Charlamagne Tha God did not hold back in his latest “Donkey of the Day” segment, taking aim at Drake for threatening legal action against Universal Music Group (UMG) over a recent rap battle. On the morning of December 2, after returning from vacation, Charlamagne dove straight into his criticism of the Canadian rapper’s legal move, calling it an emotional response to his defeat in a lyrical face-off with Kendrick Lamar.
According to Charlamagne, Drake’s petition, which was reportedly aimed at UMG his and Kendrick Lamar’s parent label is less about business or contractual disputes and more about the rapper’s bruised ego. The radio host believes that Drake’s decision to potentially sue is rooted in his anger over being outshined by Lamar in their ongoing rap rivalry. Charlamagne stated bluntly
“Drake is mad because Kendrick kicked his ass lyrically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally,”
He went on to label Drake a “whole h*e” for using a lawsuit as a way to explain the success of Kendrick’s track “Not Like Us,” which has garnered significant attention in the rap world.In addition to calling out Drake’s emotional reaction, Charlamagne also accused the rapper of being a beneficiary of “record label tricknology”—a term he used to describe the manipulation of the music industry by record labels to boost the success of an artist. Charlamagne suggested that Drake’s legal actions were an attempt to deflect blame for his inability to match Kendrick’s success, particularly on the track “Not Like Us.” He sarcastically suggested that the rapper might be trying to point the finger at UMG for the song’s success, instead of accepting his own shortcomings in the battle. “Stop acting like you haven’t been the beneficiary of record label tricknology,” Charlamagne said, mocking Drake’s attempt to lay blame elsewhere.
To further fuel his criticism, Charlamagne accused Drake of using bots to artificially boost the popularity of his own music—another tactic he claimed is commonly employed in the music industry. While Drake’s legal petition appears focused on the business side of things, Charlamagne sees it as nothing more than an emotional defense mechanism following his defeat. “You being a whole he simply because you lost. Simply because Kendrick Lamar kicked yo a**,” he stated with a sense of finality. He went on to make it clear that anyone who viewed this lawsuit as something bigger than Drake’s personal feelings being hurt was just as guilty of enabling the rapper’s behavior, calling them “OV-Hes,” a reference to Drake’s own label, October’s Very Own (OVO).
Charlamagne also took the opportunity to mock certain podcasters and fans who were claiming that Drake’s lawsuit was part of a grander scheme to “take down the machine,” likening it to Michael Jackson’s famous battle with Sony in the early 2000s. While some fans tried to frame Drake’s legal action as part of a larger fight against the music industry, Charlamagne saw it as a classic case of someone attempting to shift blame when they’ve been bested. “You tapped out after not hearing ‘Not Like Us,’” he quipped. He suggested that if Drake had truly wanted to fight back, he could have gone into the studio and created a hit song to counter Kendrick’s barrage of tracks like “Euphoria,” “6:16 in LA,” and “Meet The Grahams.” But instead, Charlamagne argued, Drake chose not to respond at all.
In closing, Charlamagne reiterated his advice to Drake from earlier in the year, urging him to take a break from the spotlight and let nostalgia bring him back to the forefront when the time was right. “Take a break, let nostalgia bring you back,” Charlamagne said. He advised Drake to stop with the emotional legal moves and focus on creating new, meaningful music that could help him reclaim his place in the rap world.
Charlamagne’s segment highlights the tension between Drake’s ego and the reality of his current situation in the rap game. While he is undoubtedly a successful artist, the ongoing competition with Kendrick Lamar has clearly stung, and Charlamagne’s criticism emphasizes the sometimes petty and emotional nature of celebrity rivalries in the music industry. Whether or not Drake will take the advice of his critic remains to be seen, but it’s clear that Charlamagne believes the rapper’s best move right now is to stop making excuses and focus on what he does best making music.
