N.O.R.E. has made it clear that his decision to back out of a promised VladTV interview wasn’t an accident, scheduling conflict or industry miscommunication. According to the Queens rap veteran, he simply changed his mind—and his reasoning goes much deeper than interview etiquette.
The Drink Champs co-host fired back at DJ Vlad after Vlad appeared on DJ Akademiks’ Off The Record and called N.O.R.E. a “snake,” claiming the rapper failed to keep his word after Vlad previously appeared on Drink Champs.
“Nore is about Nore, his word don’t mean ish, he’s a snake,” Vlad said while explaining his side of the fallout. Vlad maintained that his appearance on Drink Champs came with the understanding that N.O.R.E. would return the favor by sitting down for VladTV.
N.O.R.E. didn’t deny agreeing to the interview. He denied that agreeing meant he couldn’t change his mind.
“I don’t front everybody. I fronted you,” N.O.R.E. said. “Guess what? I’m a grown man. I have the right to change my mind.”
Then he made his point considerably more personal.
“I did to you what you did to our culture, I bent you over, and I f**ked you,” N.O.R.E. said, framing his refusal as a response to what he believes has been Vlad’s approach to Hip Hop throughout his media career.
For N.O.R.E., the disagreement quickly moved beyond whether one media personality owed another an interview. He accused Vlad of benefiting from “Black drama” and compared the controversial interview platform to The Jerry Springer Show, arguing that VladTV has routinely capitalized on conflict, street history and potentially damaging conversations involving Black artists.
“You benefit off of Black drama,” N.O.R.E. said before declaring, “You are Jerry Springer now!” He later added, “I played the game that you been playing for years. Welcome to the motherf**kin’ party.”
The fractured relationship is particularly interesting considering where the two stood just two years ago.
Vlad appeared on Episode 399 of Drink Champs in March 2024, sitting with N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN for an extensive conversation about VladTV, Tupac Shakur, Suge Knight and his career in Hip Hop media. During that episode, the two openly discussed previous tension between them and appeared to have moved beyond it. N.O.R.E. even gave Vlad his flowers, crediting him with changing the format and reach of Hip Hop interviews.
That reconciliation clearly didn’t last.
N.O.R.E. also brought Rick Ross into his criticism, accusing Vlad of attempting to have the Miami rapper jailed following their infamous dispute. That part of N.O.R.E.’s argument needs some distinction from the documented record. Vlad filed a civil lawsuit after alleging that members of Ross’ entourage assaulted him at the 2008 Ozone Awards following VladTV’s coverage of Ross’ previous employment as a correctional officer. A federal jury eventually found Ross liable and awarded Vlad $300,000 in damages. The lawsuit itself was civil, not a criminal prosecution that could have resulted in Ross being incarcerated.
Still, N.O.R.E.’s larger criticism taps into a debate that has followed VladTV for years. Artists and fans have frequently criticized Vlad’s willingness to press guests about street activity, criminal cases and incidents that can extend far beyond music. Vlad has consistently pushed back against accusations that his interviews are responsible when rappers later encounter legal trouble, arguing that guests voluntarily answer the questions put before them.
There is also an obvious irony to the argument. Drink Champs built part of its own reputation around alcohol-fueled conversations where artists occasionally reveal far more than they intended. N.O.R.E., however, is drawing a cultural distinction between the two platforms—one rooted in his belief that Drink Champs comes from within Hip Hop rather than observing and monetizing its most destructive moments from the outside.
And if there was any remaining question about whether the VladTV interview might eventually happen, N.O.R.E. appeared to close that door himself.
“I don’t like you,” he said.
So yes, N.O.R.E. admits he flaked.
His argument is that, this time, the flake was the point.