Drake & Future: Is It Strictly Business?

On March 22nd, 2024, a track was released that would send shockwaves throughout the hip-hop community, setting the stage for one of the biggest rap battles in recent history.

That track was ‘Like That’, taken from Future and Metro Boomin’s collaborative album 'WE DON’T TRUST YOU', featuring a surprise appearance from Kendrick Lamar. What initially appeared to be another major release from two of Atlanta’s biggest names quickly became something much bigger, as Kendrick delivered a verse that took direct aim at Drake and J. Cole, reigniting tensions that had been building beneath the surface for years.

While the rivalry between Kendrick Lamar and Drake was nothing new, ‘Like That’ proved to be the spark that turned years of subliminal exchanges into an all-out lyrical war. Kendrick’s dismissal of the so-called ‘Big Three’, a title previously referenced by J. Cole on his collaboration with Drake, ‘First Person Shooter’, made his intentions clear. But beyond the lyrics themselves, there was another aspect of the record that raised eyebrows across the industry.

Why was Future, one of Drake’s closest and most successful collaborators, seemingly taking a side against him? For years, Drake and Future had built a musical partnership that produced countless hits, memorable collaborations, plus an entire joint project that helped define an era of hip-hop. Their chemistry was undeniable, with both artists regularly appearing on each other’s records, seemingly maintaining a strong relationship both inside and outside the music industry. Yet here was Future, alongside Metro Boomin, providing the platform for Kendrick Lamar to deliver one of the most significant shots of Drake’s career. Whether intentional or not, the decision to feature Kendrick on the record appeared to signal that something had changed behind the scenes.

What followed was a period of public tension, speculation, fractured relationships, plus a rap battle that would dominate conversations across the music industry. But somewhere within the wider conflict between Drake and Kendrick was another story worth exploring: the breakdown of a friendship and musical partnership that had once seemed inseparable.

So what really happened between Drake and Future? Was their fallout the result of personal differences, industry politics or something that had been brewing long before ‘Like That’ was released? And how did two artists who appeared to find themselves on opposite sides of one of hip-hop’s biggest conflicts begin finding their way back towards making music together?

Long before their relationship became a talking point during the Kendrick Lamar feud, Drake and Future had established themselves as one of hip-hop’s most successful partnerships. Their chemistry was evident across a string of collaborations, from early records like ‘Tony Montana’ and ‘Where Ya At’ to major commercial hits including ‘Life Is Good’, which was certified 11× Platinum in the US in 2022, plus ‘WAIT FOR U’, featuring Tems, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 in the same year.

However, one of the defining moments of their partnership came in September 2015 with the release of their joint mixtape, 'What a Time to Be Alive'. Executive produced by Metro Boomin, the 11-track project brought together two artists at the height of their respective careers, delivering fan favourites including ‘Jumpman’, ‘Diamonds Dancing’ and ‘Big Rings’. The project debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, moving an impressive 375,000 equivalent album units in its opening week.

While collaborative rap projects were nothing new, 'What a Time to Be Alive' helped demonstrate just how commercially powerful they could be. Its surprise-style release, minimal promotion and immediate success reinforced the idea that two established artists could join forces without the traditional album rollout, yet still dominate the charts. More importantly, it cemented Drake and Future as a formidable duo whose contrasting styles complemented each other effortlessly. Their partnership continued to deliver hits for years afterwards, making the eventual breakdown of their relationship all the more surprising.

As the tension surrounding 'WE DON’T TRUST YOU' intensified, it became increasingly clear that Drake and Future’s relationship was no longer what it once was. The release of the project in April 2024 only added fuel to the speculation, with appearances from The Weeknd and A$AP Rocky, both of whom appeared to take shots at Drake.

Meanwhile, Drake addressed Future directly on his diss track ‘Family Matters’, expressing disappointment over their fractured relationship while suggesting Metro Boomin had played a role in their differences.

Despite rumours surrounding the reasons behind their fallout, neither artist publicly provided a definitive explanation for what had gone wrong. What was clear, however, was that one of hip-hop’s most celebrated partnerships had seemingly reached breaking point.

But as the dust began to settle on one of rap’s most talked-about conflicts, signs started to emerge that the relationship between Drake and Future might not have been beyond repair.

As the dust settled on the Drake and Kendrick Lamar feud, Future remained relatively quiet about his relationship with his former collaborator. Despite playing a significant role in the conflict through 'WE DON’T TRUST YOU', Future had largely avoided publicly addressing the situation, leaving fans to speculate about where the two artists stood. For a considerable period, there was little indication that Drake and Future would ever collaborate again. However, that silence eventually came to an end when the pair reunited musically on Drake’s 'ICEMAN' project, marking their first collaboration since the fallout.

The reunion was significant, particularly as the track referenced their return with the line, “Me and Hendrix back by popular demand.” It was an acknowledgement of the appetite fans still had for the duo, but it also raised an interesting question: had Drake and Future genuinely repaired their friendship, or were they simply putting their differences aside for the music? Adding to the speculation was the accompanying visual rollout. Despite Drake filming promotional videos for the project, the two artists were not pictured together in the visuals for their collaboration. While this doesn’t necessarily suggest any lingering tension, it left fans questioning whether their reunion extended beyond the recording studio.

That conversation has only grown following another collaboration, ‘Ya Hit’, alongside Travis Scott and Lil Shimmy. The record suggests that Drake and Future are once again comfortable sharing musical space, with Drake even introducing newer collaborators into the mix. However, promotional imagery surrounding the release has sparked further discussion. While Drake appeared close to Lil Shimmy, Sexyy Red and Travis Scott, Future was positioned noticeably further away, prompting some fans to question whether there is still a degree of distance between the former close collaborators.

From dominating the charts together to finding themselves on opposite sides of one of hip-hop’s biggest conflicts, Drake and Future’s relationship has certainly come full circle, at least musically. Their renewed collaborations suggest that whatever differences existed between them are no longer preventing the pair from making music together. But whether that translates into a genuine reconciliation away from the spotlight remains unclear. Perhaps both artists recognise the commercial success and undeniable chemistry they share. Perhaps time has allowed them to move beyond their differences.

Or perhaps their relationship has simply evolved into one built more around mutual respect and business than the friendship fans once believed they had. Ultimately, only Drake and Future know where their relationship truly stands.

But with the pair seemingly back by popular demand, one question remains: is this the return of one of hip-hop’s most iconic partnerships. or is it strictly business?