On a recent episode of The Ebro Show, host Ebro Darden proclaimed that “the algorithm” works against anyone who publicly feuds with certain figures, namely Drake and DJ Akademiks.
“I’m letting y’all know… Anybody that got beef with Akademiks, Drake, or anyone else, can watch how the algorithm moves against them,” he said. “Pay attention to it. It’s consistent.” He suggested that artists whom he wants to get on one of his shows, be it on Apple Music or his new podcast with Laura Stylez and Peter Rosenberg, have started to ask for “stats” before they agree to do anything with him.
Both Akademiks and Drake have made it clear they’re not fans of Ebro. When Hot 97 canceled Ebro in the Morning, Drake dropped a sassy axe emoji in the comments of an Instagram post reporting on the news. Ebro later revealed that he got a DM from the rapper that simply read, “Die slower pussy.”
Akademiks, meanwhile, suggested that poor ratings led to Hot 97 canceling his show. In response, Ebro ripped into the controversial streamer on an episode of The Ebro Laura Rosenberg Show.
“This guy's talking about evidence? And then he went on to just make up lies that he doesn't have evidence to support,” said Ebro. “I have to believe… whether it's 50 Cent trolling other rappers, Akademiks trolling other media people, whatever it is, it's 'algorithm hustling.’ It's to get the algorithm. They have to know they're promoting. … He also just doesn't have a social life… he can't really go outside like that … It's sad that you're like seen as like an alcoholic degenerate loser who can't go out. Like, that hurts my feelings for you.”
As for the show’s cancellation, Ebro theorized that his politics were to blame. “They need my shit-talking anti-Netanyahu, anti-government, progressive sh*t out the way,” he said in a video, alleging it would be a threat to investors.
Recently, Ebro said that he’s struggled to get artists booked for interviews now that he’s not with Hot 97.
"Now things are tougher… we don't even have the cosign of the heritage logo," Ebro said. "We're not traditional media anymore. We're just people on YouTube, so it's a lot different. … I'm telling you, people are acting different. Somebody I've known for 30 years… I was talking to them about getting an artist on the show, and they were like, 'Yeah, send me some details about the show.' Now we gotta send out a press kit.”
