Canadian rapper Drake released three new albums on May 14, 2025: Iceman, Habibti, and Maid of Honour. The releases, comprising 43 new tracks, follow a highly publicized feud with Kendrick Lamar that began in spring 2024.
Album Details
Each album reportedly adopts a distinct musical style:
- Iceman: A rap-focused album with heavy beats
- Habibti: R&B and acoustic tracks centered on personal themes
- Maid of Honour: A club-oriented record incorporating house and electro influences
Production credits include Noah "40" Shebib, Overkst, and OK. The albums feature appearances by Future and Molly Santana.
Background
The albums were announced during a livestream preview. Their release follows a widely reported rap conflict between Drake and Kendrick Lamar in spring 2024.
That dispute culminated in Lamar's diss track "Not Like Us," which later won Record and Song of the Year at the 2025 Grammy Awards and was performed at the Super Bowl halftime show.
Following the feud, Drake filed a defamation lawsuit against his shared label, Universal Music Group (UMG). The lawsuit, filed in January 2025, alleged that UMG CEO Lucian Grainge was involved in promoting "Not Like Us" to harm Drake's reputation. The suit was dismissed; an appeal is pending.
According to public commentary, Drake has not had a multi-week No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 since 2018's "Nice for What," "God's Plan," and "In My Feelings." Since the feud, his songs "Nokia" and "What Did I Miss?" peaked at No. 2. Spotify ranked Drake the third-most streamed artist globally as of one month prior to the album's release.
Lyrical Content
Several tracks on Iceman address Drake's conflicts with other artists and public figures.
Kendrick Lamar
On "Make Them Pay," Drake responds to Lamar's line "Motherfuck the Big Three, nigga, it's just big me" and references alleged streaming count inflation. On "Janice STFU," Drake states that Lamar's appeal to white listeners is based on guilt. The track "Ran to Atlanta" borrows a line from Lamar's "Not Like Us." On "Make Them Remember," Drake criticizes Lamar's album GNX and references the removal of Lamar's songs from streaming platforms.
Lucian Grainge
On "B's on the Table," Drake raps, "I'm fighting the man, not suing a rapper," referencing his January 2025 lawsuit against UMG. The suit had alleged that Grainge was involved in promoting Lamar's "Not Like Us."
Other Individuals
On various tracks, Drake criticizes:
- A$AP Rocky and Rihanna: On "Burning Bridges," Drake references Rocky's relationship with Rihanna, stating "Your baby momma ain't even post a single"
- DJ Khaled: On "Make Them Pay," Drake criticizes Khaled for not speaking on the Gaza conflict. Drake noted his own signing of a ceasefire petition in October 2023
- LeBron James: On "Make Them Remember," Drake references James attending a Kendrick Lamar concert and criticizes his team-switching
- Playboi Carti: On "Whisper My Name," Drake questions Carti's street credibility and references a track from Carti's album MUSIC
- Pusha T: On "Make Them Pay" and "2 Hard 4 The Radio," Drake references his ownership of Pharrell Williams' jewelry and alludes to Pusha T's alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein
- Rick Ross, J. Cole, and others: Criticisms appear across the album
Commercial Context
Commentators have described Iceman as a pivotal release for Drake's commercial and reputational standing. Some observers noted that Drake's 2021 album Certified Lover Boy marked a turning point with fewer hit singles and less critical acclaim. Others suggested that the album's featured artists would indicate Drake's continued industry influence following the feud.