“If I start calling you names you gonna sue”: Rob Markman hits back at Drake after the rapper dissed him on a resurfaced clip

Drake caught people's attention when he spoke about a video with Rob Markman, a well-known hip-hop writer. This brought up bigger questions about whom to trust, what's real, and who's responsible in the music business.

It all started with an old video of Tory Lanez that came back into the spotlight. In it, Lanez recited a Lil Wayne verse. Fans shared this video, seeing it as proof that Lanez knows rap lyrics well.

Rob Markman, who's famous for his work at Genius and for breaking down lyrics, tried to do the same thing. But he had trouble repeating the verse.

Drake jumped into the mix by replying to the video on social media. His comment called out Markman by name and brought up Lanez, who's now behind bars for shooting Megan Thee Stallion back in 2020.

“Of course this Goof Markman couldn’t finish the bar,” he wrote. “Free Tory.”

Rob Markman responded directly, leaving a comment that read,

“But if I start calling you names you gonna sue.”

He later shared a screenshot of the exchange on his Instagram Stories, adding only “SMH.”

Drake calls out Rob Markman and says Free Tory Lanez 👀

"Of course this goof markman couldn't finish the bar...free Tory" pic.twitter.com/OoupDCZLOf

— Kurrco (@Kurrco) August 25, 2025

Markman details OVO team’s approach during Kendrick-Drake feud

Rob Markman, with a career spanning years of interviews, analysis, and commentary, has often been positioned as a bridge between artists and audiences. Drake’s response, however, underscored the tension that can exist when musicians feel misrepresented or critiqued by members of the press.

Markman’s remark alluded to Drake’s active defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group, filed in January 2025, tied to the promotion of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us.”

Markman said he was contacted by Drake’s OVO team during the Kendrick vs. Drake feud.

“I was approached during the battle by a team connected with the OVO side,” Markman said. “[They] asked me to show the boy some love. Again, I was being as unbiased as possible. I was calling it like I see it, but they asked me, ‘Yo, we know you’re unbiased.’ Really said it. ‘We know you’re unbiased and we like that you’re unbiased and you really try to call it straight, but can you show the guy some love.’”

“No money was offered, absolutely no money was offered. But they kinda offered some things, some information, some access, and said, ‘Yo, and we’ll make it so that you can play his songs in your videos. We’ll whitelist it.’ Ultimately, I declined for my own personal reasons. I just feel like my allegiance is to y’all,” he said.

The case argues that UMG elevated lyrics Drake contends falsely portrayed him as a pedophile and encouraged violence, including a shooting at his Toronto residence that left a security guard injured.