JAY-Z and Drake have mended their differences, thanks to veteran Hip Hop journalist Elliott Wilson.
- Elliott Wilson revealed he helped reestablish contact between the two rap icons.
- Drake and JAY-Z started off strong, collaborating on hits, but competition soon brewed.
- Their rivalry involved a series of lyrical shots and public comments.
- Ultimately, Wilson’s encouragement led to a reconciliation.
Elliott Wilson has unveiled how he played a pivotal role in bridging the gap between JAY-Z and Drake, two of Hip Hop’s biggest names, whose relationship had deteriorated in the mid-2010s.
During a recent episode of ‘The Bigger Picture,’ Wilson shared his efforts to get the two rappers to reconnect and sort out their differences.
“I got them back together, I got them to talk,” Wilson revealed, recalling a backstage reunion during Drake’s tour with Lil Wayne. Drake hugged Wilson and excitedly shared, ‘I spoke to Hov. We’re figuring it out.’
When asked about his role in the truce, Wilson joked, “I didn’t put the play together. Just encouraged them to talk to each other.”
The relationship between JAY-Z and Drake began on a high note with collaborations like ‘Off That’ and ‘Light Up,’ but soon turned competitive. In DJ Khaled’s 2011 hit ‘I’m On One,’ Drake rapped, ‘I’m just feeling like the throne is for the taking / Watch me take it.’
Drake downplayed it as a light jab, tweeting, ‘Hov diss? Hov of all people has not lost it…that’s god body flow.’ The two briefly reunited on ‘Pound Cake’ in 2013, but the peace didn’t last.
In a 2014 Rolling Stone interview, Drake remarked, ‘It’s like Hov can’t drop bars these days without at least four art references!’ This comment, which Drake thought was off the record, reignited tensions.
JAY-Z shot back in Jay Electronica’s ‘We Made It (Remix)’: ‘Sorry, Mrs. Drizzy, for so much art talk,’ he rapped, adding other cutting lines.
Drake retaliated with lines in ‘Draft Day’ and even taunted JAY-Z during an NBA playoff game. JAY-Z responded on DJ Khaled’s ‘They Don’t Love You No More,’ criticizing Drake with sports analogies.
After years of back-and-forth, the two finally reconciled and collaborated again on 2018’s ‘Talk Up.’ They’ve maintained good terms since, showing the power of communication encouraged by people like Wilson.
Elliott Wilson’s simple encouragement helped JAY-Z and Drake move past their differences and restore their friendship.
