Canadian rapper Drake made a big alteration to his body art while headlining the Wireless Festival in London. He covered up a tattoo of NBA great LeBron James that has been there for a long time with fresh art that honors Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. This public exhibition instantly had people talking on social media and in the entertainment industry. It was a symptom of a deeper change in loyalties and the continuation of high-profile feuds.

The tattoo change: from King to Thunder Star

Drake used to have a tattoo on his left arm of LeBron James' St. Vincent-St. Mary high school jersey with the number 23 on it. This honor was a sign of the relationship that had lasted more than ten years between the two cultural superstars. But new pictures from the Wireless Festival show that the St. Vincent-St. Mary art has been taken down. The new tattoo has Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's number 2 Oklahoma City Thunder jersey with the word "Thunder" written above it.

The Importance of the St. Vincent-St. Mary Tattoo

The first tattoo was more than just fan art. It showed that Drake and LeBron James had a strong bond and respected one other. Their friendship was a well-known link between the worlds of music and athletics for years. Drake often mentioned James in his songs and went to his games to watch them. This tattoo was a permanent reminder of how close they were.

A timeline of the Drake-LeBron James fight

For more than ten years, people in the celebrity world talked a lot about how close Drake and LeBron James were. James went to the release party for Drake's "So Far Gone" mixtape in 2009, which was the start of their friendship. They always backed each other up in public by going to parties, big events, and even family get-togethers. Drake called James his "brother" a lot and brought him and his son Bronny on stage during a concert in 2023.

But it looks like this long-standing relationship is broken. The rap fight between Drake and Kendrick Lamar was the tipping moment. People saw LeBron James publicly promote Lamar by going to his show "The Pop Out: Ken & Friends" in Los Angeles on Juneteenth, 2024. James was seen dancing and singing along to Lamar's diss tracks directed at Drake, especially "Not Like Us."

What Kendrick Lamar Did After the Fallout

In 2024, the fight between Drake and Kendrick Lamar got a lot worse, with both artists releasing a lot of diss singles. The song "Not Like Us" by Lamar became a cultural phenomenon since its lyrics were aimed squarely at Drake. People say that LeBron James' public support of Lamar's music during this time caused a breach between him and Drake. Drake later sued Lamar for slander over the song "Not Like Us."

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: Drake's New Muse and the NBA's Next Big Thing

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, or SGA, is a Canadian who plays professional basketball for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Like Drake, he was born in Toronto, Canada. SGA has had an amazing season, guiding the Thunder to their first NBA championship since the organization moved to Oklahoma City. He also won the NBA MVP award for the 2024–25 season, making him the second Canadian player to do so. He had a great season, averaging 32.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.4 assists.

SGA's MVP season and run for the championship

There is no doubt that SGA has gotten better in the NBA. He was chosen for the All-NBA First Team three times and won the NBA scoring title in 2025. He won the Finals MVP award for his play in the 2025 NBA Finals. He is now one of just four players in NBA history to win the MVP, the Finals MVP, and a scoring title in the same season. SGA's leadership turned the Thunder into a powerful team that tied for the sixth-best regular season record in NBA history, in addition to his own awards. This makes him an important person for Drake to get a tattoo of. It shows not only Canadian pride, but also recognition of current basketball greatness and a move toward a new era of sports icons.

Drake's public insults and changes to his lyrics during Wireless Fest

Drake's performance at the Wireless Festival in London gave him a chance to be transparent about his current connections. In addition to showing off his tattoo, Drake changed the lyrics to some of his most known songs to make fun of LeBron James in a subtle but clear way.

Looking at the change in the "Nonstop" lyrics

Drake modified a famous lyric while singing the smash song "Nonstop." The line "How I go from six to 23 like I'm LeBron?" was changed to "How I go from six to 23 but not LeBron, man." This alteration, which was first heard during his tour of Australia in February, makes it evident that Drake is no longer connected to James. The inference is that the link is no longer what it used to be. In other songs, like "What Did I Miss?" Drake also alluded to the consequences. In that song, he seemed to call out James for going to Lamar's show. Drake sang in his song "Fighting Irish Freestyle," "The world fell in love with the gimmicks, even my brothers got tickets." Many people thought this was a reference to James and Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan being at Lamar's event.

How Fans Reacted and the Tattoo Swap's Effect on Culture

The news that Drake was covering up his tattoos and changing the lyrics immediately spread on social media, and fans and analysts had a wide range of emotions. Many people thought the decision was a direct response to the ongoing rap war and the feeling that LeBron James had betrayed them.

"Drake covering up his LeBron tattoo with SGA is peak pettiness," said @RapCulturist. The rap beef really hurt him. #Drake #LeBron #SGA

Some people were happy that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was becoming more popular. "Honestly, SGA deserves all the shine," said @NBANewsDaily. MVP, NBA champion, and now Drake's girlfriend. What a year! #ShaiGilgeousAlexander #ThunderUp"

There was also a lot of talk about the alterations to the lyrics. The "not LeBron" lyric modification is crazy, as @HipHopHeadlines said. "New era, new friends," Drake really remarked. This fight is far from done. #DrakeVsKendrick #WirelessFest

We also talked about what celebrity fights and public displays like changing tattoos mean for society as a whole. As @PopCulturePulse said, "From 'brother' to tattoo cover-up, the Drake-LeBron saga is a masterclass in celebrity breakups." Who's next? #CelebrityDrama #Drake

"SGA's rise is undeniable," @SportsAnalystPro said. Drake had to admit it too. This is more than simply a tattoo; it's a message. #Shai #DrakeTattoo

Celebrity endorsements and social media buzz

The fact that this fallout was public, with the tattoo modification and lyric changes, shows how closely people watch and interpret what celebrities do. Changes to tattoos can signal a big change in ideas or relationships. This event has sparked more rumors about how bad the fight is between Drake and LeBron James and how it might affect their careers and public images in the long run. It also shows how NBA stars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are becoming more important in other fields, as people in other fields are suddenly recognizing their achievements in ways that weren't expected.