American rapper A$AP Rocky has spoken openly about his long-rumoured fallout with fellow hip-hop star Drake, confirming that while there is no active feud, their friendship has ended.
Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, addressed the issue during an interview with Apple Music’s Ebro Darden on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, while discussing his new album, ‘Don’t Be Dumb’.
According to the Harlem rapper, the tension between them is rooted in personal issues, especially involving women, noting that both artists were once close but have since drifted apart.
He said, “There’s no real smoke, but I just don’t mess with him. We were once friends, and I feel like it ended over women.”
Rocky added that he finds it unnecessary and immature for Drake to continue making comments he believes are aimed at Rihanna, his longtime partner and the mother of his children.
“At a certain point, when people are getting older, you’re supposed to move on. Still taking shots at a woman — that’s soft to me,” he said.
The interview followed online speculation that Rocky was taking shots at Drake on ‘Don’t Be Dumb’, his fourth studio album, released after nearly a decade-long break. The two rappers previously shared a working relationship, with Rocky supporting Drake on the 2012 Club Paradise Tour and collaborating on the hit song Fuckin’ Problems alongside 2 Chainz.
During the interview, Rocky compared rap rivalries to staged wrestling drama but insisted that his situation with Drake was not serious beef.
“I just don’t fuck with him,” he said. “We was once friends. I feel like it’s over females. I feel like he wasn’t happy and he expressed that.”
Rocky also suggested that age and maturity should have ended the tension long ago, stressing that the industry has enough success, money and fame for everyone.
“We not really tripping off nothing, but is it real smoke? It could never be,” he added.
On ‘Don’t Be Dumb’, Rocky appears to take direct shots at Drake on the track ‘Stole Ya Flow’, a song that also drew attention online after Rihanna showed support for it on Instagram.
Rapping on the song, Rocky said, “First you stole my flow, so I stole your bitch,” followed by, “Throwing dirt on Rocky name, turn around and copy game.”
In a separate interview on The New York Times Popcast, Rocky all but confirmed that the song was aimed at Drake.
“I think we all know [who I’m talking about],” he said. When asked if the internet would likely point to Drake, Rocky simply replied, “Yeah.”
However, he later added that the track was for “whoever thinks it’s about them,” maintaining a slightly vague stance.
Rocky also claimed that the issues began when people he considered friends became unhappy with his progress and started sending subtle shots.
“I just started seeing people who started out as friends become foes,” he said. “It seemed like they were unhappy for me and started sending shots.”
He ruled out any need for reconciliation, saying, “It don’t even need to be resolved. For what?”
The renewed attention comes after Drake appeared to reference both Rocky and Rihanna on his 2023 album For All the Dogs, particularly on the song ‘Fear of Heights’, where fans believe he made veiled comments about their relationship.
Those lyrics later sparked a series of musical exchanges across songs involving Drake, Rocky and other artistes, reigniting public debate about the true state of their relationship.
Rocky’s latest comments have now confirmed that while there may be no open war, the friendship between both rap stars is firmly in the past.
