DJ Akademiks Denies Drake Payola Claims Amid Kendrick Lamar Detroit Concert

DJ Akademiks attended Kendrick Lamar's Grand National Tour concert in Detroit and shared his experience, including an alleged conversation with Lamar's manager and pgLang co-founder Dave Free. During this interaction, Dave Free questioned whether Drake was paying Akademiks to defend him during the ongoing Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar feud, which Akademiks found deeply insulting and denied vehemently, emphasizing he does not engage in pay-for-play and that his opinions cannot be bought. Akademiks admitted to personal bias in favor of Drake, whom he calls his favorite rapper, but stressed that Kendrick's team cut off communication, limiting his ability to cover Lamar fairly. He also provided mixed reviews of Lamar's concert audience, noting some inconsistency in his earlier comments about ticket sales. Meanwhile, Kendrick Lamar is extending his tour to Australia, where he will perform solo without SZA. Despite the tensions, Lamar and Dave Free recently won awards at the 2025 BET ceremony, highlighting their continued success amid the feud.