In his first public appearance since Kendrick Lamar's Grammy sweep, Drake made a dramatic statement during the opening night of his Anita Max Win Tour in Australia, declaring that he remains undaunted despite recent events.
The Canadian rapper, 38, took center stage in Perth on Tuesday wearing a hoodie adorned with faux bullet holes and trailing smoke - a theatrical response to claims about his career's demise following Lamar's Grammy victories.
"My name is Drake. I started doing music in 2008," the rapper told the crowd. "I come all the way from Toronto, Canada. The year is now 2025, and no matter what, Drizzy Drake is very much alive and that's all thanks to you."
The performance came just two days after Lamar collected five Grammy awards, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year, for his Drake diss track "Not Like Us." The song, which spent 21 weeks atop Billboard's Hot Rap Songs chart, contained controversial allegations about Drake.
The ongoing feud between the two artists escalated in 2024 through a series of diss tracks, beginning after Drake referenced himself, Lamar, and J. Cole as rap's "big three" in the song "First Person Shooter."
Drake recently filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group regarding Lamar's track, claiming the label approved and promoted false accusations. UMG has denied these claims in a statement, highlighting their long-standing support of Drake's career.
While Drake hasn't directly addressed Lamar's Grammy wins, his theatrical tour opening appears to be his way of responding to speculation about his career's status. The Anita Max Win Tour continues through March with stops in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Auckland.