Funkmaster Flex

Funkmaster Flex is defending Drake, who remains embroiled in an intensifying beef with Kendrick Lamar. Photo Credit: musicisentropy

A high-stakes rap beef just became even more intense: Amid a continued showdown with Kendrick Lamar – and as he spearheads related litigation against Universal Music – Drake is receiving words of support from Funkmaster Flex.

By now, most have at least heard about the newest chapter in the Drake v. Kendrick Lamar dispute. Multiple diss tracks and public barbs later, the confrontation seemingly reached a boiling point when Lamar surprise-dropped an entire album, GNX, last week.

The project, which rather directly references Drake, Lil Wayne, and others, promptly made a splash – and added fuel to the rap-beef fire. Lil Wayne, mentioned by name in the album’s opening track, responded by promising to “destroy if disturbed.”

Meanwhile, Drake, possibly feuding with fellow Toronto native The Weeknd to boot, is litigating against Universal Music Group, Spotify, and iHeartRadio over an alleged scheme to artificially inflate the commercial performance of Lamar’s “Not Like Us.”

DMN Pro has explored the corresponding petitions’ explosive defamation, streaming fraud, and payola allegations at length. Though it remains to be seen whether the claims are backed by substantive proof, they certainly have the potential to drive (and in some ways are already driving) far-reaching industry effects.

It’s against this backdrop that Funkmaster Flex is defending Drake – including the rapper’s payola allegations.

Funk Flex made as much clear in an all-caps X post, proclaiming that “DRAKE IS 100% RIGHT” before identifying the amounts one can allegedly pay for radio spins on various types of stations. For instance, that refers to $350,000 per song for pop-station plays, $250,000 for urban radio, and $3,000 to $5,000 when it comes to local DJs, according to the message.

(Without getting too far into the history of payola or adjacent allegations in the streaming world, it’s worth noting that across the pond, a Stormzy DJ was fired years back after allegedly selling radio plays for £200 a pop.)

Of course, the Hot 97 host Funk Flex possesses firsthand knowledge of the radio world; the 56-year-old also invited fans to discuss the matter during a broadcast tomorrow (November 28th) evening.

“THIS IS WHY INDEPENDENT ARTIST DONT RISE TO THE TOP!” Funkmaster Flex wrote for good measure. “ALL YOU ARTIST KNOW I AINT NEVER TAKE A DIME FROM YOU, YOUR MANAGER OR YOUR LABELS!”

It’ll be interesting to see what the Thanksgiving night talk (set specifically for 7 EST) entails – and where the escalating battle between Drake and Kendrick Lamar goes from here. Due in part to the mentioned litigation, the remainder of 2024 appears likely to deliver additional twists and turns yet.

But even if the dust begins to settle heading into the new year, Lamar’s February Super Bowl halftime show will probably reignite the beef(s), including because organizers allegedly snubbed Lil Wayne out of a performance spot.