DJ Akademiks: Kendrick called Elliott Wilson 'rat'

DJ Akademiks revived a 2024 Kendrick Lamar-Drake feud subplot on Tuesday by saying Kendrick Lamar called veteran music journalist Elliott Wilson a “rat” during the filming of the “Not Like Us” video, according to Music Times. The report said Akademiks made the claim during a recent livestream while discussing Wilson’s relationship with Drake. (musictimes.com) HotNewHipHop separately reported the same allegation on May 20, describing it as part of Akademiks’ commentary on Wilson’s role around the feud. The claim landed nearly two years after the original encounter was publicly discussed online. Earlier 2024 coverage from HipHopDX, HotNewHipHop and other outlets said Wilson himself described Kendrick greeting him at the “Not Like Us” shoot and calling him a “rat,” though those reports characterized it as a joking or needling remark tied to Drake’s suspicions during the feud. (musictimes.com) ### What exactly did Akademiks say this week? Music Times reported on May 19 that Akademiks said on stream: “All respect to my n***a Elliott Wilson. Him and Drake fell out ’cause he felt entitled to Drake giving him an interview. He went to the ‘Not Like Us’ video. Kendrick called him a rat straight to his face.” The outlet said Akademiks framed the moment as part of a broader breakdown in Wilson’s ties with Drake. (musictimes.com) HotNewHipHop’s May 20 item matched the core allegation, saying Akademiks argued Wilson did not get sympathy from Kendrick after tensions with Drake. That account did not add confirmation from Lamar or Wilson. (hiphopdx.com) ### Why is Elliott Wilson in this story at all? Elliott Wilson had already been pulled into the Drake-Kendrick fight in 2024. HipHopDX reported in June 2024 that Kendrick addressed Drake’s suggestion Wilson had been feeding him information, after Drake used “rat” language around Wilson during the battle. Wilson also publicly described an encounter at the “Not Like Us” video shoot at the time. HotNewHipHop and HipHopVR both reported that Wilson wrote Kendrick “dapped me up and whispered ‘you’re a rat,’” adding “I [heart] hip hop. ha! #compton,” which suggested Wilson presented the exchange as playful rather than a fresh accusation. (musictimes.com) ### Is this a new allegation or an old story resurfacing? (hotnewhiphop.com) The May 2026 story is a resurfacing of an older incident, not the first public mention of it. Music Times’ framing centered on Akademiks repeating the account now, which reignited online argument about who was aligned with whom during the Drake-Kendrick battle. (hiphopdx.com) A YouTube clip from HipHopDX’s “The Bigger Picture,” published in July 2024, also discussed what Kendrick said to Wilson at the “Not Like Us” shoot. That indicates the episode has circulated in hip-hop media before, even if Akademiks’ latest retelling gave it new traction. ### What can actually be verified from public reporting? The verifiable part is that multiple outlets reported Akademiks made the claim, and that earlier outlets reported Wilson himself had publicly referenced Kendrick calling him a “rat” at the shoot. (hotnewhiphop.com) The less certain part is tone and intent: Music Times and HotNewHipHop presented Akademiks’ version as a pointed slight, while 2024 reports on Wilson’s own post described the moment as joking. (musictimes.com) Music Times said that, as of its May 19 publication, Kendrick Lamar and Elliott Wilson had not commented to the outlet. No direct public response from either man appeared in the reporting surfaced here. (youtube.com) ### What happens next? The next concrete step is whether Kendrick Lamar, Elliott Wilson or DJ Akademiks addresses the clip directly in a new post, stream or interview. As of May 19, Music Times said it had no comment from Lamar or Wilson, and the current public record still rests on Akademiks’ retelling and Wilson’s earlier 2024 description of the encounter. (musictimes.com)