The supposed feud between Toronto rapper Top5 and Atlanta’s Soulja Boy ignited in early May 2025, seemingly stemming from Soulja Boy’s repeated past criticisms of Drake. Top5, known for aligning himself with Drake and often inserting himself into the rapper’s various disputes, took it upon himself to defend the “6ix God” against Soulja Boy’s remarks.
Hip-Hop Beef
The exchange escalated quickly on social media. Top5 addressed Soulja Boy directly in Instagram Stories, asserting his dominance in his own city and telling Soulja Boy to “shut up.” This initial confrontation was followed by a more personal and arguably immature tactic: both rappers reportedly leaked each other’s phone numbers online. According to AkademiksTV, Top5 encouraged his followers to contact Soulja Boy, while Soulja Boy retaliated simply by posting Top5’s contact information without additional comment.
This is not the first instance of Soulja Boy taking aim at Drake. Over the years, the “Crank That” artist has publicly accused Drake of borrowing his style, despite having collaborated on the track “We Made It” in the past. Most recently, the tension flared when Soulja Boy believed Drake had subtly dissed him on a leaked collaboration with Lil Yachty titled “Super Soak.” Lil Yachty, however, clarified that the line in question was intended as an homage, not a slight.
Top5’s intervention marks a new dynamic in Drake‘s history of rap beefs, with a fellow Toronto artist stepping in to defend him against an external dissenter. While Drake himself has remained largely silent on this particular exchange, Top5 has been vocal in his defense.
Feud for Thought
It remains to be seen whether this feud will escalate further with diss tracks or fade out. Given Soulja Boy’s history of unpredictable outbursts and Top5’s eagerness to engage in online confrontational banter, the possibility of more dramatic developments cannot be entirely dismissed. However, Drake’s silence on the matter might indicate a desire to avoid further fueling the situation.
Generally, rap beefs can arise from various sources, including lyrical disses, perceived disrespect, competition, and personal conflicts. They often play out publicly through diss tracks, social media exchanges, and interviews, sometimes escalating into serious real-world confrontations and at other times dissipating without significant consequences. The dynamic between the two rappers, fueled by past grievances and a third party in Drake, adds a unique layer to the ever-evolving landscape of hip-hop rivalries.
The dynamic of a local artist stepping in to defend a global superstar is also noteworthy. While Drake has a strong Toronto connection with local talent, it’s less common to see a Toronto artist so directly confront someone outside the city on his behalf. This could speak to the strong sense of community within Toronto’s hip-hop scene or simply Top5’s individual approach to navigating industry relationships.
Interestingly, amidst the social media sparring, a now-deleted tweet allegedly surfaced, featuring a distorted image of Soulja Boy with a clown nose and the caption, “You worried about the wrong 6 God.” This visual jab, while fleeting, added a layer of personal mockery beyond the phone number leak and verbal jabs. It directly targeted Soulja Boy’s image and amplified the disrespect Top5 was aiming to convey in his defense of Drake. This kind of personalized meme-style attack is a common tactic in online beefs, aiming to provoke and further escalate the conflict through visual ridicule.
Final Thoughts
Top5’s zealous defense of Drake, punctuated by social media taunts and a now-deleted visual jab, highlights the evolving dynamics of hip-hop beefs in the digital age, where local loyalties and online bravado can unexpectedly intersect with established industry grievances. Whether this particular conflict simmers down or reignites remains to be seen, but it serves as a vivid illustration of how personal opinions and online personas can fuel rapid and often unconventional confrontations in the world of rap.
