Rick Ross Blasts Drake on PBD Podcast: "He's Not on My Level," Calls 'Iceman' "Horrendous"
In a fresh episode clip from the PBD Podcast with Patrick Bet-David (circulating widely today, May 21, 2026), Rick Ross didn't hold back while discussing Drake and his surprise new album Iceman (released May 15, 2026).
Key Comments from Ross:
- On Drake's level: When asked if he puts Drake on his own level, Ross flatly replied "No." He suggested Drake's massive commercial numbers are inflated or "fake," fooling fans about his true standing.
- On Iceman: Ross called the project "horrendous." He said his friends listened to it and "lost an hour of their life," joking they needed time to recover from the experience. He expressed disappointment, saying it didn't connect or mesh with him.
- Context and shade: Ross acknowledged liking some of Drake's moves but implied Drake stepped out of line (referencing their ongoing feud). He also joked that Drake "might sue you" for criticizing him, tying into past legal tensions in the industry.
This comes amid their long-running beef, which escalated last year with Ross's "Champagne Moments" and Drake's responses. Despite the shots, Ross has claimed at times there's no deep personal hatred and he doesn't want to see Drake lose—but he's clearly not impressed with the new release.
In the wake of Rick Ross’s recent appearance on the PBD Podcast, where he called Drake’s new album Iceman “horrendous” and claimed the 6 God isn’t on his level, we at Purple Snake Era had to set the record straight. Ross is a legend and a former collaborator, but let’s talk facts, not feelings. Here’s the clear breakdown on why Drake remains the more dominant figure in hip-hop — commercially, culturally, and in overall impact.
1. Streaming & Commercial Dominance: It’s Not Even Close
Drake continues to operate in a stratosphere most rappers, including Ross, can only dream of. In 2025 alone, Drake pulled in 17.7 billion streams on Spotify — more than the entire careers of several major rappers combined, including Rick Ross.
Iceman (released May 15, 2026) shattered single-day streaming records on Spotify for 2026, making Drake the most-streamed artist in a single day. The project, along with surprise albums Habibti and Maid of Honour, flooded the game with content and immediately dominated charts.
Ross has had solid runs with projects like Port of Miami and Teflon Don, but his peak first-week sales (often in the 100K–170K range) pale in comparison to Drake’s consistent 400K–600K+ debuts. Drake’s career RIAA certified units sit at nearly 300 million, while Ross’s catalog doesn’t come close in scale.
2. Longevity & Consistency
Drake has reinvented himself across multiple eras — from Take Care to Views, Scorpion, and now Iceman — while staying at the top for over 15 years. He’s the most streamed artist of all time with well over 100 billion streams across platforms.
Rick Ross built a strong run in the late 2000s/early 2010s with the Maybach Music era, but his relevance has been more sporadic since. Many of his biggest hits (“Aston Martin Music,” “Stay Schemin’,” “Money in the Grave”) heavily feature Drake — and “Money in the Grave” was Ross’s first song to reach a billion streams, thanks to Drizzy.
3. Cultural Impact & Global Reach
Drake isn’t just a rapper — he’s a pop culture phenomenon. He’s influenced fashion, dance, language, and even sports (Toronto Raptors). His brand partnerships, OVO empire, and ability to drop surprise projects that shut down the internet put him in a league of his own.
Ross excels as the “Boss” figure with street credibility and luxury branding, but Drake has achieved broader global dominance. Ross has only a handful of Top 10 hits in his career — and several of them include Drake.
4. Business & Wealth
Estimates put Drake’s net worth significantly higher (often $200M–$400M+ range with catalog, label, and investments). Ross sits comfortably around $150M thanks to music, Wingstop franchises, and real estate — respectable, but not the same tax bracket when it comes to music-driven wealth.
Background on Iceman
Drake dropped the massive project (reportedly 43 tracks) with heavy promotion, including ice blocks in Toronto. It pulled huge streaming numbers (e.g., 140M first-day Spotify streams) and is projected for a strong Billboard 200 debut. However, critical reception has been mixed (around 53/100 on Metacritic), and fan opinions are divided—setting the stage for Ross's critique.
Clips from the podcast have gone viral across Instagram, Facebook, X, and WorldStar, sparking debates about rap levels, streaming authenticity, street credibility vs. pop success, and whether Ross is keeping it real or just hating.
The full podcast episode is expected to drop soon (some reports say May 26). Ross also used the platform to promote his own work, like Set In Stone.
This is peak hip-hop drama—Ross staying active in the conversation even after the 2024 beef wave. Fans are split: some praise Ross for "keeping it real," while others point to Drake's unmatched commercial dominance.
Lastly:
Rick Ross gave us classics and helped shape a sound, and we respect the veteran. But in 2026, claiming Drake isn’t on your level while Iceman is breaking records and Ross is still reacting to it? That’s a hard pill to swallow.
Drake has more streams in recent years than Ross has in his full career. More cultural penetration. More consistent output. More everything.
This isn’t hate — it’s numbers. Drake is the more dominant figure, period. The Purple Snake Era stands on that. 🧊🦉
What y’all think? Is Ross coping or does he have a point? Drop your thoughts below. Drake fans stay winning.
