s A debate has sparked on Instagram after two Toronto broadcasters at CHUM 104.5 discussed whether or not to give away concert tickets for Lamar and SZA’s upcoming joint tour at the Rogers Centre next June due to the hosts’ apparent loyalty to Toronto-based rapper Drake.
As we previously reported, Drake (a.k.a. Aubrey Graham) and Lamar have been feuding for years, but their beef has escalated this past year, with both rappers releasing back-and-forth diss tracks against each other.
On Sunday, radio personality Josie Dye noted in an Insta post “We’re Toronto broadcasters with Kendrick Lamar tickets to give away… but should we do it?”
Apparently not.
“We can’t do this,” Dye said in the clip, talking with her co-host Jamar McNeil. “As Toronto broadcasters, we cannot give away Kendrick Lamar tickets.”
McNeil noted that the Toronto concert will take place at the end of the tour on Father’s Day. “You know all those things Kendrick was saying about Drake not being a good father? It’s a statement, it’s a victory lap,” he said, later adding that “I probably wouldn’t have considered living in this city had it not been for the influence of Drake.”
Dye stated that Drake has “put Toronto on the map”, gushing that “Drake donates so much to this city that we don’t even know about. Helping communities, helping the Raptors, how about the All-Star game here to Toronto. He has done so much for Torontonians, and we are laughing in his face when we’re giving away Kendrick Lamar tickets,” she said before ripping up a piece of paper and declaring. “We’re done. I’m not giving them out.”
As much as they might appreciate the sentiment, quite a few of their listeners disagreed.
“You guys are going to bat for an artist that would never appear on your station. Its always good to rep your city and stand 10 toes down for it but the way a lot of notable voices in Toronto are moving to defend an artist is pretty corny , like he lost a beef y’all don’t need to act like sacrificial lambs show you devotion to him,” one user stated, questioning, “Are you on the OVO payroll? The weeknd is a great Toronto artist and has done a lot for the city in his own right, how come nobody had his back when drake was snaking him?”
Another user responded, “Of course you should. You’re a radio station. If your listeners want to go to the show, reward them. A radio station doesn’t need to inject itself into the middle of some feud between two artists.”
A few listeners agreed with the radio personalities, with one commenting “You are so right about Drake he has done so much for this City. Please don’t do it.” Another said “Love everything you said…you are speaking absolute facts! Stand in your power”
No word on whether the hosts were trolling, but CHUM is advertising the “Win with Josie & Jamar – Kendrick Lamar & SZA” ticket giveaway on its website. The contest will run until Dec. 13 and is open to all legal residents of Ontario who are of the age of majority.
