Drake Says He Wrote His Giannis Antetokounmpo Lyric After Seeing A Viral Tweet

The lyrics on Drake’s new album Certified Lover Boy have sparked much discussion as fans have tried to decode subliminal lines aimed at rivals like Kanye West and Swizz Beatz, but according to the rapper himself, his lyrics about Giannis Antetokounmpo were inspired by a viral tweet.

While the widely discussed “7AM On Bridle Path” was noted for bars aimed at Kanye, the Toronto rapper also name drops the reigning NBA champion and two-time MVP:

Don’t move like a puto
Could at least keep it a buck like Antetokounmpo

Back in July—after Giannis led the Bucks to a championship—a Twitter user joked about Drake finding a way to work his name into a rhyme.

After CLB dropped, ESPN posted the tweet and lyric on their Instagram, only for Drake to hop into the comments and write, “Only did it cause of this tweet.”

Drake and Antetokounmpo actually have some history. Back in 2019, the OVO rapper was a constant presence on the sidelines during his Toronto Raptors championship run. When the Raptors faced off with the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals, Drake would troll Giannis as he struggled at the free-throw line.

In the past, Drake also dropped bars inspired by the time he spent hanging out with NBA stars like Draymond Green and Steph Curry.

Drake isn’t the only rapper who’s been working Antetokounmpo’s name into his lyrics since the Bucks won the championship. On the DONDA cut “Junya,” Kanye West rapped:

Let me be honest (Mmh, mmh)
I won with the bucks, boy
Let me Giannis (Mmh, mmh)

Giannis Antetokounmpo may not be the easiest name to pronounce, that certainly won’t stop rappers like Drake and Kanye from finding ways to namedrop him.

Read all the lyrics to Drake’s “7AM On Bridle Path” on Genius now.