Lamar Odom Felt Disrespected On ‘Drink Champs’, N.O.R.E. Says It’s a Misunderstanding
Settle in for an episode of the Drink Champs podcast, and you can expect to get history lessons, behind the scenes stories, and a personal look at some of your favorites in hip-hop culture. Guests can count on there being copious amounts of alcohol and uncensored conversation that can veer into any direction.
Over the years, hosts N.O.R.E and DJ EFN have welcomed some of the biggest legends in the game including Snoop Dogg, DMX, Wu-Tang, Nas, Diddy, and 50 Cent. The latest episode features former NBA player Lamar Odom, and for a moment, things got heated between him and N.O.R.E.
A viral clip of Odom on ‘Drink Champs’ made the rounds
Leading up to the episode’s release, a short clip of it went viral when it showed Odom seemingly getting upset with rapper/producer/host N.O.R.E.
In mid-March, fans saw a snippet of the conversation between the two, with Odom telling N.O.R.E. he was “being disrespectful.” He looked visibly frustrated, frowning and waving off some of the host’s comments, and then DJ EFN tells producers to cut the cameras off. It piqued people’s interest.
N.O.R.E. explained what happened with Odom
Both men became intoxicated during the course of the March 27 episode of Drink Champs. Odom was asked about his relationship with Khloé Kardashian, his childhood, his basketball career, and a variety of other topics.
Around the 2:20:00 mark in the video, things started go left. N.O.R.E. asked Odom about his hospital stay and subsequent recovery, and the former baller looked frustrated and uncomfortable.
He said, “I feel disrespected, man.” He went on to explain that he didn’t like the setup or angle of the interview and that things went crazy. Things were awkward for about 20 minutes, but N.O.R.E. assured Odom that it’s all love between them.
Since it aired, N.O.R.E. spoke to Page Six about why he thinks things turned sour toward the end of the interview. Though they ended the talk on good terms, he believes Odom thought they were making fun of him.
“I kept bringing up the fact that he has a ring, but I did not know that he actually lost his rings,” said N.O.R.E. “So, in retrospect he might’ve thought I was joking or making fun of him. So, he basically lost his rings, which he thought was public knowledge, but I didn’t know. He thought that I was clowning him so he was upset with that. And I made it known that I wasn’t aware.”
Fans call the interview ‘awkward’
It’s rare for Drink Champs fans to have an issue with the show, but many are not feeling this episode and think N.O.R.E. didn’t do right by Odom. There was alcohol and marijuana, and for fans, that was an indication that things would go south because Odom is a recovering addict.
On social media, some commenters are calling the interview “sad,” “awkward,” or “irresponsible.” Some feel that N.O.R.E. was underhandedly trying to mock Odom and press him about things from his past while ignoring the things going on his life now.
YouTube users are venting and note that while they love Drink Champs, this is the worst episode because of how Odom was treated.
