"There wouldn't be another Drake" - DeMar DeRozan criticizes 'sensitivity' surrounding Drake & Kendrick Lamar's beef
DeMar DeRozan might have sided with Kendrick Lamar during the Compton rapper's beef against Drake, but he still has respect for the Canadian artist. DeRozan praised "Drizzy" for all the things he has done in his career and that one loss to "K.Dot" won't tarnish his legacy.
"Deebo," on Jeff Teague's "520 Club" podcast, discussed the Drake-Kendrick. The Sacramento Kings swingman was critical of all the "sensitivity" surrounding the beef and praised Toronto native Drake for his cultural legacy.
"It's so easy to get caught up in the whole beef part of it and all that. But for us, it's just like it's bigger than that because if music could bring us together, it just shows you how powerful we are as people. "
"If we just put all the f*cking egos and all that sensitivity sh*t to the side, we really could come together and do something special," DeRozan said.
The six-time NBA All-Star added:
"You can't just never discredit like Drake. Drake is like f*cking Drake. I seen the from the beginning to where is it now.
"I don't think there wouldn't be another Drake. That's just what it is. At the end of the day, it just comes down to being that like both of them the big dogs of what they do."
DeMar DeRozan added that it's natural for two of the best rappers to clash at some point and there will be a loser. DeRozan thinks Kendrick Lamar won the beef but that it won't affect Drake's legacy or whatever he has built in his career.
The 35-year-old midrange scorer was born and raised in Compton. He was on stage when Kendrick performed "Not Like Us" during his Juneteenth concert. He was also in the song's official music video and was also close with Drake during his time with the Toronto Raptors from 2009 to 2018.
DeMar DeRozan considers Kendrick Lamar as family
DeMar DeRozan is finally home in California after signing a three-year contract with the Sacramento Kings. He spoke with Fox40's Sean Cunningham about his cameo on Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us" music video.
The Kings star explained that not many know that he's close with Lamar and considers him his family. They grew up close together in Compton although they took different career paths.
"Kendrick been a friend of mine, family. Damn near family, for a long time, for a while.
"We're from the same city. We grew up damn near in the same neighborhood. … It's always been there. It hasn't always been publicized, but, you know, that's basically family," DeRozan said. [H/T Billboard.com]
The Kings acquired DeRozan in a sign-and-trade deal involving the Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs. "Deebo" will team up with De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis to try and lead Sacramento back into the playoffs.