Former NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has found himself at the center of hip-hop’s biggest feud — and he’s apologizing for it.
Singh issued a public statement late Sunday night after being called a “goof” by Drake in a leaked Instagram DM. The comment came after Singh was spotted attending a Kendrick Lamar and SZA concert at Toronto’s Rogers Centre, amid the escalating Drake-Kendrick rap beef.
“I went for SZA, not Kendrick,” Singh wrote in a social media post. “I was born in this city. I love this city. But real talk, I get it. I shouldn’t have gone at all.”
Photos of Singh at the concert quickly circulated online and even made headlines in U.S. media, sparking backlash among Drake loyalists. While it’s unclear which night he attended, the timing was sensitive — Lamar’s Toronto tour dates were his first return since dropping ‘Not Like Us’, a viral diss track aimed directly at Drake.
During the show, Kendrick performed the track to roaring applause, with the crowd chanting “one more time.” The song, however, is now at the heart of a defamation lawsuit filed by Drake against Universal Music Group, alleging it falsely portrays him as a pedophile and jeopardizes his safety. The label has dismissed the claim as an unfounded attack on Lamar’s creative success.
Singh Picks a Side
In a follow-up post, Singh made his allegiances crystal clear.
“OVO and Drake have lifted this city and Canada. For me, it’ll always be Drake over Kendrick.”
The former politician’s apology adds a surprising twist to an already explosive cultural moment. Singh, known for his progressive politics and strong youth following, is now navigating the fallout of crossing into Toronto’s most personal music war — and pledging loyalty to Team Drake.
Whether his mea culpa smooths things over with fans (and with Drake) remains to be seen, but Singh’s final word so far is simple:
“I shouldn’t have gone.”