Although 2024 was a relatively bad year for Drake, it’s indisputable that he’s one of rap’s biggest names and has been for at least a decade. Meanwhile, for much of that time, Rolling Loud has been the premiere hip-hop festival, expanding to eight countries and multiple events across the US with some of the biggest names in rap today. For reference, this year’s lineup will be headlined by ASAP Rocky, Playboi Carti, and Peso Pluma.
However, while Drake and Rolling Loud joining forces sounds like it should be a no-brainer, the star has apparently “ducked” the festival for the past seven years. According to the festival’s founder, Tariq Cherif (you can check out Uproxx’s interview with him here), Drake has actually turned down some pretty unusual offers, including one to have him headline all three nights of the festival. During an interview with Los Angeles radio personality Big Boy, the host asked Cherif if there were any white whales Rolling Loud hasn’t booked yet, and with no hesitation, Cherif answered, “I’ll say it, I don’t care. I feel like Drake’s ducking us.”
“I got no beef with Drake,” he clarified. “I like Drake, I feel like he’s a great artist. We’ve been trying to book him forever. We even offered Drake three nights of Drake… he’d be the headliner for three nights.” Cherif hints that another festival appears to be angling for the same deal, but shrugs it off.
It’s hard to see why Drake wouldn’t do Rolling Loud — especially after the year he’s had. If nothing else, it could get him back into the good graces of hardcore fans and begin repairing his damaged connection to the culture (more than appearing on livestreams with… questionable politics anyway). Perhaps it’s in the cards in the future, but for now, it sounds like Rolling Loud will continue to be a Drake-free zone — and had the chance to do the funniest thing ever with another artist they’ve yet to book.