DJ Akademiks accused of taking money from Drake
DJ Akademiks denies allegations of payment from Drake while defending him against Kendrick Lamar
In the long and bitter rivalry between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, many influential figures in contemporary hip-hop pledged their allegiances to one side or the other.
One of those figures, DJ Akademiks, openly came out as a stern supporter of the Canadian rapper.
The podcaster defended Drizzy through thick and thin and vocally criticised Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify for allegedly conspiring to inflate streaming figures of Lamar’s Not Like Us.
However, Akademiks is now facing accusations of receiving money from Drake in exchange for showing public support.
The 34-year-old recently revealed on his livestream that he was once asked a blunt question by Lamar’s business associate, Dave Free.
“Dave Free had a moment — he asked me — he said, ‘Ak, what are you getting from this?’ He says, ‘Is he paying you,’” Akademiks shared.
The streamer said that it was the “most insulting thing” he was ever asked because the co-founder of pgLang insinuated that he was a “purchasable commodity.”
Akademiks disclosed that he reminded Free that he had been famous way before the feud, however, he did admit favouring Drake while providing coverage of the rivalry.
Who is DJ Akademiks?
Livingston Allen, widely known as DJ Akademiks, is a prominent streamer and YouTuber whose channel has become a go-to source for all things hip-hop. He is also the host of the podcast Off the Record with DJ Akademiks on Spotify.
