Kendrick Lamar launched some fireworks of his own this Fourth of July when he surprise dropped the music video for his viral Drake diss, “Not Like Us.” The music video, which comes two months after Lamar initially released the track, is filled with celebrity cameos, including one NBA star with a history in Toronto.
DeMar DeRozan, also known by the nickname, “DeRoz” (not to be confused with fellow NBA player Derrick Rose, “D-Rose”) shows up when Lamar raps the line, “I’m glad DeRoz came home, y’all didn’t deserve him neither.” His cameo, albeit short, sparked a lot of discussion among basketball fans who debate whether DeRozan’s appearance had the intended effect.
For those not as tuned in to the comings and goings of the NBA, DeRozan started his career playing college basketball for USC. While still in college, DeRozan entered the 2009 NBA draft and was picked by the Toronto Raptors. He would play for the team until 2018 when he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs, a move seen as controversial due to how popular and skilled he was as a player. DeRozan has spoken a bit about the trade, saying he felt betrayed and had thought he would play for the Raptors for his whole career.
What does this have to do with Drake? Drake became the global ambassador for the Raptors in 2013 while DeRozan was playing on the team and the rapper took his job seriously, consistently showing up and cheering courtside during games. DeRozan was seen as the Raptor’s star player and the two were close enough for Drake to send DeRozan a personalized goodbye message after his move to the Spurs.
“To my brother @demar_derozan I want to say 10 million thank you’s on behalf of YOUR city. You are a fixture in Toronto forever and you gave everything you had. Through your leadership we had the most exciting years in franchise history. I am grateful to have witnessed your combination of skill, persistence, and loyalty from the same seats every night. Thank you for being an incredible captain and an even better friend.”
It’s understandable how Toronto natives could see DeRozan’s taking Lemar’s side as a betrayal, but it’s not completely out of left field. Like Lemar, DeRozan grew up in Compton and recently hopped on stage during Lemar’s performance of “Not Like Us” at his Juneteenth “Pop Out” concert in Los Angeles. Up until this point, it seemed DeRozan and Toronto (and by extension, Drake) had nothing but love for one another after the trade. Time will tell if that relationship has soured but one thing’s for sure: Lemar’s having the time of his life.
