Argentina took a playful jab at Canadian rapper Drake after he lost a $300,000 bet on his home country defeating Argentina in the Copa America semi-final. Drake had posted an image on Instagram showing his bet, which would have netted him a $2.88 million payout if Canada had won. However, goals from Julian Alvarez and Lionel Messi secured Argentina’s spot in the final, marking their fourth final appearance in five editions.
In response to Drake’s post, Argentina’s official social media accounts trolled the rapper by referencing Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us.” The team posted a photo with the caption “Not like us,” a nod to Lamar’s song that criticizes Drake. The track has been streamed nearly half a billion times on Spotify and its music video has over 115 million views on YouTube.
Argentina’s fans joined in on the fun, mocking Drake in the replies. One fan wrote, “Drake really been losing in all areas lately clearly ‘Not Like Us’ and Not with us after losing $300k.” Another added, “Drake bet against Argentina and the admin is subbing Canada with Kendrick Lamar song!”
Drake’s bet on Canada was a long shot, given Argentina’s status as the reigning Copa America champions and their previous victory over Canada. Despite his faith in his home country, Canada lost 2-0, with Messi scoring the second goal to seal the match.
Argentina is now set to compete for a record 16th Copa America title and will face either Uruguay or Colombia in the final. The match is scheduled for Sunday in Miami.
Drake’s sports betting losses have become somewhat notorious, with fans dubbing it the “Drake curse.” Since March, he has lost nearly $2.5 million on various bets. In June alone, he lost $1 million after betting on the Edmonton Oilers to win the Stanley Cup and the Dallas Mavericks to win the NBA Finals. Both bets failed to pay off.
In May, Drake lost another $565,000 betting on British boxer Tyson Fury to defeat Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk. He also lost $615,000 in March after predicting Francis Ngannou would defeat Anthony Joshua in a boxing match.
Despite these losses, Drake has had some betting victories. He recently won over $2.3 million by correctly betting on the Kansas City Chiefs to win Super Bowl LVIII. He also won $3.7 million in July 2022 by betting on UFC fighters Molly McCann and Paddy Pimblett to win their respective fights.
Interestingly, Drake has bet on Argentina’s football team before, though it didn’t go his way. During the 2022 World Cup, he bet on Argentina to beat France during regular time. When the game went into extra time, Drake lost his bet, even though Argentina eventually won.
Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” has been a significant part of the ongoing feud between the two artists. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 and gained renewed popularity in June after Lamar performed it live with other West Coast rappers and athletes. The music video, released on July 4, has further fueled the rivalry.
The Argentina team’s use of “Not Like Us” to troll Drake sparked a lot of online discussion. Some fans praised the clever reference, while others questioned the cultural context of using the song. One user noted, “I know this particular post is shade towards Drake betting against them but non-Black people using ‘Not Like Us’ and not understanding the overall cultural context is about them has been hilarious yet unsurprising to see in person & media.”
Drake’s involvement in sports extends beyond betting. He has been a significant figure in sports culture, serving as the Toronto Raptors’ “global ambassador” and appearing with other sports teams and athletes. His October’s Very Own (OVO) brand even launched a clothing line in partnership with Toronto FC last year.
In this latest episode, Argentina’s social media team capitalized on Drake’s high-profile bet and his ongoing feud with Kendrick Lamar to create a viral moment. The playful trolling added another layer to the already intense rivalry between the two artists and highlighted the intersection of sports and entertainment.
Source: Reuters, Fox Soccer, Selección Argentina EN on X/Twitter
