The rap world has been anxiously anticipating Drake’s response to Kendrick Lamar’s “Like That” verse, and he’s been leaving cryptic messages on social media over the past few weeks. The most interesting clue is centered around Jamaican dancehall musician Vybz Kartel. Drake posted an Instagram Story of a Vybz Kartel shirt draped over a microphone in the studio, and now producer Boi-1da has shared a picture of the dancehall legend in military fatigues, leading fans to theorize that he might be producing the response track.
Stay with us while we pull out a spool of red string and start connecting the dots of this theory, but are these Vybz Kartel references foreshadowing the tone of a potential diss song? Is Vybz Kartel the link that connects all of this? Follow us down this rabbit hole as we break down all the Vybz Kartel-related clues that might lead to Drake’s diss track.
The rap world has been anxiously anticipating Drake’s response to Kendrick Lamar’s “Like That” verse, and he’s been leaving cryptic messages on social media over the past few weeks. The most interesting clue is centered around Jamaican dancehall musician Vybz Kartel. Drake posted an Instagram Story of a Vybz Kartel shirt draped over a microphone in the studio, and now producer Boi-1da has shared a picture of the dancehall legend in military fatigues, leading fans to theorize that he might be producing the response track.
Stay with us while we pull out a spool of red string and start connecting the dots of this theory, but are these Vybz Kartel references foreshadowing the tone of a potential diss song? Is Vybz Kartel the link that connects all of this? Follow us down this rabbit hole as we break down all the Vybz Kartel-related clues that might lead to Drake’s diss track.
What is Drake’s connection to Vybz Kartel?
Drake, a rapper who has collaborated frequently with dancehall artists over the years, called Vybz Kartel “one of [his] biggest inspirations” in his 2016 interview with Nardwuar, saying, “Vybz Kartel is one of my biggest inspirations—like, one of my favorite artists. You want to talk about a guy that is coming out of a place that has their own thing, their own culture, and absolutely just taking over to becoming the one person to idolize.”
Why did Akademiks post Vybz Kartel, too?
On a recent stream, DJ Akademiks said that he’s been in contact with Drake following J. Cole’s apology to Kendrick, and after Boi-1da posted Vybz Kartel, Akademiks also shared a photo of the dancehall musician in military fatigues and smoke emojis on his Instagram Story. Ak might just be fanning the flames, and it could mean nothing. Or, based on his recent communications with Drake, it could mean that he knows that all of these Vybz Kartel-related posts are clues that will lead to an impending response, so he’s adding to it. Time will tell.
How does all of this connect to a Drake diss track?
It’s clear that Drake has had a longstanding affinity for Vybz Kartel, and considering the symbolism outlined above, it’s not far-fetched to assume that The Boy might be trying to send a message through all of these Worl’ Boss references. Outside of his Instagram Story about Kartel, Drake has also been alluding to being war-ready through various social media posts. He captioned a March 28 post with, “They rather go to war with me than admit they are their own worst enemy,” and the next day he shared a carousel on Instagram that included a picture of an IED bomb, which is a weapon used in unconventional warfare when someone is trying target an individual or group of people. If you’re willing to keep your tinfoil hat on and follow the clues, his return fire might be more explosive than anyone thinks.