Who is the rapper Preme? OVO affiliate claims Kendrick Lamar did not end Drake’s career amid Nokia’s chart success

Canadian rapper Preme, aka Raynford Avery Humphrey, shared his thoughts about Aubrey Drake Graham amidst the latter’s feud with Kendrick Lamar. On April 2, 2025, Preme, an OVO affiliate, shared an X post with a screenshot of the Top 100 chart by Apple Music. As per the chart, Drake’s Nokia is in first place, followed by Lamar and SZA’s Luther. Humphrey wrote:

“They said we were dead. They said it was over. They said Super Bowl was checkmate. They said he should take a few years off and disappear. Back on top even while beefing with the label and it's only April! This why yall hate the boy.”

On April 3, 2025, he shared another X post with the message:

“The best revenge is success.”

As mentioned, Preme is a Canadian rapper and songwriter with Guyanese roots. He first gained attention in 2011 for being featured on popular singles by Alyssa Reid and Hedley.

In 2018, he changed his stage name to Preme and launched his label, Reps Up Entertainment, in partnership with Columbia Records. Speaking to Billboard about his name change, he said:

“I was Preme before I was even P. Reign. I got the Reign from Raynford, which is my first legal name. The “P” was from Preme and I combined those to come up with P. Reign. Really, it was a name I created to elude the police, to be honest with you. I was coming up trying to transition from a hustler into an artist and create a legal lifestyle for myself.”

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Preme reflected on Drake’s success

During the interview, the interviewer asked how it felt for him to watch his city's music scene go global while he was stuck on the sidelines. The rapper shared that it was difficult to witness, given his close bond with Drake from the beginning.

Seeing Graham’s massive success was tough, particularly when Preme had to watch it happen through screens instead of being there in person. He also said:

“I was always trapped in Canada and people would hear stories about me through Drake or different things from coming to the city and meeting me and seeing how my crew gets down. My neighborhood already has a crazy reputation from people that came before me.”

Humphrey said he was amazed by Graham’s music evolution. Despite breaking records, earning massive wealth, and accomplishing nearly everything he set out to do, the Nokia singer remained incredibly driven, according to him. He shared that Drake still works harder than most artists and is in the studio every day.

He found it inspiring how Drake kept coming up with fresh ideas and new ways to make music, saying it almost feels like he's not even from this world. He later signed with RCA Records and released his debut EP Dear Summer in 2014, which included collaborations with Drake, Future, and A$AP Rocky.

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As per reports, Kendrick Lamar continues to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Luther has held the No. 1 spot for six weeks, while Not Like Us and TV Off remain in the top 20.