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Jeremy WillisESPN.com
At long last, Drake’s new album “Certified Lover Boy” has been released. With Drake’s ever-shifting sports fandom and ubiquitous presence at sporting events, the sports world has been buzzing since the album finally dropped around 1 a.m. ET Friday morning.
The album, originally expected to be released late last year, is Drake’s first full-length album since 2018’s “Scorpion.” NBA stars Kevin Durant and LeBron James were plenty hyped heading into the release.
In August, Drake released an athlete-laden video for the song “Laugh Now Cry Later” which was shot at Nike’s world headquarters and featured cameos from Durant, and NFL stars Odell Beckham Jr. and Marshawn Lynch. It also had Drake recreating LeBron’s iconic draft-night look.
That song is one of 21 tracks on the album which features Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, 21 Savage, Future, Ty Dolla Sign, Young Thug and Kid Cudi.
Actress and Food Network chef Ayesha Curry, the wife of Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, appears to get a mention in “Race My Mind.” Steph was there to tweet his applause.
Congrats Bro! https://t.co/DlxaG1mDJk
— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) September 3, 2021
Drake used a billboard in his native Toronto to tout Lil Wayne’s appearance on the album. Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady, never one to be left out of something happening on Twitter, used his own “billboard” to say he wasn’t on the album but offered his congratulations.
Lil Wayne on CLB pic.twitter.com/wo6LwMfGR6
— DJ Akademiks (@Akademiks) September 2, 2021
Feel kind of left out to be honest 😂 Congrats bro! @Drake 🐐 pic.twitter.com/yBiotfoSib
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) September 3, 2021
But it was Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young who took his appreciation for the album and escalated things.
Yo when we gonna say Drake has passed Hov ?🥴
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) September 3, 2021
With Jay-Z from New York, perhaps this is Young continuing his trolling of New York fans which began after the Hawks knocked the New York Knicks out of the NBA playoffs. Young quickly clarified.
I’m really not Hov always been #1 in my eyes , just saying.. y’all like debates🤷🏽♂️😂
They both 🐐’s https://t.co/Ocxj9JYBVz
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) September 3, 2021
Finally, Drake got a shout out from his hometown team, the Toronto Raptors, where Drake is a “global ambassador” and even got a ring when the Raptors won the NBA title.
.@Drake really don’t miss… #CLB pic.twitter.com/fMTFlAHTXY
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) September 3, 2021