How the Drake–Kendrick Lamar beef divided the football world

Nestor Watach • 10 Feb 2025

Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s rap feud has divided opinion in the football world.

Drake has posed with countless footballers over the years and long been the modern player’s stock answer to the question of ‘favourite artist’, but his reputation has taken a major hit after the success of Kendrick Lamar’s monumentally successful diss track ‘Not Like Us’.

We’ve rounded up everyone we can find from the football world and what side they’re on.

Kylian Mbappe

“Drake,” Mbappe responded in a ‘One Gotta Go’ quick interview with rap outlet Complex back in 2022, between Kendrick Lamar, J.Cole and Drake.

But it quickly became apparent that the World Cup winner had misunderstood the question and was instead answering with his favourite of the ‘big three’ – seemingly rap’s answer to Fenerbahce, Galatasaray and Besiktas or Sporting, Porto and Benfica.

“I love him. I love everything he’s done, he’s an inspiration for me. Really, he’s doing good music,” Mbappe added.

Dejan Kulusevski

“My favourite artist’s name is J. Cole, but I saw Kendrick Lamar here in London a couple of months ago and it was a one-of-a-kind experience, really amazing,” the Sweden international told Tottenham’s Official Website back in 2023.

Anyone that follows Kulusevski on social media will have noticed his posts are frequently soundtracked by Lamar, while earlier this season he gave another hint of his allegiances by discussing his career if he made the switch to darts:

“My nickname would be ‘Deki the truth’, and my walkout song would ‘Not Like Us’ by Kendrick Lamar.”

Kevin De Bruyne

There was a lot of confusion when one of the co-writers of Drake’s 2023 song ‘Wick Man’ was listed as a K. De Bruyne.

The Manchester City playmaker even had a bit of fun with it, declaring himself “a huge fan” while clarifying that, no, he doesn’t have a side hustle as a hip-hop beatmaker.

If you were wondering, the credit belongs to Koen De Bruyne, whose 1978 tune ‘Landscape’ was sampled on the Scary Hours 3 track.

all jokes aside, it's not me! Huge fan though!

— Kevin De Bruyne (@KevinDeBruyne) November 17, 2023

Jules Kounde

We’d pay good money to see the fights over the aux cord when Kounde and Mbappe are away on France duty.

Back in 2022, as part of Barcelona’s sponsorship deal with Spotify, Kounde wore Drake’s logo in a 3-1 El Clasico defeat to Real Madrid. But that’s not his preference.

As with David Alaba and Tyler The Creator, it’s often been noted that the Barca defender bears more than a passing resemblance to Kendrick Lamar. And it turns out that he’s a massive fan of his music, too.

“I’d have to say Kendrick Lamar, a rapper from Los Angeles,” Kounde told Champions Journal of his favourite artist.

“He’s one of my favourite artists for loads of different reasons. Musically, he’s really talented. He comes up with great melodies and especially great lyrics, and that’s why he’s the most famous [rapper].

“He’s also really creative with his music videos. I really like the way that he presents himself; he’s pretty discreet, he doesn’t talk much.

“Of course, I have loads of others, but I’d say that he’s my favourite artist.”

The France international has since revealed that Kendrick was his most-played artist of 2024, filmed himself rapping along to ‘TV OFF’, and tweeted in response to Kendrick’s Superbowl half-time show: “Idc what people says Kendrick is killing it!! Visuals are going crazy!!”

TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every player to win the Champions League & World Cup?

Everton players

Everton players Ashley Young, Dwight McNeil, James Garner, Lewis Dobbin and Joao Virginia were unanimous in choosing Drake, although McNeil conceded that Kendrick “has been more on it at the minute”.

Beto, meanwhile, conceded he “doesn’t care about these battles”.

🔵 Everton players choose between Kendrick Lamar or Drake! 👀🎤 pic.twitter.com/WJDRwMsa5K

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) May 9, 2024

Rio Ferdinand

“I can’t have Drake anyway because Drake tried to come to Carrington one time years ago. He came and he was talking like he was an absolute mad Man United fan. Saying give me the story.”

“This is why I don’t really believe some of the stuff he says because he lied to me to my face. ‘Oh Rio, you know why I love Man United?

“My friend, who’s in prison, we played FIFA so much when we were younger. His team was Man United and I’d visit him in prison. So I had to follow my boy and now I’m a Man United man till I die man.”

He went on to say: “Bro, about a month later I saw my man at Chelsea with Drogba. Then I see him at Man City with Fernandinho, or Aguero, or Balotelli, or someone like that.

“Then I see him at Madrid, I see him at AC Milan, I see him at every single team that’s doing well.”

Spotify Barcelona sponsor Drake wearing the shirt of Juventus

READ: 9 times Drake has been pictured in football kits: Barca, Liverpool, Man Utd…

Georginio Wijnaldum

“My favourite rapper is Lil Wayne,” the former Liverpool midfielder said, speaking on the Saudi Pro League’s official website.

“Since I was young I’ve listened to his music and like his music. On the other side I also like to listen to Drake, J.Cole, Kendrick Lamar, I like Jay Z. So there are a few, but Lil Wayne I like the most.”

Fence-sitter.

Borussia Dortmund

The Bundesliga club’s English-language social media channel made a decisive judgement following the release of Kendrick’s ‘Not Like Us’ last May, complete with a homage to the rapper’s iconic ‘good kid, m.A.A.d city’ album cover.