Drake appears to have taken aim at LeBron James on a leaked track from his upcoming ninth studio album, 'Iceman.' Dropping May 15, 2026, the album arrives after a dramatic rollout complete with ice sculptures and multi-episode livestreams. The Toronto rapper is never one to let a grudge collect dust, and the bars are anything but subtle.

On the leaked track '1 AM in Albany,' Drake takes direct aim at LeBron James over team loyalty. The song surfaced just two days before 'Iceman' officially drops. Its arrival adds even more chaos to a rollout already filled with melting ice sculptures and multi-episode livestream events.

"I shouldn't even be shocked to see you in that arena, because you always made your career off of switching teams up," Drake rapped.

He then added, "Please stop asking what's going on with 23 and me, I'm a real n****, and he's not, it's in my DNA," cementing the reference to James' iconic jersey number.

'1 AM in Albany' was not officially scheduled for early release. It surfaced on YouTube, TikTok, Reddit, and X on May 13–14, 2026, spreading through unreleased music accounts within hours. Earlier 'Iceman' leaks were traced to two crypto streamers known as Bagwork, who livestreamed themselves hearing Drake's unreleased tracks, frustrating the rapper enough to call out the situation publicly. This latest leak's source remains unconfirmed.

While Bagwork sparked Drake's fury earlier, the real question is what sparked his fury at James in the first place.

Drake and LeBron James' beef history explained

Drake and LeBron James shared a genuine friendship for over 15 years, dating back to around 2007. Drake had a James tattoo, shouted him out in 'Nonstop,' and attended his games courtside. The fracture occurred during the 2024 Kendrick Lamar rap feud, when James attended Lamar's The Pop Out concert in Los Angeles, visibly enjoying 'Not Like Us,' a track widely considered a victory lap over Drake.

Drake wasted no time signalling the fallout. He altered his 'Nonstop' lyrics to exclude James, replaced his tattoo, unfollowed James on Instagram, and took verbal jabs in his 'Fighting Irish' freestyle. James, for his part, acknowledged the distance briefly in a September 2025 interview on 360 with Speedy Morman but offered no dissent in return. As 'Iceman' prepares to land officially, Drake appears determined to keep the record straight, one bar at a time.

What are your thoughts on Drake dissing LeBron James on the leaked 'Iceman' track? Let us know in the comments.

Written by

Shraddha Priyadarshi