Inside Lil Novi’s Bold Assertion on Drake’s Lyrics Authorship
Analytical groundwork: Lil Novi’s recent livestream remarks are reigniting debates about songwriting authorship in hip-hop circles. During a June 17, 2025 Instagram Live session documented by TMZ, Lil Wayne’s son asserted, “My dad wrote most of [Drake’s] stuff—if it wasn’t for my pops there wouldn’t be no Drake.” This claim arrives amid lingering questions since Meek Mill’s 2015 accusation that Drake used ghostwriter Quentin Miller, yet it shifts focus squarely onto hip-hop’s towering figure, Lil Wayne.
To unpack these claims, it’s essential to trace the chronology. Drake’s breakthrough came with the So Far Gone mixtape in February 2009, years before Lil Novi was born. By contrast, Lil Wayne had already sealed his superstar status with The Carter III in June 2008. In the decade following, Drake’s lion-share of chart success—from “Take Care” to “Hotline Bling”—lists him as a credited songwriter alongside collaborators like Noah “40” Shebib and producers including Boi-1da and T-Minus. Publicly available ASCAP and BMI records reinforce Drake’s co-writer status on his top tracks, undermining any narrative of exclusive ghostwriting by Wayne.
Moreover, industry reports from Billboard (2015) and Complex (2016) show that high-profile artists often enlist co-writers for hooks or verse polishing, but these contributors receive proper accreditation. Lil Wayne himself credited Drake’s evolving penmanship in a 2012 XXL interview, noting that his protégé developed a distinctive style that stood on its own merits. Meanwhile, a Nielsen Music analysis of Drake’s 20 best-selling songs lists a minimum of four to six co-writers per track, including 40, Majid Jordan, and others—further evidence of a collaborative process.
Nevertheless, Novi’s off-the-cuff claim has struck a chord with Gen-Z audiences. Clips of his livestream have amassed over two million TikTok views, with fans split between rallying behind Wayne’s mentorship legacy and calling for transparent credit listings. Legally, the U.S. Copyright Office mandates clear author attributions; no public record currently ties Wayne to Drake’s copyrighted catalog. Any future registrations naming Wayne would prompt a reevaluation, but as of now, data and official credits do not corroborate Novi’s assertion.
This conversation underscores larger industry questions: How transparent should songwriting credits be, and what role does mentorship play in creative ownership? Novak’s statement may be more smoke than substance, yet it highlights the ongoing tension between artistic collaboration and public perception. That frames our perspective; further developments will refine the record. Stay informed and keep questioning the narrative.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and Tmz.com, Billboard.com, Complex.com, Xxlmag.com, Nielsen Music Reports, U.S. Copyright Office
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
