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After Verzuz relaunched at the 2025 Complex Con, the topic of which top artists would come out victorious in potential matchups has been rehashed. And when you think of top catalogs, two artists immediately come to mind. Drake and Ye, formerly known as Kanye West.
Akademiks Picks Ye Over Drake in Potential Verzuz
During a recent stream, hip-hop personality DJ Akademiks made some interesting comments concerning a potential matchup between the two music legends. Akademiks says that he gives Drizzy a slight edge over Ye.
“Nobody messes with Ye,” Akademiks said (via Kurrco/X). “I think Drake is just really tough, no matter where., I think he’s a top-five guy for Verzuz. Versatility, he could match whatever style, but he’s the hitmaker of hitmakers.”
Akademiks went on to say the reason that he gives Ye the edge over Drake is that West has more “generational” and “culture-defining” music.
“The only reason Drake isn’t number one is that– why I have Ye right over Drake for Verzuz, is that Ye has some culture-defining, sound-bending, generational songs that mean more than just ‘it’s a hit,” he concluded.
Akademiks says nobody touches Ye in a Verzuz 👀
— Kurrco (@Kurrco) February 9, 2026
"Why I have Ye right over Drake is that Ye has some culture-defining, sound-bending, generational songs that mean more than just 'it's a hit.'"
pic.twitter.com/qSavCXEZuh
Fans in the comments section of the social media post appeared to side with Akademiks.
“Akademiks finally sobered up enough to realize that Drake makes music for the charts, but Ye makes music for the history books,” one fan wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“The fact that I agree with this man for once scares tf outta me,” a second user added.
“Ye got hits for ages, bro. Hits that will resonate throughout generations. It will definitely be a tough call between Ye and Drake,” a third user chimed in.
A Verzuz between Drake and Ye is not something we will see for quite some time. The platform has mostly been used to highlight the catalogs of past artists. And Drake and Ye are both in their prime right now.
