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Kendrick Lamar gets 2-minute ovation after ‘Not Like Us’ in Drake’s hometown
Kendrick Lamar stepped onto Drake’s turf on Thursday, playing his first concert in Toronto since the rift between the music superstars went into hyperdrive last year.
For the most part, the Los Angeles rapper didn’t fan the flames of his feud, even if some ticketholders hoped he might douse the conflict in gasoline. Instead, Lamar mostly took the high road by focusing on the music.
As the first of two nights at the Rogers Centre neared its close, Lamar pulled out his ace card with a performance of Not Like Us, the chart-topping diss track that knocked Drake down a few pegs in popular culture.
Immediately, phones went up, booties started shaking, and fans shouted along to the contemptuous lyrics that brought Lamar and Drake’s rift to its apparent head.
Once he was finished, Lamar stood centre stage in a spotlight, his face in shadow, and for the next two minutes he took in the roar of the crowd. Many of them screamed, “One more time.”
Lamar didn’t deliver that pleaded encore, but he gave the crowd plenty of other hits to dance to, including Squabble Up and TV Off from his latest album GNX and older favourites Humble and All the Stars, which he performed with his tour mate SZA.
The duo are snaking their way across North America and Europe with their Grand National Tour this summer, but their only Canadian dates are in Toronto at a massive stadium that Drake has never played on tour.
And so Lamar’s moment in the spotlight could be seen as another win in the battle against his rap nemesis.
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Drake and Lamar have been entrenched in a highly publicized rap beef that has culminated in a legal battle between the Canadian rapper and the U.S. record label that represents both men.
Drake is suing Universal Music Group for defamation for publishing and promoting Not Like Us.
In legal documents, Drake says the song’s lyrics wrongly accuse him of being a pedophile, jeopardizing his safety and damaging his reputation. None of the allegations have been proven in court.
Before the show, how Lamar might play his cards in Toronto loomed as internet forums and local barbershops buzzed with speculation of special guests and what he might say on stage.
Brendan Wong flew in from Calgary for what he described as a “monumental occasion.”
“I love the music, I love Kendrick, I love SZA, so that’s why I’m here, honestly,” he said outside the venue.
“It’s not like I’m a religious Drake supporter, you know what I’m saying? I like Kendrick more, so I guess I’m on his side.”
Other ticket holders arrived wearing Drake’s OVO gear, branded with its famous owl logo.
Peter Jin’s shirt featured a Canadian flag adorning the wing of the OVO owl. He said he likes the music of both rappers and was hoping for a surprise Drake appearance that might lead to a truce during the show.
“Maybe if they can go to the stage together,” he said. “And challenge each other (in a rap battle), that would be amazing.”
Jin didn’t get his wish, though he said no matter how the night went, he would have fun.
Outside the venue, a noticeably stronger police foot patrol roamed the premises, though the crowd appeared peaceful.
Plans for some Drake fans to congregate in support of Drizzy during the show fizzled when organizers behind an Instagram account promoting the gathering said “logistical constraints” prevented them from moving forward.
Drake was also set to host a livestream Thursday night with American internet personality Kai Cenat, but the streamer later posted those plans were being delayed “a few more days.”
At least one Drake fan at the Rogers Centre came to simply to show his unwavering support, dressed head to toe in OVO memorabilia, including a hat, pants and jacket.
Even though he didn’t have concert tickets, the fan, who called himself Julian, said he arrived from Whitby, Ont., “to show who runs this city.”
“I’ve been a Drake and OVO diehard fan, that’s what I was made for,” he said.
“I’m born October the 6th in the 6 (Toronto’s nickname) … so I’m just here to support through and through.”
Anthony Tran and Krisha Mae came to the Lamar show without much thirst for the drama. They waited several hours in the merchandise line to purchase matching SZA shirts, in support of Lamar’s Grammy-winning tour mate.
But they admitted that the lingering feud between Drake and Lamar was still on their minds.
“Everyone’s talking about it, so we had to get tickets because of the beef,” he said.
Tran said while the hype surrounding the rappers’ bad blood drove them to buy seats, it wasn’t the main reason they showed up.
“I think both of them are really good songwriters, so I don’t really care about the personalities,” he added, before rethinking his answer.
“Honestly, I do like Drake better. I’m sorry. Yeah, but we are from Toronto, so we got to rep Drake.”
© 2025 The Canadian Press
Ontario Provincial Police say a $50,000 reward is being offered for information that can help solve a 2008 cold case murder in the Belleville area.
Calvin Vanness, 65, was last seen in Belleville on March 26, 2008, driving a grey 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix with flames painted on the side.
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Police say his car was found on April 1, 2008, in a commuter parking lot on Highway 38 in Kingston and investigators believe someone else was driving the vehicle for some of that time.
The OPP and Belleville police have been investigating Vanness’s disappearance as a homicide since April 2010, and they believe someone has information that will help determine what happened to him.
Police say the Ontario government is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the OPP.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
Eight teams in NHL history have won Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final to force a seventh game and gone on to win the championship.
The Edmonton Oilers are aiming to become the ninth after falling behind 3-2 to the Florida Panthers. Game 6 is Tuesday in Sunrise, Fla.
Here’s a look at the teams that have completed the comeback:
1942 – Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs trailed the Detroit Red Wings 3-0 before winning four straight to claim the Cup. They remain the only team in NHL history to erase a three-game deficit in the final. Toronto took Game 6 by a score of 3-0 and won Game 7 at Maple Leaf Gardens, 3-1.
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1950 – Detroit Red Wings
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The Red Wings stayed alive with a 5-4 win over the New York Rangers in Game 6, then captured the Cup with a 4-3 double-overtime victory in Game 7. Pete Babando scored the winner.
1964 – Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto stayed alive with a 4-3 overtime win over Detroit in Game 6, then secured a third straight championship with a 4-0 win in Game 7 on the road.
1971 – Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens forced Game 7 with a 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, then captured the Cup with a 3-2 win at Chicago Stadium. Rookie goaltender Ken Dryden was named playoff MVP.
2001 – Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche responded to a Game 5 loss by shutting out the New Jersey Devils 4-0 in Game 6. They clinched the title with a 3-1 win in Game 7 in Denver.
2004 – Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay kept its season alive with a 3-2 double-overtime win over the Calgary Flames in Game 6, with Martin St. Louis scoring the winner. The Lightning went on to win their first Cup with a 2-1 victory in Game 7.
2009 – Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins beat the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 in Game 6, then won the Cup with another 2-1 victory in Game 7 at Joe Louis Arena. Max Talbot scored both goals in the deciding game.
2011 – Boston Bruins
The Bruins forced Game 7 with a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks, then clinched the series with a 4-0 shutout at Rogers Arena. Boston goaltender Tim Thomas made 37 saves in the deciding game.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 16, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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‘Dozens of staged accidents’: Crime group linked to tow truck industry, extortions charged
Peel Regional Police say key members of a Brampton-based criminal organization allegedly responsible several extortion incidents and staged car accidents are facing charges.
In a press conference on Monday, police revealed details of an investigation called Project Outsource which was launched in July 2024 after officers saw a sharp trend in violent extortion attempts and other criminal activity in the region.
Police allege Project Outsource found that the criminal network, which is allegedly tied to the tow truck industry, was operating with “two distinct but interconnected components: one dedicated to extortion and violence, and the other rooted in the towing industry.”
The force said several suspects were found to be associated with towing companies operating under the names “Certified Roadside” and “Humble Roadside.”
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“We have substantial evidence linking the group to dozens of staged accidents and potentially costing insurance companies between 80 and $100,000 for each staged accident,” said Deputy Chief Nick Milinovich with Peel Regional Police.
“In total, those fraudulent claims exceed $1 million for this particular investigation,” Milinovich continued. “To put that in perspective, fraudulent claims to the industry of insurance represent an equal amount to stolen cars, a cost which is then passed on to our community.”
On June 10, police said a woman from King City along with 17 men from Brampton were arrested following several coordinated search warrants in Peel and York regions, as well as in Toronto, involving more than 200 officers.
All 18 people face almost 100 charges including conspiracy, extortion, fraud, firearm-related offences, participating and instructing in a criminal organization and staging collision offences.
Police noted that almost half of the accused were on some form of a judicial release at the time of their arrest. Several of them were known to police.
Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah said the two people who are believed to be responsible for leading the criminal organization are part of the arrests.
Over the course of Project Outsource, police said 18 tow trucks were seized with a total value of $2.8 million, five stolen vehicles were recovered worth more than $500,000, four personal high-end vehicles worth $840,000, six firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, as well as other various weapons such as crossbows, stun guns and baseball bats.
Project Outsource was created as a focused sub-investigation under the Extortion Investigative Task Force — created in 2023 in response to recent, sharp rise in violent extortion attempts targeting South Asian business owners, including demands for large sums of money, threats for non-payment, and acts of violence, including drive-by shootings.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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