There can only be one number one. Artists can co-exist in the same space, but when striving to be

the best there can be only one. That’s typically the mindset artists have, and when one artist…

Artists can co-exist in the same space, but when striving to be the best, there can only be one.

That’s typically the mind-set artists have, and when one artist encounters another with a parallel

rise moving into their trajectory, the result is usually conflict.

Despite being new to the industry, Drake began to realize this early in his career. On his debut album Thank Me Later, he recites, “I can relate to kids going straight to the league/ When they recognize that you got what it takes to succeed/ And that’s around the time that your idols become your rivals/ You make friends with Mike but got to A.I. him for your survival.” Prophetic almost, as by his second album, Take Care, he’d find himself on the opposite side of the ring with his idol Kanye West, as he aspired to take the throne.

The concept of idols becoming rivals has become a reality beyond Drake; it’s happened through all genres of music. Pop, R&B, rap — with the latter seeing a rivalry heat up between Lil Wayne and Young Thug leading into the release of Thug’s Barter 6 mixtape.

From the repaired to the harmless to the ones that continue to brew, below are eight feuds in which the idol has become the rival.Since the inception of Young Thug’s rise, he’s credited Lil Wayne as his single biggest influence (“I’ll get in the studio with Wayne before Michael Jackson right now”), often interpolating Wayne’s style and eccentric demeanor to build the framework of his career. Thug made his stan-dom crystal clear when he announced last year that he’d be naming his debut project Carter 6, continuing the legacy after Weezy vowed to bow out with Tha Carter 5.

Up until late last year, Thug’s garbled and unorthodox delivery — paired with his direct association to Birdman (through Rich Gang) — painted a picture of Thug as a direct descendant of Wayne. Releases like “About the Money” with T.I. and Rich Gang’s “Lifestyle” put him on the grid, and his and Wayne’s “Take Kare” collaboration seemingly made the vision that much clearer.

But the original December 2014 release date for C5 has come and gone with no determined release date in sight. Problems between Lil Wayne and Birdman and Cash Money have surfaced, including a $51 million lawsuit surrounding unpaid royalties.Perhaps it’s those frustrations that have prompted Weezy to openly take aim at Young Thug’s bold album cover for the then-titled Carter 6. Furthermore, it’s assumed that legal action forced Thug to rename the project Barter 6.

The conflict is still ongoing, with Lil Wayne continuing to take shots at his younger contemporary, but Thug has refused to respond negatively to the man he refers to as his idol.

On the road from Nickelodeon to pop stardom, it’s always been known that Ariana Grande idolized Mariah Carey. From her diva-esque poise to her trademark vocals, Grande’s brand of pop and R&B has the elusive chanteuse’s stank all over it. The comparisons were plenty, and Grande had nothing but great words to say about the record-breaking diva. “Mariah has been a huge influence on me since I was a little girl,” she said in Us Weekly.

Unfortunately, comparisons don’t sit well with Mariah Carey. During an interview with Power 105.1’s The Breakfast Club, she shrugged off the comparisons with a dash of shade, saying, “First of all, I’m still young. I discount numbers. Numerically speaking, I stopped counting at 17. But I wish everybody all the best of luck, and if this is a career path they choose, I hope that they can achieve longevity.” Ouch. Not words one would like to hear from someone they’ve idolized.