DJ Khaled put Jay-Z at the top of his personal favorites during a recent fan interaction in Paris, while longtime collaborator Drake was notably absent from the names he gave.
DJ Khaled was stopped during a night out in Paris and asked about the rappers he rates most highly. In a TikTok clip shared by @mcseancortez, Khaled first identified Jay-Z as his favorite, then named several other rap legends while expanding on his answer.
When the conversation narrowed to a top-five-style list, Khaled named Jay-Z, The Notorious B.I.G., 2Pac, Nas and Rick Ross. Drake was not included, which drew attention because Khaled and the Toronto rapper have spent years building one of hip-hop’s most recognizable hit-making partnerships.
The moment comes after Drake addressed Khaled on “Make Them Pay” earlier this year, criticizing him over his public silence on Palestine. Khaled did not directly respond to Drake in the new Paris clip, and the ranking itself does not establish why any particular artist was or was not mentioned.
Khaled and Drake’s history includes major collaborations such as “I’m On One,” “No New Friends,” “For Free,” “POPSTAR” and “GREECE.” That catalog is why the omission quickly became part of the discussion around the clip after Complex highlighted the exchange.
There have also been public signs of distance between the longtime collaborators. Fat Joe said last month that he had tried to help repair whatever was happening between Khaled and Drake, while making clear that he remained close with both artists.
Neither Khaled nor Drake has publicly defined the current state of their relationship in detail. For now, the Paris video shows Khaled naming the rappers he wanted to highlight in that moment, with Drake’s absence adding another talking point to an already closely watched relationship.
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