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Rb Hip Hop

Xzibit on Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Pedophile’ Lyric About Drake: ‘This Is Not a Testimony or a Deposition’

"This is a rap battle," X contested.

Xzibit stands on the sidelines prior to halftime of an NFC Wild Card game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Rams, at State Farm Stadium on January 13, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona.

Xzibit stands on the sidelines prior to halftime of an NFC Wild Card game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Rams, at State Farm Stadium on January 13, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona.

Brooke Sutton/Getty Images

Much has been made of the Drake and Kendrick Lamar feud of 2024, and Xzibit has chimed in with some thoughts on the historic battle, as well as what’s fair when embroiled in a rap beef.

The West Coast rapper joined Bill Maher’s Club Random Podcast earlier this week, and X made it clear he’s backing Lamar in the feud.


“What you’re seeing and why people are celebrating it so much is that this big, huge machine and this so-called rapper from Compton,” he said. “Yes, he has success, but he’s not as big as his [Drake].”

Maher was focused on getting Xzibit’s thoughts on Lamar calling Drake a “pedophile” on his Grammy-winning anthem “Not Like Us” and performing the track during his Super Bowl Halftime Show.

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“This is a rap battle,” X pleaded. “This is not a testimony or deposition. This is a f—ing rap battle. I’m going to talk about your mama, your daddy, your children, your grandma’s wooden leg, your missing teeth. It’s all a game.”

However, Xzibit appears to say that if the pedophile allegations made in “Not Like Us” were true, there would be cases and lawsuits against Drake tied up in the court system.

“But I never saw anything that proved he was a pedophile. There’s been no court, there’s been nobody brought any cases against him,” X added. “If there was something weird going on, then there would definitely be people that would come forward and testify, and then people would be charged for that.”

Maher didn’t understand where the allegations against Drake stemmed from, and Xzibit pointed to the “Hotline Bling” artist’s friendship with actress Millie Bobby Brown.

“But when you’re playing the dozens, and I give you one that hurts your feelings, don’t be the guy who wants to fight because I got a good joke,” Xzibit said, defending Lamar.

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But it seems the Pimp My Ride alum isn’t supporting Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group over “Not Like Us.” (The label has denied the allegations made by Drake, slammed the suit as “illogical” and “frivolous.”)

“But he’s basically saying that you did something for someone else that you used to do for me, and here’s how I know,” X stated. “And I’m blowing a whistle now — but that’s not true. Like, the world loves that song.”

Drake reached a settlement with iHeartMedia over an airplay dispute surrounding “Not Like Us” earlier this week. Drizzy had alleged that iHeartMedia received illegal payments from Universal Music Group to boost the Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit’s airplay.

Watch the full interview with Xzibit below.

This article was originally published by Billboard U.S.
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Michael Jackson performs in concert circa 1988.
Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Michael Jackson performs in concert circa 1988.

Chart Beat

Michael Jackson Shatters His Best Streaming Week Total After Biopic Release, as Catalogue Floods Charts

The late icon more than doubles his previous best total, as Thriller and "Billie Jean" lead his albums and songs' returns.

Confirming projections reported in late April, Michael Jackson obliterates his personal-best domestic streaming week following the release of the Michael biopic. The King of Pop’s solo song catalogue registered a collective 137.5 million official on-demand streams for the week of April 24-30 in the United States, according to Luminate, up 146% and more than doubling his previous career high.

Before his nine-digit streaming haul, Jackson’s solo catalogue achieved a new personal benchmark last week at 55.9 million song clicks. Prior to the Michael era, the late icon, who died in 2009, recorded a high of 53.7 million for the week of Oct. 25-31, 2019, spurred by the now-annual Halloween resurgence for “Thriller.”

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