Canadian rapper Drake officially broke Michael Jackson’s long-standing Billboard record for the most No. 1 songs by a male solo artist. But Charlamagne tha God is not impressed by the numbers alone.
Drake’s latest single “Janice STFU” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on May 26, giving him his 14th career chart-topping hit. That moves him past the King of Pop, who held the record with 13 No. 1 songs. The achievement came after Drake dropped three surprise albums on May 15—Iceman, Habibti, and Maid of Honour—which flooded streaming platforms and broke multiple chart records at once.
Charlamagne Tha God Says Numbers Don’t Tell the Whole Story
On a recent episode of The Breakfast Club, the popular radio host broke down why he believes chart success does not automatically place Drake in the same league as Michael Jackson.
“This is why I say numbers lie,” Charlamagne said. “Does Drake have the numbers? Yes. Does Drake have music that will stand the test of time? Yes.”
But then he drew a clear line between commercial wins and cultural weight. “We know that a lot of the music Drake makes does not have the cultural impact of an Off the Wall or a Thriller,” he added.
Charlamagne pointed out that Michael Jackson’s music still sells millions of copies every year in 2026. The late singer’s biopic has also made nearly $800 million at the box office. He compared Drake’s music to “fast food,” saying much of it is “here today, gone tomorrow.”
“There is levels and layers to who Michael Jackson is.” — Charlamagne tha God
Another co-host on The Breakfast Club also brought up the sales difference. Drake has sold 175 million records worldwide. Michael Jackson sold 500 million.
Drake Passes Jackson With 14th No. 1 Single
The numbers behind Drake’s record-breaking week are massive. “Janice STFU” pushed his total No. 1 hits to 14, tying him with Taylor Swift and Rihanna for the most among all solo artists. Only Mariah Carey (19) and The Beatles (20) have more.
That is not the only record Drake broke in one week. He placed 42 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time, the most ever for any artist in a single week. That beats Morgan Wallen’s 2025 record of 37 songs. Drake also became the first artist in history to have 400 total career entries on the Hot 100.
On the album chart, Drake made history by holding the top three spots on the Billboard 200 simultaneously. Iceman landed at No. 1, while Habibti and Maid of Honour took No. 2 and No. 3. Iceman alone sold 463,000 copies in its first week.
Drake Responds With Michael Jackson Tribute on Instagram
Drake did not stay quiet after breaking the record. He posted a picture on Instagram showing Michael Jackson with icy blue braids in front of a snowy background. The image nods to Drake’s Iceman album theme and Jackson’s famous rhinestone glove, which also appears on the album cover.
“Neck broke from carrying the chain. Back broke from carrying the game. Records broken carry on my name. Carry on, carry on,” Drake wrote in the caption.
The post received over 1 million likes within hours. Celebrities and fans flooded the comments, with many calling Drake the new king of numbers. Others agreed with Charlamagne, saying streaming era achievements do not compare to Jackson’s global fame before the internet.
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Drake Now Has 9 Songs in the Hot 100 Top 10
The week of May 26 belongs almost entirely to Drake. He grabbed nine of the top 10 spots on the Billboard Hot 100. The only song not by Drake at No. 5 is Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas.” That brings Drake’s total career top 10 hits to 90.
Charlamagne tha God has been one of Drake’s biggest critics in hip-hop media for years. He has often questioned the rapper’s music, public image, and place in rap history. This time, he made it clear that beating a Billboard record does not make Drake the new King of Pop in his eyes.
As of now, Drake has not responded directly to Charlamagne’s comments. But his Instagram post shows he is focused on celebrating the milestone rather than arguing about legacy comparisons.
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