By In a dramatic turn of events that underscores the intense rivalries and fan loyalty in the hip-hop world, rapper Rick Ross found himself at the center of a confrontation with Drake supporters following his performance at the Ignite Music Festival in Vancouver, Canada. The incident, which occurred on Sunday and was captured on video released by TMZ, has sent shockwaves through the music community and social media.
The altercation reportedly erupted after Ross, 48, played Kendrick Lamar’s controversial diss track “Not Like Us,” which takes aim at Drake and includes inflammatory accusations. As the song blared in the background, a group of approximately 15 men surrounded Ross, with tensions quickly escalating. The video footage shows a chaotic scene as punches are thrown, leading to a large-scale brawl involving Ross’s entourage and the aggressors.
Adding fuel to the fire, Drake himself appeared to endorse the confrontation by “liking” a video of the fight posted on Instagram. The post, which tagged Drake, was captioned “Y’all already know this @champagnepapi town. Rick Ross smashed out,” further emphasizing the territorial nature of the dispute.
Despite the intensity of the altercation, Ross reportedly told TMZ that no one from his team suffered serious injuries. In a show of professionalism, he stated, “Vancouver is a beautiful city and he can’t wait to go back,” even sharing an Instagram Story from his private jet with the message “Vancouver it was fun, till next time.”
This incident marks a significant escalation in the ongoing feud between Drake and Ross, which has been brewing despite their history of collaboration. The two artists have worked together on several tracks since 2010, with Ross previously claiming they were “real close” and among the top percentile of writers and creators in the industry.
However, the relationship soured following the leak of Drake’s diss track “Push Ups,” which appeared to target Ross and Lamar among others. The track included jabs at Ross’s past as a corrections officer and suggested that Ross only achieved Billboard hits when collaborating with Drake. Ross retaliated with his own diss track, “Champagne Moments,” making personal attacks on Drake’s appearance and referring to him as “white boy” and “BBL Drizzy.”
The broader context of this conflict includes the ongoing tension between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, which intensified last year when Drake and J. Cole released “First Person Shooter,” claiming they, along with Lamar, were “the big three” in hip-hop. This statement appears to have reignited rivalries and led to the current state of heightened animosity.
As the hip-hop community reacts to this latest development, questions arise about the role of fan culture in artist rivalries and the potential for such conflicts to escalate beyond the realm of music. The incident also highlights the power of social media in amplifying and perpetuating these feuds, with artists and fans alike using platforms to engage in and react to the ongoing drama.
While the immediate fallout from this altercation remains to be seen, it’s clear that the tensions between these high-profile artists and their respective fan bases continue to simmer, potentially setting the stage for further confrontations both on and off the stage.
TMZ
