Drake’s latest merchandise has struck a nerve with Melyssa Ford, as her image was used without permission in a bid to troll Joe Budden.
Drake’s new merch collection, tied to his ‘Nokia’ music video, features Melyssa Ford on a hoodie, promoting a website that directs to Joe Budden’s Patreon page.
Ford, a co-host of The Joe Budden Podcast, expressed her anger on the podcast, questioning why she hasn’t been compensated for the use of her image.
“What’s going on?!” she exclaimed, demanding payment from Drake. Ford mentioned she learned about the merchandise without prior notice and remarked, “I have bigger fish to fry than this.”
She’s contacted Drake regarding the possible rights to the image, taken from her modeling days, which she might own.
Joe Budden reacted differently, appreciating the unusual plug for his Patreon, saying, “That’s dope. I fuck with that.”
Drake’s tactics of trolling Budden have added another layer to their ongoing feud. He had previously mentioned both Budden and Ford in his track ‘Gimme a Hug,’ aiming sharp words at Budden.
Despite the song’s jab, Budden has conveyed he is uninterested in reigniting past conflicts with Drake, stating on his podcast his disinterest in a ‘back and forth’ now that Drake’s fame has cooled.
The tension between Drake and Budden spiked in 2023 when Budden criticized Drake’s ‘For All the Dogs’ album, leading to Drake’s retort about Budden’s music career.
Melyssa Ford’s unexpected involvement in the Drake-Budden feud has brought fresh drama to their longstanding tension, highlighting the complex relationships in the hip-hop world.
