The ongoing feud between DJ Akademiks and rapper Maino intensified this week, culminating in a surprising video showing the two sharing drinks just weeks before their public clash.

On Tuesday afternoon, DJ Akademiks, as per Hot New HipHop, posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) of himself and Maino drinking together at an NBA YoungBoy concert last month.

In the caption, Akademiks wrote that despite the recent online insults, "everything between them was all good" when they met. He added that Maino had asked for a shot, which he poured for him, highlighting their friendly interaction.

However, the peace appears short-lived. Akademiks made fun of Fabolous's fashion choices, which led to Maino defending the rapper on an episode of the Let's Rap About It podcast. Maino responded with a series of insults directed at Akademiks, calling him a "jar of relish" and other disparaging names.

The conflict escalated further when Akademiks revealed in a livestream that he has filed for a restraining order against Maino."I'm filing charges. I can't wait," Akademiks said, referring to Maino as a "crash out" figure similar to Taxstone, a controversial media personality.

Maino fired back on Instagram, denying any intention to harm Akademiks and criticizing him for allegedly discussing inappropriate topics with a minor.

He wrote, "Nah I Ain't Nobody's Crash Out! And I Never Had Any Intentions Of Harming This Jar Of Relish."

As per Complex, Maino fired a series of insults at Akademiks, mocking his physical appearance and questioning his credibility to comment on rappers' fashion choices. "You got the audacity to be speaking on what n***as is wearing?" Maino said in a viral clip.

He compared Akademiks' frame to "a wet bag of laundry" and dismissed him as unqualified to critique style.Akademiks fired back in a livestream, positioning himself as a pioneering voice in hip-hop media who helped make traditional radio obsolete. He challenged Maino's ability to compete with him in verbal battles, claiming, "I'm Jay-Z, Kareem, Wilt, Michael Jordan, and Tom Brady rolled up in one."

He accused Maino and other rappers-turned-podcasters of encroaching on the lane he created and pushed back against Maino's fashion critiques by resurfacing images of Maino's own questionable outfits.

Though Akademiks said much of his rant was meant for trolling, the feud took a darker turn when Maino posted a video accusing Akademiks of serious misconduct. Maino referenced past allegations involving Akademiks and sexual conversations with a minor — accusations Akademiks has previously denied.

"You got too many things going on," Maino said. "The only thing that belongs to you on the internet is your titties and that bottle of Hennessy."

What began as lighthearted jabs over Fabolous' headband has now evolved into a deeply personal dispute extending beyond style or podcast banter.

Originally published on Music Times