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2024 was a year that Drake would probably like to forget. And thus far, 2025 is not looking much better for the Canadian hip hop legend.
Drake’s feud with Kendrick Lamar remains the music industry’s top story, thanks in part to Kendrick’s Super Bowl halftime show.
(Which came just one week after Kendrick picked up five Grammys for his Drake-targeted diss track “Not Like Us.”)
The humiliation continued Sunday night, as Oscars host Conan O’Brien mentioned the drama in a joke that went too far in the eyes of some viewers.
Conan’s Drake joke receives a mixed reaction
“We’re halfway through the show, which means it’s time for Kendrick Lamar to come out and call Drake a pedophile,” Conan quipped at the ceremony’s midway point.
After a brief pause and a round of shocked laughter, the late night host added, “Don’t worry, I’m lawyered up.”
The crowd at the Dolby Theater seemed mostly in favor of the joke. But on social media, the reaction was far more negative.
“I guess pedophilia and molestation is now normalized and ok to joke about. Do y’all not see what is happening? If this was about anyone BUT Drake he would never be allowed at the Oscars again,” wrote one X (formerly Twitter) user.
“Diddy actually had victims, but let’s make a joke about Drake which were false accusations,” another chimed in.
Podcaster Van Lathan wrote simply, “This is wack.”
But as one user pointed out, Conan did not actually level any sort of allegations at Drake.
“It’s funny to see people freaking out that Conan called Drake a pedophile when instead he just referenced the thing that happened that everyone hasn’t shut the f–k up about for months,” this person wrote.
Yes, the Drake-Kendrick back-and-forth has been going on for months, and while we may not be accustomed to hearing pedophilia jokes at the Oscars, it’s important to note that Conan was just referencing recent events in the world of pop culture, not taking any shots at Drake.
Of course, there’s a good chance that last night’s joke might wind up getting cited as evidence soon.
Drake is currently suing Universal Music Group — which is his label as well as Kendrick’s — alleging that the company was complicit in pushing lies about his personal life (via Lamar’s music).
It’s too soon to say how that situation will play out. But one thing you can be sure of: The Drake vs. Kendrick feud is far from over.
Conan O’Brien Stuns Oscars Crowd With Joke About Drake Pedophilia Allegations was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.