Drake vs. Akon Beef: No Regrets Passing On Lil Wayne's Poetic Champ, 'Finding Himself' Diss

Rapper Lil Wayne initially had doubts when signing fellow YMCMB superstar, Drake. Apparently, renowned R&B hit-maker Akon had similar reservations, and ultimately passed on an amazing opportunity!

The 42-year-old Konvict Muzik producer wasn't too impressed with Drizzy's amateur sound several years ago:

"Kardinal Offishall had brought me some records on Drake back then when I first signed Kardi - this was before 'Best I Ever Had.' I did pass on him, because, at the time, he didn't sound like what he sounds like today," Akon said in a recent interview with Montreality (via MTV News). "'Best I Ever Had' - it wasn't even close to what that sounded like. He was at a position where he was finding himself."

Around this same time, the "Smack That" crooner made a distribution deal with both T-Pain and Lady Gaga. So that would have made a great "dream team" if he did give the young Toronto native a chance!

Of course, Akon now sees that the 6 God emcee has true talent which continues flourishing in the industry:

"As time goes, people develop, they get better, and they become the best because of things like that," he explains. "Sometimes that motivates you to want to be better and take yourself to the next level. And I think wit him, he was turned [down] so many times, it became his motivation."

But the successful record producer isn't now kicking himself for ignoring Drizzy's potential:

"I think he's the champ right now... I don't think there's a rapper out there right now that can go toe-to-toe with him from a standpoint of just real records. He's a poet, to me. The way he delivers certain lyrics, he mixes reality along with real rapping in one. And then he adds melody, to where people that's not really familiar with that culture can sing along to it," Akon concludes. "I don't regret any decisions that I've made, because you never really can foretell the future, and who's gonna be what."

Watch the full interview here: