Kanye West’s Shifting Allegiances: From Drake Inspiration to UMG Lawsuit Support

The ever-evolving dynamic between Kanye West (Ye) and Drake has taken another unexpected turn. In a series of recent pronouncements, Ye has not only admitted to drawing inspiration from Drake's music but also voiced strong support for Drake's ongoing lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG). This complex relationship, always a topic of intense speculation among hip-hop fans, is now further complicated by legal battles and shifting alliances.

During a livestream with Sneako, captured by Akademiks, Ye praised Drake's lawsuit against UMG over the Kendrick Lamar diss track "Not Like Us", calling it the ultimate "red pill" move. Ye sees Drake's legal action against UMG as a pivotal moment, inspiring him to consider similar legal options concerning his own coparenting situation with Kim Kardashian. "With this UMG, Drake, Kendrick situation... this is the biggest victory in music history right here," Ye exclaimed, expressing his newfound admiration for Drake's stance.

In a surprising confession during the same stream, Ye admitted to borrowing from Drake's signature style. "The thing about Drake’s music is he got sh*t that’s copies of what I do," West said, before acknowledging, "I’ll have copied a Drake flow a lot of times. I got sh*t that once Drake took over the algorithm was copies of Drake." This admission offers a rare glimpse into Ye's creative process and his acknowledgement of Drake's influence on his work.

Furthermore, Ye revealed past collaborations that never came to fruition. He mentioned that Drake was initially slated to be featured on both *Donda* and *Donda 2*, and there were even discussions about Ye contributing to Drake's *Honestly, Nevermind* album. These revelations shed light on the potential for even greater collaborations between the two artists, and hint at a collaborative dynamic that extends beyond what the public has seen.

Ye's support for Drake's UMG lawsuit extends beyond mere words. He's called on others, including Kendrick Lamar, to join the fight against perceived industry injustices. "Kendrick needs to be going at UMG at this point," Ye urged, signaling a potential united front against record label power structures.

The relationship between Drake and Ye has always been a subject of fascination. From collaborations like "Forever" and "Glow" to periods of public feuding, their connection has been marked by both creative synergy and personal conflict. Ye even wrote "Yikes" for his self-titled 2018 album, and produced "Feel No Ways" from Drake’s 2016 album *Views*, further solidifying their impact on each other’s careers.

Will this newfound alliance between Ye and Drake lead to future collaborations, both musical and legal? How will this impact the broader music industry landscape and the ongoing debate about artist rights and label control? Only time will tell. What do you think about Kanye West backing Drake and admitting to copying his music? Let us know in the comments below!

• Drake
• Kanye West
• UMG