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Simone Joyner/Contributor via Getty Images and Cassidy Sparrow/Contributor via Getty Images
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Drake and Rob Markman
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Key Takeaways:
- An old interview clip of Rob Markman and Tory Lanez resurfaced, showing Markman fumbling a Lil Wayne lyric.
- Drake reacted by calling Markman a “goof,” which led to a quick clapback referencing Drake’s lawsuit.
- The moment sparked a sizable response and led to a YouTube video from Markman detailing the Lanez sit-down.
Hip Hop journalist and host Rob Markman recently responded after Drake mentioned him in an Instagram post.
The back-and-forth began on Saturday (Aug. 23), when a video clip of a past interview between Markman and Tory Lanez resurfaced. In the clip, Lanez recited a Lil Wayne verse, while Markman stumbled attempting to finish the lyric himself. Drake popped into the comments, referring to Markman as a “goof” before adding “free Tory.”
It didn’t take long before Markman (an artist himself) caught wind of the diss. He replied, “But if I start calling you names, [you’re] gonna sue.” Presumably, his comment was a direct reference to Drake’s ongoing lawsuit against Universal Music Group.
On Monday (Aug. 25), Markman added more context via his YouTube page. He explained the Lanez conversation was from a 2019 episode of “For the Record,” where he regularly asked guests to rap their favorite verses. The segment was designed to be a lighthearted “fan moment,” and Markman admitted he simply “fumbled it.” He also described both Drake’s comment and his own reply as jokes.
Other members of the music media community shared their thoughts on X following the exchange. Rap journalist and personality Lowkey tweeted, “YOU might wanna leave Rob alone…” Bootleg Kev added, “Drake s**tting on Rob Markman but embracing Adin Ross and Bobbie Althoff is the most on brand s**t for him in 2025.”
“The Bigger Picture” host Jeremy Hecht also defended Markman’s reputation in covering rap battles. “Rob Markman has been one of the most fair people to cover the battle and has so much more integrity than most people in media,” he wrote. “There are plenty of ‘goofs’ Drake has aligned himself with simply because they blindly follow everything he does. Rob is just not that.”
Prior to this exchange, one user pointed out a past jab from Drake at Markman amid his battle against Pusha T. In a livestream screenshot, the Canadian star stated, “Play ‘Story of Adidon’ right now and see if it rings off. I promise the only person that’s gonna know the words is Rob Markman.” In that same tweet, a clip resurfaced of Markman claiming a member of OVO had reached out for support during Drizzy’s highly contested war on wax with Kendrick Lamar.
