Halifax’s thedottedline is here to finish what Kendrick Lamar started

Usually diss tracks are global phenoms, but the beef between thedottedline and Drake is happening in your local park. 

At 2 p.m. in the Halifax Common, Kyle Folk Roche, also known as thedottedline, gathered friends, family and Instagram followers to film a music video for his song “Coyote Print (We On Dat Ass)”, a diss track against fellow Canadian rapper Drake. 

On a beautiful, sunny Sunday afternoon, Roche and his posse spread out on the lush grass. About 15 people showed up after the event was advertised on Instagram, inviting followers to join the production. 

Some held open pizza boxes; others played the kazoo. Cigarette packs and disposable vapes dotted the grass. A speaker blared the lyric “We on dat ass” as Roche lip-synced at one of four cameras. What started as comments-section beef on Instagram is now Roche’s claim to fame.

On Sept. 27, Roche, known for his Instagram posts about being schizophrenic, made a post about how he had made two tracks for his new album Lucky #13, one of which was a diss against Drake. The post amassed nearly 350,000 views and a comment from Drake that said, “I’m actually fucking shook.” 

“I woke up and saw Champagnepapi had commented on my post,” says Roche. “I thought it was a bot, then I went to his post, and I saw his page. It was the real deal — Champagnepapi.”

Days later, Roche posted a music video for his song, “Drake Who.” The video compiled stock images with backing lyrics like, “What happens when fire meets ice? / It melts,” a reference to Drake’s 2026 album ICEMAN. 

Drake commented, “Nah when you said it melts … almost had me there … almost.” With that, their official beef was sealed. Via Instagram, Roche announced his plan to release another diss against Drake, a song that became “Coyote Print (We On Dat Ass).”  

Roche started the dispute with Drake because he believes Drake is not “making what is real.”

“I’ve listened to Drake since I was a kid and I’ve appreciated Drake’s art. But I wouldn’t call myself a fan anymore,” says Roche. “It’s shallow, and that’s how I feel about it. God bless him still. He seems like a nice guy, but we can get deeper as a society. Music and art are the way to world peace.” 

Carlos Rodriguez-Roy’s Knope Productions produced the “Coyote Print (We On Dat ass)” music video. Roy says he discovered Roche’s music on Instagram reels. 

“Sometimes you’ll get a gem [when on Instagram reels], and that gem is Kyle,” says Roy. 

Roy says he was initially intrigued by Roche’s persona. 

“At first we thought, ‘What is this, satire?'” says Roy. “After a little bit more digging, [we realized] he’s a musical genius. I’d argue he’s this generation’s Kanye.”

With no exact plan, Roy and the production team decided to just “point and shoot.” The video’s improvisational nature led to decisions to add pizza boxes with the group and include a cyclist whisking by. 

“Adding pizza to the music video will increase its production value,” says Roy. 

After the interview, Roche pulled the arts and culture team, Mia Phillips and Jacqueline Graif, aside.

“You know this is just a bit, right?”