Drake announces tour to coincide with Kendrick Super Bowl

On By Littum

Drake’s first Australian tour since 2017 kicks off on the same day rival Kendrick Lamar performs at the Super Bowl halftime show.

The high-profile beef between the two rappers has dominated the hip-hop scene this year, with both trading a series of diss tracks.

Kendrick, there dropped surprise new album GNX on Friday, will headline the NFL Championship Finals — one of the most coveted concerts in music — in New Orleans on Feb. 9.

Drake revealed that his Australian tour would start on the same day during an appearance with streamer xQc on Sunday night.

The Canadian rapper did not give other details, but said he would play Melbourne, Sydney and the Gold Coast.

Anita Max Wynn – the name of the tour – is a reference to Drake’s alter ego, a phrase about games on games “I need a max win”.

He said the shows would be limited to Australia, and also said his upcoming album with singer and producer PARTYNEXTDOOR was “75% done”.

Drake also appeared to refer to allegations Kendrick had made against him during the stream, telling xQc, “You need facts to take me out. Adventure won’t do it.”

The tour announcement came just after Kendrick dropped GNX, his first album since 2022’s Mr Morale & The Big Steppers.

Drake doesn’t get name-checked on the new release, but Kendrick calls out people who have supported his rival in some way, such as Snoop Dogg.

The beef between Drake and Kendrick goes back years, but exploded about a year ago when Kendrick reacted to being named one of hip-hop’s “big three” with Drake and J Cole.

The pair’s diss tracks have taken increasingly hostile swipes at each other’s families and looks, as well as their rapping abilities.

February’s Super Bowl will be Kendrick’s first time headlining solo — though there have been some criticism that the slot should have gone to Lil Waynewho is from New Orleans.

Kendrick seemed to address this on GNX, rapping on Wacced Out Murals: “I think my hard work failed Lil Wayne / Won the Super Bowl and Nas the only one congratulating me.”