul Wants Drake and LeBron James to Reconcile
Even before Drake officially released his new album “Iceman” on Friday, “1 AM in Albany” had leaked online on Wednesday. The five-minute track included what many interpreted as direct shots at James.
“I shouldn’t even be shocked to see you in that arena, because you always made your career off of switching teams up. Please stop asking what’s going on with 23 and me, I’m a real n****, and he’s not, it’s in my DNA,” one of the verses read.
While the song ultimately appeared in “Make Them Remember,” the ongoing tension between Drake and James appears very real.
Drake has repeatedly taken subtle but direct shots at the NBA superstar over the past couple of years, including references on his “Fighting Irish Freestyle.”
While James has not responded to the rapper, his longtime agent Rich Paul now wants the two superstars to reconcile their differences.
Although Paul avoided discussing specific details of the feud, he expressed hope that the two longtime friends could eventually have a conversation and work things out privately.
“At the end of the day, I think it’s important that adults really reconcile down the road,” Paul said in an appearance on the “Game Over” podcast. “I don’t get involved in that, but for me, it’s just about allowing time to pass, and hopefully they can reconcile their differences.”
“I do think in any situation it’s important to remove the middleman,” Paul continued. “You know, conversations continue to get stirred up, and people got opinions, agendas, and other things like that. I think over time, you have to let the two people have an adult conversation if its able to get there, and hopefully, people reconcile their differences.”
Drake and James had been close friends for years before the fallout.
At one point, Drake even had a tattoo honoring James, though it has since been covered up and replaced with a tribute to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, whose Oklahoma City Thunder eliminated the Lakers from the playoffs.
The tension started during Drake’s 2024 feud with Kendrick Lamar, when James seemingly picked a side. He attended Lamar’s “The Pop Out” concert in Los Angeles that summer, was seen vibing to “Not Like Us” multiple times in public, and Drake took notice.
Shortly afterward, Drake unfollowed James on Instagram, and references to the Lakers star have continued appearing in his music ever since.
