DJ Akademiks Claims Kendrick Lamar Blocked Playboi Carti and Drake Collaboration from Album Release
The music world has been buzzing for months about the unexpected links between Playboi Carti and Kendrick Lamar, especially after their surprise musical collaborations earlier this year. Fans were left wondering how Carti, who has previously been closely tied to Drake, ended up working with Lamar, Drake’s longtime rival. Now, DJ Akademiks has offered some behind-the-scenes insight that’s stirring up even more controversy.
During a recent livestream, DJ Akademiks addressed a leaked snippet of an unreleased Drake and Playboi Carti track that fans have been circulating online. According to Ak, there’s a full version of the song that’s yet to surface—and he’s determined to change that.
“Oh, I hit Drake, I’m trying to get the song,” Akademiks said during the stream, a clip of which was captured and shared by NFR Podcast on Twitter. “Drake told me he was gon’ send it to me. They got the worst part of the snippet. Carti played this whole song for me. And yes… Kendrick the reason why this sht ain’t on the f**ing album, you know what I’m saying? Oh, man.”
Akademiks doubled down on his claim that Kendrick Lamar was the reason the collaboration never saw an official release, suggesting that Carti was ready to showcase goodwill with both artists. “Anyway, I don’t think Carti’s going to put it out,” he continued. “And I’m going to get the leak and I’ma leak it. I’m going to Drake first. If I can’t get it from Drake—he will give it to me. Or I’ma get it from Carti. But this sh*t’s coming out. Okay? They should just drop it together. Like, what the f**k they’re doing, right?”
The revelation adds another layer of drama to the already tense dynamic between Kendrick Lamar and Drake. Fans on both sides are already dissecting Akademiks’ comments, debating the likelihood that Kendrick intentionally blocked the release to avoid the optics of Carti appearing with both him and Drake in the same album cycle.
The timing is particularly interesting given the recent conversation surrounding Kendrick Lamar’s reported feature on the upcoming Clipse album. According to Pusha T, Universal Music Group allegedly tried to remove Kendrick’s feature because of the ongoing fallout from the Drake and Kendrick beef—highlighting just how sensitive the industry remains around any artist perceived as caught in the middle.
While Akademiks’ claims remain unconfirmed by Drake, Carti, or Kendrick’s camps, fans are already calling for the full Carti and Drake track to be released. For now, though, it seems the song will remain buried—unless Akademiks follows through on his promise to leak it.
With emotions still running high after the Drake and Kendrick battle earlier this year, this latest twist is yet another reminder of how complicated—and closely watched—relationships in the rap world have become.
