Emmy Awards
Tina Fey Jokes About Kendrick Lamar at 2025 Emmys — and Worries Drake Will ‘Hear It’
The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards delivered plenty of unforgettable moments on September 14, 2025, but Tina Fey may have stolen the spotlight with one perfectly timed joke. While presenting the award for Outstanding Live Variety Special, the 30 Rock creator joked about her personal “conflicts of interest” — and even dragged Drake and Kendrick Lamar into the punchline.
“Two of the nominees involve SNL, where I worked for nine years,” Fey explained. “If they win, people might think I just opened the envelope and said, ‘SNL!’ out of habit. If Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime special wins, I’m really going to hear it from Drake. And Drake and I are supposed to play pickleball tomorrow.”
The quip quickly lit up social media, reminding fans of the fiery feud between Kendrick Lamar and Drake that dominated music headlines throughout 2024.
Revisiting the Drake–Kendrick Rivalry
The joke landed because the audience still remembers how public — and brutal — the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar feud became. After months of diss tracks, Kendrick Lamar escalated things during his record-breaking2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show, where he stared into the camera mid-performance of Not Like Us and taunted: “Say, Drake, I hear you like ’em young.”
Tina Fey, tongue firmly in cheek, suggested she might be caught in the crossfire of hip-hop’s most talked-about rivalry if Kendrick Lamar’s halftime special were to win the Emmy.
Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Show
Why Beyoncé Was the “Safe Bet”
Tina Fey added that the only outcome that wouldn’t land her in hot water was Beyoncé winning for her Renaissance tour film. “Really, the only safe outcome for me would be the Beyoncé Bowl — so, as always, thank you, Beyoncé!” Fey said.
As fate would have it, she avoided any awkwardness: SNL50: The Anniversary Special took home the award, giving creator Lorne Michaels another Emmy milestone five decades after his first win.
The Emmys’ Viral Moment
In a night filled with glamour and celebration, Tina Fey’s lighthearted jab stood out as one of the evening’s funniest moments. Fans were quick to share clips of the joke, tagging Drake and Kendrick with playful comments. Whether Drake actually ribbed her on the pickleball court remains unknown — but for now, Fey has once again proven she knows how to make awards season unforgettable.
