DJ Vlad is escalating his dispute with N.O.R.E., accusing the Drink Champs host of pressuring him to drink and questioning how the podcast has handled vulnerable guests.
DJ Vlad has added a more serious layer to his ongoing feud with N.O.R.E., claiming there is a “dark side” to Drink Champs that deserves scrutiny. According to Complex, Vlad said N.O.R.E. pressured him to consume alcohol when he was first invited onto the podcast in 2022, even after Vlad offered to drink soda and make it appear as though he was participating.
Vlad said he was uncomfortable drinking on camera and alleged that N.O.R.E. continued pushing the issue, framing participation as part of giving back to hip-hop. Despite initially declining the invitation, Vlad eventually appeared on Drink Champs in 2024, where he and N.O.R.E. publicly discussed the earlier disagreement and appeared to put it behind them.
The media personality has now broadened his criticism beyond his own experience. Vlad pointed to appearances by Lamar Odom, DMX and Kanye West while arguing that the show’s alcohol-centered format can create troubling situations, particularly when guests have publicly documented histories involving substance abuse or are discussing highly sensitive subjects.
His comments about Odom have some documented context: Odom’s 2020 Drink Champs appearance drew attention after he became visibly intoxicated and later had a tense exchange with N.O.R.E. Vlad also referenced Kanye West’s controversial 2022 appearance, which was removed after Ye made false statements about George Floyd’s death and antisemitic remarks. N.O.R.E. later apologized to Floyd’s family and acknowledged that the interview should have been handled differently.
The latest accusations arrive as Vlad and N.O.R.E.’s relationship has deteriorated publicly over an interview N.O.R.E. had agreed to do with VladTV. Vlad accused the Queens rapper of giving him the runaround after he had appeared on Drink Champs, while N.O.R.E. acknowledged changing his mind and accused Vlad of profiting from Black conflict and drama.
N.O.R.E. also called Vlad a “rat” while invoking Vlad’s past dispute with Rick Ross. That reference concerned a civil lawsuit Vlad filed after an alleged 2008 assault, a case that resulted in a $300,000 judgment in Vlad’s favor in 2010. Vlad has rejected N.O.R.E.’s characterization and, as the back-and-forth continues, the dispute has moved well beyond a missed interview into a broader argument over ethics, responsibility and influence in hip-hop media.
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