Rick Ross is not walking back his criticism of Drake’s ICEMAN anytime soon.
The rapper doubled down on his comments during a recent appearance on Patrick Bet-David’s podcast, where the conversation quickly moved from industry politics to Drake’s latest release. Asked whether he would place Drake on his level, Ross gave a direct answer: “No.” From there, he questioned how much commercial success really matters when public perception starts shifting.
“I can see it in your eyes, you might be confused with all of the numbers and all of the fake numbers flood the marketplace,” Ross said. “That sh*t ain’t nothing. Remember what I told you: the streets are the streets.”
Ross argued that if Drake was as untouchable as some fans believe, he would have already moved past the criticism surrounding him.
“If Drake was what he thought he was, what you think he was, or what he thought he was, he would’ve been able to clear all this sh*t up, address it, and been moved on,” he added. His comments arrive as Drake’s ICEMAN continues to draw mixed reactions following its release alongside Habibti and Maid of Honour.
Ross also brought up Drake’s legal dispute with UMG, suggesting the situation still hangs over the way people discuss the Toronto rapper. He joked that Drake could even sue someone for speaking about him in the wrong context, using the moment to frame Drake as overly defensive during a period where his public image remains under heavy debate.
When the discussion turned to the music itself, Ross did not soften his tone.
“I listened to some of it,” he said. “It was horrendous. My homies actually sat there. They lost an hour of their life for this sh*t.”
Asked if the album had any redeeming value, Ross gave one word: “Trauma.”
The Maybach Music Group boss said he could not finish the full project and pointed to the album’s critical reception as proof that he was not alone in his reaction. Pitchfork gave ICEMAN a 4.8 rating in its May 18 review, calling the project an unsuccessful attempt by Drake to “settle the score.”
Ross also revisited his earlier description of the album as “mid,” explaining that even that may have been generous.
“I said it was mid. Mid meant 5,” Ross said. “Pitchfork gave it a 4-point-something.”
The criticism adds another chapter to the ongoing tension between Ross and Drake, who were once collaborators before their relationship publicly deteriorated. Ross previously mocked Drake’s new music online after the triple-album drop, calling the projects “mid” and taking shots at Drake’s fanbase.