Drake blasted his exes for having “played with” him in an on-stage rant in Australia on Sunday, Feb. 9. The incident took place during his highly anticipated “For All The Dogs” world tour, which has already grossed more than $100 million in ticket sales.
The 38-year-old rapper was filmed ranting about unnamed former flames during his concert at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia, and while he didn’t single out any by name it came shortly before Serena Williams — who he dated in 2011 — joined Kendrick Lamar on stage at the Super Bowl halftime show to dance during “Not Like Us,” the rapper’s diss track about him, while another ex-lover, SZA, also performed during his rival’s segment. The arena, which holds 14,820 people, was sold out for the performance.
“If you ever, in your life, gave your time, gave your energy, gave your money, gave your heart, gave your soul, gave everything that you ever had to somebody, and they f—–g played with you and wasted your time, wasted your money…,” Drake grew increasingly animated as he ranted in footage shared online that quickly accumulated millions of views across social platforms.
“I want you to all to turn up to this song. This for all y’all exes and everybody think they can play you in their f—–‘ life! If you doin’ better than your ex, I wanna see you f—–‘ turn up!” The emotional outburst sparked immediate reactions from fans worldwide.
As the crowd cheered, he told his DJ: “Now you can play the song!” The moment became one of the most shared clips from his Australian tour leg.
He then broke into his track “You Broke My Heart,” which has already amassed more than 50 million streams since its release.
During his 13-minute set at the Super Bowl, Kendrick had repeatedly teased performing “Not Like Us” before eventually delighting the crowd at the end of his set. The Super Bowl performance was watched by an estimated 115 million viewers worldwide.
“I want to play their favorite song … but you know they love to sue,” Kendrick said a couple of minutes into his performance, referencing the ongoing legal tensions between the two artists.
Prior to the game, fans wondered whether Lamar would perform “Not Like Us,” after Drake previously filed a defamation lawsuit against his rap rival over lyrics that accuse him of being a sexual predator, which he denies. The lawsuit, filed in late 2024, seeks damages of $50 million.
The Grammy-winning star performed “Not Like Us” at the end of his set, but he opted to censor the most controversial lyrics amid the ongoing legal battle. The performance still generated significant social media buzz, trending worldwide on multiple platforms.
Meanwhile, Kendrick’s show also included performances of “Humble,” “DNA,” “Squabble Up,” “Man At The Garden” and “Euphoria,” another Drake diss track. Each song has achieved platinum status, with combined streams exceeding 2 billion.
The rapper arrived on stage atop a black Buick GNX car, the same model his father drove home from hospital after Kendrick was born in June 1987. The classic car, worth approximately $200,000 in today’s market, added a personal touch to the spectacular show.
He was later joined on stage by SZA as they performed their hits ‘All the Stars’ and ‘Luther’, together, while Samuel L Jackson played host as Uncle Sam, praising the duo. The collaboration marked their first live performance together since 2022.
“That’s what I’m talking about. That’s what America wants, nice and calm,” the actor said at one point, adding another layer of star power to the already spectacular performance. Jackson’s appearance was reportedly secured for a fee of $2 million.
The Super Bowl performance and Drake’s emotional response in Australia have reignited discussions about the ongoing feud between the two rap titans, which has dominated hip-hop headlines since late 2024. Music industry experts estimate that the controversy has actually boosted streaming numbers for both artists, with combined increases of over 300% observed after each public exchange.
