JPEGMAFIA’s new album, I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU, was released on Thursday (August 1). It sparked excitement across social media after it was revealed that the rap star dissed Drake throughout the 14 tracks.
On the track “New Black History,” which samples Future’s 2014 hit “Covered N Money,” JPEGMAFIA, blasts Drizzy, rapping, “’Cause I’m in that mode, on my own, I got that flavor, Jonathan Major paper / ‘Specially when y’all cashing out for PDFs and rapers (No Drizzy) / I hope y’all paid attention, no really.” This was seen as a dig at Drake.
Another track, “it’s dark and hell is hot,” features the Brooklyn rapper’s lines, “If I show you a Drac’, I ain’t playin’ with kids / You ngas loop it and leave it, never repeatin’,” which listeners interpreted as another swipe at the Grammy-winning artist. These lyrics come amid renewed scrutiny of Drake following Kendrick Lamar’s track “Not Like Us,” where Lamar accused the OVO head of inappropriate relationships with underage women. Drake addressed these allegations in “THE HEART PART 6”: “If I was fking young girls, I promise I’d have been arrested / I’m way too famous for this s**t you just suggested.”
In response to the fan speculation, JPEGMAFIA took to Twitter to confirm his intent. “First off, I [have] been dissing that nga since 2016. Them sts [were] throwaway bars, not noteworthy,” he stated. “Second off, if anybody [has] a problem with what I said on this album, my tour dates [are] in [my] bio. Third, y’all can’t even pay your rent but [are] defending Drake for free. Go outside and be somebody.”
The “LAY DOWN MY LIFE TOUR” kicks off on Aug. 7 in Pomona, California, with stops in Portland, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Houston, Atlanta, and New York City. Notably, JPEGMAFIA will perform at Rebel in Drake’s hometown of Toronto on Sept. 19.
Recently, Kendrick Lamar’s former Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates, such as ScHoolboy Q and SiR, faced difficulties performing in Toronto, possibly linked to Lamar’s feud with Drake. They were booked at HISTORY, a venue launched by Live Nation and Drake. It remains to be seen whether JPEGMAFIA will encounter similar challenges.