At one point, The Weeknd straight-up told us, “I don’t want to sign with another artist because I believe I can be just as big, if not bigger.” It’s honestly shocking how many people don’t realize that The Weeknd and Drake have been beefing since around 2016. Recently, there was an incident in Encino where a security guard got shot, and it turns out the property involved is connected to The Weeknd.
While everyone’s busy discussing Kendrick Lamar and Drake, it’s worth diving into Drake’s ongoing feud with The Weeknd. They started off as friends, collaborating on hits like “Crew Love,” “The Zone,” and “Live For.” But things took a turn. The Weeknd has claimed that Drake borrowed his style and was upset when he didn’t sign with his label, OVO Sound. Their relationship soured further when their personal lives started crossing paths, turning their feud into something pretty intense.
Given the recent drama surrounding Drake, now feels like a good time to unpack his complicated relationship with The Weeknd. Both are huge names in the music scene and are both from Toronto. I used to really enjoy their collaborations and their chemistry on tracks. I’m a big fan of The Weeknd, and his music has been a big part of my playlist. But what started as a solid friendship quickly became bitter. The Weeknd’s “House of Balloons” is one of my top albums, and it’s wild to see how their relationship has evolved since then.
At that time, it seemed like Drake was really backing The Weeknd. But their falling out came down to some messy business decisions. The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, started by sharing his music online for free and quickly built a dedicated fan base—I was one of those early followers on MySpace. Drake noticed him and helped boost his career by featuring him on his album. Drake even offered him a deal with OVO Sound, but The Weeknd decided to sign with Republic Records instead.
Looking back, Drake said, “He came to me and said, ‘I don’t want to sign under another artist. I think I can be just as big, or even bigger, on my own. I want to do my own thing.’ I’ve always been supportive and happy for him. I never held any grudge. Maybe some people felt differently, but not me. Once Abel said he wanted to go his own way, I didn’t expect him to stay with OVO. My biggest regret is that we lost touch for seven years when we had something special going on.”
So, their rift wasn’t just about The Weeknd moving to another label. He signed with Republic Records in 2012 and launched his own XO imprint soon after. When he dropped the compilation album “Trilogy” two months later, Drake wasn’t happy. He tweeted, “You won’t get away with just a thank you. You owe me a favor.” Fans quickly figured out he was referring to The Weeknd.
In a 2013 interview with Complex, The Weeknd explained, “I told Drake what my plans were, and he was cool with it from the start.” Still, some fans thought Drake might have felt betrayed. They even speculated that Drake’s song “5:00 A.M. in Toronto” was a veiled shot at The Weeknd. The lyrics seem to suggest Drake was frustrated that, despite helping The Weeknd’s career, he wasn’t getting the credit he thought he deserved: “I show love, never get the same out from people. Guess it’s funny how money can make a change out of someone for real. Some nobodies start feeling themselves. A couple somebodies start killing themselves. A couple albums drop, those still on the shelf. I bet them shits wouldn’t have popped if I wasn’t willing to help.”
I apologize for my awkward attempt at rapping—it’s definitely not my strong suit! But basically, it seems like Drake felt The Weeknd didn’t fully acknowledge the role he played in his rise.
Back in the summer of 2013, The Weeknd had some pretty revealing things to say about Drake. He shared that Drake had snagged a bunch of his songs—tracks The Weeknd was planning to release himself—and used them on his album “Take Care.” Songs like “Crew Love,” “Shot for Me,” and “The Ride” were supposed to be The Weeknd’s, but Drake liked them so much he decided to take them. The Weeknd reflected on this, saying, “I was hungry. I was like, ‘Dude, take anything. I gave up almost half my album. It’s hard. I’ll always be thankful. If it wasn’t for the light that he shined on me, who knows where I’d be? Everything happens for a reason.'” Even though he might regret giving up those tracks, he recognizes that Drake’s boost was a huge break for him.
Drake managed to convince The Weeknd to hand over a lot of his music for “Take Care.” The Weeknd was thinking of using those songs for his own mixtapes, but with Drake’s influence and his collaboration with Lil Wayne at the time, he managed to sway him. In the end, The Weeknd contributed six songs to “Take Care,” with Drake using five of them. The Weeknd also helped with production on the album.
But the drama doesn’t stop at music—it spills over into their personal lives, too. In 2017, during The Weeknd’s breakup with Bella Hadid, Drake was spotted flirting with her at a party in New York. Page Six even suggested they hooked up, which surely would have been a blow to The Weeknd. He seemed to address this in his song “Lost in the Fire,” with the line, “And I just want a baby with the right one, ’cause I could never be the one to hide one.” Some fans think this is a nod to Drake, who had a secret son with Sophie Brussaux.
So, it’s pretty surprising how many people still don’t realize there’s been beef between The Weeknd and Drake since around 2016. The Weeknd frequently throws shade at Drake in his music, and it’s clear there’s still some lingering tension. If you haven’t noticed this, where have you been? Living under a rock?
Future and Metro Boomin just dropped their second album, and one of the standout tracks is “All to Myself” featuring The Weeknd. In this song, The Weeknd seems to take some veiled shots at Drake. Instead of coming off as outright hostile, he delivers his critiques with his trademark smooth, almost angelic vocals.
The Weeknd sings: “They could never diss my brother’s baby when they got leaks in the operation. I thank God I never signed my life away, and we never do the big talk. They shooters making TikToks now.”
It looks like The Weeknd is referencing their past. Back in the early 2010s, Drake gave The Weeknd a shoutout and wanted him to join OVO Sound. But The Weeknd opted for Republic Records, reportedly because he didn’t want to be just another side artist like PartyNextDoor or Majid Jordan, who have been overshadowed by Drake.
The line about “shooters making TikToks” seems like a jab at Baka Not Nice, a former bodyguard of Drake’s who now makes TikTok videos. The Weeknd’s lyrics suggest that Baka, despite his past and his association with Drake, isn’t as intimidating as he might appear.
Additionally, The Weeknd seems to be downplaying Drake’s fame. He implies that Drake’s success is more about being a celebrity than genuine talent, suggesting that despite Drake’s massive following, The Weeknd isn’t all that impressed.
The Weeknd’s recent diss on “Popular” has certainly stirred things up. In the song, he takes a subtle jab at Drake with the line, “I know it’s hard to keep up when you’re on top, but you should be ready for the pressure when you’re number one.” This suggests there’s more than just a friendly rivalry between them—The Weeknd seems to have some real frustration about how Drake’s influence might be affecting his own career.
Drake, on the other hand, has stayed pretty low-key about the whole situation. Instead of directly addressing The Weeknd’s comments, he’s kept his focus on his music and career. This contrast in their responses adds an interesting layer to their feud.
The whole situation is intriguing and keeps fans guessing. Whether this tension will escalate or eventually settle down is anyone’s guess, but it’s definitely one of the most compelling rivalries in the music industry right now.