Drake cancels remaining Australia and New Zealand shows, citing 'scheduling conflict'

After days of speculation, rapper Drake has canceled the remaining four shows of his "Anita Max Win Tour" in Australia and New Zealand. This announcement has sparked widespread attention from fans and the media alike.

Drake's representatives stated in a statement that the cancellation was due to "scheduling conflicts." The statement was provided to Rolling Stone Australia/New Zealand and posted on the Ticketek website. Currently, ABC News has contacted the tour promoter, Live Nation, for more information, hoping to gain further insight into the specific reasons.

The affected shows include the March 4 (Tuesday) show in Brisbane, the March 7 (Friday) show in Sydney, and the two shows in Auckland on March 15 and 16. These four shows were the last four of the originally scheduled 16-show tour. In the statement, Drake's representatives said they are "actively working to reschedule these dates and add some additional shows."

The statement advises that ticket holders can retain their tickets pending confirmation of rescheduled dates, or opt for a refund. The statement also said, "We are deeply sorry for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience. Drake and the entire team have thoroughly enjoyed these shows and look forward to returning soon."

The cancellation announcement was preceded by days of speculation, fueled by eagle-eyed fans who noticed that tickets for these four shows, which were previously available, had all sold out overnight. Furthermore, The Courier-Mail reported on Wednesday morning that Drake's stage equipment was scheduled to be shipped to Europe later this week, despite the scheduled performances.

Ticketek's pages for the Sydney and Brisbane shows advise that "customers will be notified once the rescheduled dates are confirmed, and no action is required if they wish to retain their tickets." Those wishing to obtain a refund need to submit a request through their website.

Drake has been in Australia since early February, with the tour kicking off on February 4. This was his first tour in Oceania since 2017. Drake has already performed in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. The canceled Brisbane show would have been his third in the city, while the Sydney show would have been his fifth – an extra show added to the tour.

Notably, Drake's Auckland dates had previously been pushed back from this weekend to January due to scheduling conflicts. This "Anita Max Win Tour" was Drake's first tour since his long-standing feud with Kendrick Lamar escalated in mid-2024.

The two had exchanged disses through music for some time, before Lamar released the song "Not Like Us" in May, which topped the charts and was widely considered the winning blow in the feud. The song called Drake a "certified pedophile" and contained other derogatory remarks. It reached number one in nine countries, including the United States, Australia, and Drake's native Canada, and placed in the top ten of triple j's Hottest 100 list for 2024.

In February, "Not Like Us" received five Grammy nominations, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year. A week later, Lamar performed the song at the Super Bowl halftime show. As Lamar celebrated his victory, Drake filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) in January, alleging defamation and harassment stemming from the song "Not Like Us."

The lawsuit claimed that UMG launched a "campaign designed to make the song a viral hit," which "intended to convey a specific, unequivocal, and false accusation that Drake is a pedophile criminal and implied that the public should take vigilante action in response." The lawsuit is ongoing, with UMG calling Drake's claims "illogical and untrue."

Drake referenced the feud at his opening night in Perth, taking the stage in a black hoodie featuring bullet holes and smoke. While in Australia, he also released his first music since "Not Like Us" – the album "$ome $exy $ongs 4 U" in collaboration with rapper PARTYNEXTDOOR.

The album contained multiple references to Lamar and debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, knocking Lamar's 2024 album "GNX," which had seen a sales surge after the Super Bowl, off the top spot.