Akademiks and DJ Vlad are clapping back after G Herbo‘s request that they donate $100,000 to Chicago youth organizations, saying that they find the ask hypocritical.
Last month, the rapper was a guest on web series The Adam Friedland Show where he challenged Ak and Vlad to donate money to a nonprofit organization in his hometown that focuses on “the betterment of kids.”
Friedland accused both media personalties, both of whom were ranked in Complex’s 2025 Hip-Hop Media Power list, as people who have “made careers” off of exploiting Chicago rappers and violent neighborhoods in the city.
Around the 17-minute mark of the below, Ak claimed that the conversation was mostly “aimed” at him but that Herbo and Friedland “lumped” him and Vlad together.
“I have donated money to organizations from Chicago before, but this is like a new iteration of a call to action saying basically we need to give back to Chicago because we profited off of them,” Ak told Vlad.
Vlad claimed that Friedland instigated Herbo into responding the way he did, calling the comedian a “Jewish kid who probably got beat up” and is “trying to be tough” after building his platform.
Ak then alleged that he had a picture of Friedland in blackface, showing the image to Vlad, who then turned it to the camera.
“Why are you even interviewing with this dude? This dude is a racist,” Vlad said.
Ak went on to say that Herbo was “baited” into the conversation and said that he was no longer “in the apologetic mode anymore.”
“I always told people I could’ve did The War in Chiraq better,” Ak said about his past vlog series.
“Being I’ve done this media thing now for 15 years … With my experience at this point, I would have done it very differently,” he continued. “I would have had a lot more empathy. I would’ve did it satirically and I would have given a lot more different POVs with understanding the victims and the people who are being affected.”
Ak added that although he’s tried to “bridge discussions” and “give back,” he’s learned that “you can never do enough.”
Both men agreed that they didn’t build their careers by covering Chicago, and Ak called Herbo a hypocrite for his past misdeeds.
“You can’t rob innocent grandmas,” Ak said. “Y’all stole their credit cards, ran up a $1.5 million tab, went on vacation, bought designer puppies, $40,000 puppies. You and your whole crew, y’all got indicted by the DOJ. Y’all got indicted for fraud and scamming innocent people. You were ordered to pay back $140,000.”
Last year, Herbo pleaded guilty to wire fraud and lying to federal agents, landing him three years of probation and an order to pay restitution.
“Well, if we’re talking about giving back, you’re talking about giving back because you feel we should be charitable,” Ak concluded. “You should give back what you stole.”
Elsewhere in the conversation, Vlad said that people don’t know what he’s done charitably “behind the scenes.” Ak interjected and said that rappers like Herbo “don’t give a fuck unless you do something for them.”
Friedland previously said that that if Ak doesn’t fulfill the challenge to donate $100,000, he’s a “bitch.”
