Drake’s ICEMAN era is already starting with noise before the album has even arrived.

The Toronto rapper is set to release his ninth studio album, ICEMAN, on Friday, May 15, and a newly surfaced song called “1 AM in Albany” has pushed the rollout straight into controversy. The track reportedly leaked online Wednesday evening, just as fans were already waiting to see how Drake would return after one of the most public rap battles of his career.

Much of the conversation is focused on the names people believe Drake is addressing. On the track, he appears to take aim at Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, LeBron James and Joe Budden, turning the leak into another round of internet decoding before ICEMAN officially drops.

The LeBron James line has caught the most attention because of the history between the two. Drake seemingly references LeBron’s career moves from Cleveland to Miami, back to Cleveland, and then to the Los Angeles Lakers, while also suggesting that their relationship has changed. The apparent shot comes after years of public friendship between the rapper and the NBA star.

That friendship had already been under scrutiny after LeBron attended Kendrick Lamar’s The Pop Out concert in Los Angeles in 2024 and was seen enjoying “Not Like Us,” Kendrick’s diss track aimed at Drake. Last year, LeBron also addressed where things stood with Drake, saying they were in “different places” but that there was “always love.”

Drake also appears to reference J. Cole, with listeners reading one line as a nod to Cole stepping away from the 2024 Kendrick feud after briefly entering it. One line comparing someone to Muggsy Bogues is being interpreted online as a height joke aimed at Kendrick, continuing the personal tone that defined much of last year’s battle.

Joe Budden may have been pulled into the track as well. Drake appears to reference Budden’s personal life in a set of bars that quickly spread online, and Budden has already seemingly responded to the alleged diss.

The timing of the leak is what makes it even bigger. ICEMAN is Drake’s first solo studio album since For All the Dogs in 2023, and it arrives after a long stretch where his rivalry with Kendrick reshaped the conversation around both artists.

For now, it is still unclear whether “1 AM in Albany” will appear on the official album or if it is simply a leaked loosie tied to the rollout.