Leaked Drake track appears to diss Kendrick, LeBron

Drake’s unreleased song “1 A.M. in Albany” appeared online on May 13, two days before the scheduled release of his album “Iceman,” and quickly prompted a new round of scrutiny over whether he was reviving old feuds. USA Today’s For The Win said the track appeared to include a fresh shot at Kendrick Lamar, while Yahoo Sports and other outlets said the lyrics also seemed to target LeBron James. The leak landed against the backdrop of Drake’s 2024 battle with Lamar, which produced multiple diss records and helped turn Lamar’s “Not Like Us” into a defining hit of that exchange. USA Today’s earlier recap of the feud said the clash escalated through a rapid series of songs and public responses last year. (ftw.usatoday.com) ### What exactly surfaced on May 13? “1 A.M. in Albany” was described by USA Today and other entertainment outlets as a leaked Drake track that appeared online on Wednesday, May 13, ahead of “Iceman.” The reports treated the song as unofficially released, not part of a formal streaming rollout. (ftw.usatoday.com) Friday, May 15, is the date several reports tied to “Iceman,” including coverage that described the leak as arriving just before the album’s release. That timing gave the song immediate attention because listeners were already watching for Drake’s next full project. ### Why are people saying Kendrick Lamar is in the song? (ftw.usatoday.com) USA Today said the leaked record contained lines that listeners took as a new diss aimed at Lamar, though the outlet also noted uncertainty over whether the feud had fully reignited. The report framed the song as an apparent continuation of Drake’s long-running conflict with the Compton rapper rather than a confirmed new exchange from both sides. (msn.com) Kendrick Lamar has not, based on the reports reviewed here, publicly responded to the leaked track. USA Today separately reported in April that online rumors about Lamar releasing a same-day counterproject called “Fireman” were unfounded. ### How did LeBron James get pulled into this? (ftw.usatoday.com) Yahoo Sports reported that one line in the leaked song was widely read as a jab at LeBron James, linking the lyric to James’ visible support for Lamar during the earlier Drake-Lamar fallout. The outlet said the track helped fuel renewed conversation about whether Drake’s relationship with the Los Angeles Lakers star had cooled. (ftw.usatoday.com) A 2025 USA Today report had already described signs of distance between Drake and James after years of public friendship, citing James’ presence around Lamar’s orbit during the 2024 feud. The new lyric drew attention because it appeared to build on that existing narrative rather than introduce a brand-new dispute from scratch. (sports.yahoo.com) ### What is the tattoo story people keep mentioning? Yahoo Entertainment reported on May 14 that Drake had replaced a tattoo tied to LeBron James with one referencing NBA star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. That report circulated alongside the leaked song and gave fans another concrete detail to connect to the apparent tension. (ftw.usatoday.com) The tattoo change itself was not new to every fan discussion, but Yahoo’s May 14 article tied it directly back into the current moment around “1 A.M. in Albany.” In the absence of a direct statement from Drake or James in the reviewed reports, the tattoo has been treated by outlets as part of the broader public speculation. (yahoo.com) ### Was J. Cole mentioned too? Several entertainment reports, including The Source and other music sites surfaced in search results, said listeners also interpreted lines in the track as shots at J. Cole. The most widely matched mainstream reports in this review focused more heavily on Lamar and James than on Cole. (yahoo.com) That distinction matters because the strongest verified reporting available here centered on two questions: whether Drake was again addressing Lamar, and whether he had now broadened the target list to James. Coverage mentioning Cole was more common in secondary entertainment write-ups than in the most prominent mainstream summaries reviewed. (thesource.com) ### What comes next on Friday? May 15 is the date multiple outlets said “Iceman” is due to arrive, making the official album release the next clear milestone in the story. If the leaked song appears on the final tracklist, listeners will be able to compare the circulating version with any official release. (thesource.com) Drake had not, in the reports reviewed here, publicly offered a detailed explanation of the leak before the album’s scheduled Friday release. That leaves the next verified step with the album itself and any response from Lamar, James or other people named in the online discussion after May 15. (ftw.usatoday.com) (msn.com)