Retreat is a part of war.
As such, Drake took some time off to see who was really on his side and realized that those who he believed were friends were silent when he needed them most.
On May 15, Drake dropped the longly awaited Iceman along with two more complete standalone and unsuspecting albums: Habibti and Maid of Honour. But it was on the Iceman track “Make Them Pay” that the Canadian MC took shots at the most famous Palestinian in Hip-Hop.
“Khaled you know what I mean, the beef was fully live you went halal and got on your deen. Your people are still waiting for a ‘Free Palestine’ but apparently everything isn’t black and white and red and green,” referring to the colors in the Palestinian flag. It was a stunning blow considering Khaled has been eerily silent on the destruction of Palestine by Israel. That silence carried over during Drake’s fight with Kendrick Lamar. A longtime collaborator with Drake, Khaled literally offered no comments during the rap battle, and Drake didn’t just notice; he took note.
While Drake’s been silent on many political matters, he did sign a petition in 2023 calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. That detail makes the line feel less like random trolling and more like Drake publicly questioning where Khaled stands when the stakes are high. For years, Khaled has proudly centered his Palestinian identity in interviews, music and social media branding, making Drake’s criticism hit even harder.
The bars also continue a theme that has followed Drake since his battle with Kendrick: loyalty. Throughout the feud, Drake appeared increasingly aware of who spoke up for him, who stayed neutral, and who quietly disappeared when the pressure intensified. “Make Them Pay” sounds like another chapter in that reckoning, with Khaled now added to a growing list of people Drake believes folded when things got uncomfortable.
