Toronto rapper Top5, also known as Hassan Ali, thrilled his fans by announcing a podcast featuring Drake on his Kick account. Recently freed on September 23 after spending three years in custody over first-degree murder charges, Top5 disclosed that he intends to play Kendrick Lamar’s diss track Not Like Us during the podcast, where he and Drake will delve into the song’s meaning and context.
He stated:
“We’re gonna play the Not Like Us video and we’re gonna look at every n*gga in the video and we’re gonna do homework.”
Not Like Us is among the most prominent diss tracks that emerged from the recently quelled feud between rappers Drake and Kendrick Lamar. This rivalry is deemed by many hip-hop enthusiasts as one of the most iconic clashes in rap history, with both artists trading personal jabs until the dispute simmered down following the release of Drake’s The Heart Part 6.
A Brief History of the Iconic Clash Between Kendrick Lamar and Drake
The feud between Kendrick Lamar and Drake traces back to 2013 when Lamar called out Drizzy in Big Sean’s track Control. Fast forward to 2023, both Drake and J. Cole collaborated for First Person Shooter, where J. Cole referred to himself, Drizzy, and Kendrick Lamar as part of the ‘Big Three’. Kendrick responded to these claims with Like That in 2024.
In April, Drake re-entered the fray with tracks Push Ups and Taylor Made Freestyle. However, the latter track was swiftly removed from the internet following threats of legal action from Tupac Shakur’s estate over AI-generated vocals attributed to Tupac.
Kendrick Lamar retaliated by releasing Euphoria on April 30 and 6.16 in LA on May 4. Drizzy’s response, Family Matters, was an attack on Lamar, accusing him of domestic violence and insinuating that his children were fathered by Dave Free.
Less than an hour later, Kendrick dropped Meet the Grahams, in which he accused Drake of being involved in sex trafficking and of having a hidden child. The following day, Kendrick released one of the hallmark tracks from this feud, Not Like Us.
This track amplified the claims made in Meet The Grahams, further charging Drake with pedophilia and claiming he was detrimental to rap culture.
On May 5, Kendrick countered with The Heart Part 6, denying the allegations and alleging that misleading information had been provided to him to sabotage his reputation. The music video for Not Like Us followed later on July 4.
Rapper Top5 Thanks Drake for Covering His Legal Fees After Release from Prison
On September 23, Top5 was released from prison after two years in custody. The Crown in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice stayed his murder charge.
After posting a picture with his lawyer Gary Grill on Instagram, Top5 expressed his gratitude towards both Grill and Drake, revealing that Drizzy had covered his legal expenses.
“Shoutout big bro @champagnepapi for the lawyer fees & Gary Grill for being the best lawyer in Toronto. #ALLAHUAKBAR,”Top5 wrote in his caption.
However, he later modified the caption, omitting any mention of Drake, also known as @champagnepapi, and focusing solely on his lawyer.
Top5 was initially arrested in 2021 in connection with the death of 20-year-old accounting student Hashim Omar Hashi. His charges were elevated from accessory to first-degree murder after being taken into custody in Ontario shortly after Hashi’s demise.
On September 23, a judge ruled that Top5’s social media posts could not be used against him in court, effectively suspending the case.
Regarding his client after the stay order was issued, Grill commented (via CBC):
“The problem about prosecuting artists like Mr. Ali based on their music is it fails to understand what the medium is, what it’s about, and how drillers approach their audiences. It’s important for all drillers to portray themselves as the biggest, baddest gangsters on the planet. That’s what sells. That’s what all drillers are doing.”
Following the stay ruling, the court has up to a year to potentially restart the legal proceedings.
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