CNN Likens Drake To A “Karen” While Discussing UMG Legal Battle
Drake stock is at an all time low in terms of public opinion. The hip hop world has all but rejected him after he announced plans to sue UMG and Spotify. The rapper alleges that the two companies worked in tandem to boost the streams of Kendrick Lamar‘s diss record, “Not Like Us.” Drake supporters have tried to rationalize this legal action, but the bulk of hip hop fans have effectively dubbed him a hypocrite and a whiner. It got worse on Monday, December 2. CNN aired coverage of the rapper’s legal battle, and their anchors proceeded to dig into him as well.
CNN played footage from the “Not Like Us” music video. As the video package transitioned to the lead anchor, the network’s take on the situation became clear. The anchor, like so many people online, feels that Drake is being overly sensitive about losing the Lamar battle. “This may be the hip hop equivalent of asking to speak with a manager.” The notion of speaking with a manager is a joke that’s tied to the Karen meme that has taken off in the last decade. The CNN anchor didn’t say the name “Karen,” but in posing Drake as someone who asks for a manager, he’s indirectly making the parallel.
CNN Panelist Mocked Drake’s Decision To Sue His Label
This is not the first time a TV analyst has mocked Drake’s legal situation. Last week, Kendrick Lamar’s smash single “TV Off” played during the commercial break for TNT’s Inside the NBA. When the show returned, guest panelist Jalen Rose commented on the song choice. He alluded to the fact that Drake plans to sue over a Kendrick Lamar song, and quipped that TNT should try to avoid further legal action. “I don’t know if y’all should be playing that Kendrick,” Rose noted. “Y’all gonna get a lawsuit up here.” The same day the CNN clip aired, Drake was made Donkey of the Day by Charlamagne Tha God on the radio show The Breakfast Club.
“Stop acting like you haven’t been the beneficiary of record label tricknology,” Charlamagne asserted. “You being a whole h*e simply because you lost. Simply because Kendrick Lamar kicked yo a* lyrically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. And anybody acting like this is anything more than Drake’s feelings being hurt, you a he, too. An OV-He to be exact.” Drake’s case against UMG has been yet to formally launched, but it’s clear he has been deemed the guilty party in the court of public opinion. Tough.
About The Author
Elias Andrews is a music and entertainment writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH in 2024 as the lead night shift contributor, which means he covers new music releases on a weekly basis.
In the year since joining, Elias has covered some of the biggest and most turbulent stories in the world of music. He covered the Drake and Kendrick Lamar battle, and the release of the disses “Family Matters” and “Meet the Grahams,” in particular, in real time. He has also detailed the ongoing list of allegations and criminal charges made against Diddy.
Elias’ favorite artists are Andre 3000, MF Doom, pre-808s Kanye West and Tyler, The Creator. He loves L.A. hip-hop but not L.A. sports teams. The first album he ever bought was Big Willie Style by Will Smith, which he maintains is still a pretty good listen.
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