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You have to know who your real friends are when tough times hit. For Drake, who appears to be at odds with much of the music industry following his recent legal actions against Universal Music Group (UMG), has always found public support from his close friend, NBA star Kevin Durant.
This week, Durant shared an Instagram story featuring a screenshot of him listening to Drake’s 2015 track “30 For 30 Freestyle,” the closing song on What A Time To Be Alive, Drake’s collaborative album with Future. The choice of this track seemed intentional, as its lyrics touch on battles against powerful industry forces—parallels to Drake’s current disputes with UMG.
KD is a real one for that. Period.
“Never thought I’d be talkin’ from this perspective/ But I’m not really sure what else you expected/ When the higher-ups have all come together as a collective/ With conspiracies to end my run and send me a message/ 40, did you get the message?/ ‘Cause I just checked my phone and I didn’t get it/ I mean, I’ll say hats off for a solid effort/ But we didn’t flinch for a second, we got our sh*t together,” Drake raps on the track.
Durant’s support isn’t surprising, given his long-standing friendship with Drake. The rapper has referenced the basketball star in several songs, including “Pop That,” “Weston Road Flows,” and “Gold Roses.” More recently, Durant played a direct role in Drake’s October 2023 album For All The Dogs as an A&R contributor.
We didn’t even know that part.
The two-time NBA MVP was also mentioned on the track “No Face,” where Drake rapped, “KD just text ‘What the f**’ are we waiting on?’” While the line initially seemed to reference Drake’s anticipation of releasing new music or reigniting feuds with rivals like Kendrick Lamar, it now carries new weight in light of Drake’s recent legal filings. It’s possible Durant was urging him to confront his label sooner.
Drake began the week by filing a pre-action petition against UMG, accusing the label of using bots and payola to inflate streams for Kendrick Lamar’s track “Not Like Us.” The petition claims these practices artificially boosted Lamar’s popularity at Drake’s expense. The following day, Drake escalated the dispute with a defamation petition, alleging UMG supported the release of Lamar’s song and video, which included false allegations labeling Drake a p*dophile.
Durant’s public show of solidarity comes at a time when Drake is challenging the music industry’s most powerful players. As the fallout continues, the support from his longtime friend highlights the deep bond between the rapper and the NBA star.
Seems like winners rock with winners.
English (US) ·