Source: Michael Reaves / Getty
DeMar DeRozan was one of the many stars on stage at Kendrick Lamar‘s Juneteenth Pop Out concert and appeared in the video for “Not Like Us.”
The cameos were abundant for both moments, but DeRozan’s appearance certainly drew lines in the sand because of his friendship with Drake, which formed during his nine years as a Toronto Raptor.
Now, during a conversation with Fox 40‘s Sean Cunningham, the newly minted Sacramento King said he was in Kendrick’s video because of how close they are.
Asked DeMar DeRozan about his appearance in Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” video and if that signaled the end of playing Drake inside Golden 1 Center. pic.twitter.com/0cRtBImfQm
— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) July 9, 2024
“Kendrick been a friend of mine, family — damn near family, for a long time, for a while. We’re from the same city; we grew up damn near in the same neighborhood,” DeRozan said. “So it’s always been there. It hasn’t always been publicized, but, you know, that’s basically family.”
Cunningham went further, asking if the Kings Arena has banned Drake’s music from blaring through its speakers, and DeRozan waved off that the situation wasn’t that serious, adding, “We love Drake. We love Drake. We can always play him.”
This is a far cry from a 2021 interview on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay platform, in which he broke down how much the Raptors’ Global Ambassador’s friendship means to him.
DeMar DeRozan was in Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” music video
No matter what, when it comes to Drake, he’ll forever have a friend in me and loyalty out of me. He cared and was there for me when everything was going crazy — DeMar in 2021
pic.twitter.com/UMyCZduXZm
— DailyRapFacts (@DailyRapFacts) July 5, 2024
“No matter what, when it comes to Drake, he’ll forever have a friend in me and loyalty out of me,” he told Sharpe. “He cared and was there for me when everything was going crazy.”
He went on to say he used to feed off Drake’s energy when trash-talking opposing players and how he supported him when he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs.
Adding salt to the wound, when DeRozan was introduced to the crowd at the Kings’ Golden 1 Center, “Not Like Us” was playing in the background.
See how social media is reacting to DeRozan’s pledging his loyalty to Lamar over Drake below.
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