Drake ended a decade-long partnership with his booking agent amid fallout from the Kendrick Lamar feud and the success of “Not Like Us.”
Drake has severed professional ties with his longtime booking agent in a move that appears directly connected to his explosive feud with Kendrick Lamar.
The Toronto superstar quietly ended his working relationship with Brent Smith at Wasserman Music earlier this year. The split comes after more than a decade of collaboration between the two, dating back to their time at WME before Smith transitioned to Wasserman Music in 2020.
According to Billboard, the separation stems largely from fallout over last year’s bitter rap battle with Kendrick Lamar, particularly following the massive success of Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us,” which dominated the Billboard Hot 100.
The Drake-Kendrick rivalry dates back over a decade but reached its peak intensity in 2024.
The conflict began simmering again when Lamar appeared on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That” in March of that year, taking subtle shots at Drake and J. Cole. Drake responded with “Push Ups” in April, directly targeting Lamar with aggressive bars.
Lamar then unleashed a devastating one-two punch with “Euphoria” and “6:16 in LA” before their conflict escalated dramatically when Lamar released “Not Like Us.” Drake attempted to counter with tracks like “Family Matters” and “The Heart Part 6,” but failed to match the cultural momentum Lamar had generated.
The Toronto artist’s responses were widely viewed as defensive rather than offensive, marking a rare public defeat for someone accustomed to dominating rap feuds. “Not Like Us” delivered devastating accusations against Drake, which resulted in litigation against Universal Music Group over the track’s lyrics, claiming they contained false and defamatory statements.
However, a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit last month and Drake’s attorneys have since filed an appeal.
The Canadian rapper will now be represented by Creative Artists Agency, as Drake reportedly prepares for a major 2026 tour through his exclusive global partnership with Live Nation.
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