Vybz Kartel praises Drake as “more in tune with Jamaica and the culture” amid Kendrick Lamar beef

Drake has faced persistent accusations of stealing other sounds and styles throughout his career, especially Jamaican Patois circa 2016. When Kendrick Lamar called Drake "a fucking colonizer" of Atlanta rap on his hit "Not Like Us," the insult helped seal the victory for Lamar in the long-running and often vicious beef that peaked in 2024.

Still, beloved dancehall veteran Vybz Kartel is having none of the appropriation talk: In a new Billboard cover story, the World Boss dismissed Lamar as an artist and praised Drake for his contributions to Jamaica, saying "Drake is more in tune with Jamaica and the culture."

When asked for his thoughts on the beef, Kartel was blunt. "I'm not a fan of Kendrick. I don't even listen to Kendrick, so I wouldn't know. What does he rap? I saw it on the Internet, but no disrespect to the dude, I hear him, but I don't listen to him," he told Billboard. "Drake is a better and bigger artist."

Kartel is at work on a new album, though Drake is not mentioned as a possible collaborator. There is, however, a Cardi B song in the works. "We got a song coming out [in 2025]," he said of the collaboration with the Bronx native. "We are actually in the process of writing it."

In August 2024, Vybz Kartel was released from prison after 13 years following the overturning of a murder conviction. He headlined a concert on New Year's Eve at Freedom Street in Kingston Jamaica, with special guest appearances from Popcaan, Busta Rhymes, Spice, and more.