Drake, May 19, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
It’s not uncommon for hip-hop artists to stir controversy with their lyrics, but some thing Drake has gone too far in his latest single, “Slime You Out.”
Toronto, Canada-born Drake has found himself in hot water due to a controversial line in the single, which features SZA. The song, which has already faced criticism for its artwork, garnered additional attention due to a specific line in the opening verse that reads: “You got my mind in a terrible place/ Whipped and chained you like American slaves.”
This particular lyric has ignited a firestorm of backlash, especially within the Black community, as it draws a direct parallel to the historical atrocities of slavery in the U.S.
There was slavery in Canada. Between around 1629 and 1834, there were more than 4,000 enslaved people of African descent in the British and French colonies that became Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick. But Drake’s line point to American slavery.
Many fans and critics took to social media to express their disappointment and outrage over the insensitivity of the line.
“What in the biracial-white-mother is this mess? Drake got in trouble for Nazi imagery for Nicki’s song ‘Only'” but using US Chattle Slavery as a punchline is a okay? The alt girls are never letting down race play,” tweeted Uhlume A.D.O.S., referring to Drake’s mixed-race heritage. Drake’s father’s ancestry reportedly includes various countries from West Africa while his mother is a is a white Canadian Jew.
“Between the Blackface pic and the questionable slavery bar, can we start asking Drake if he was in racial chat rooms showing feet too?” asked tweeter Mel Smith.
In 2007 Drake was photographed in blackface, which he was forced to explains years later when the photo resurfaces.
“This picture is from 2007, a time in my life where I was an actor and I was working on a project that was about young black actors struggling to get roles, being stereotyped and type cast. The photos represented how African Americans were once wrongfully portrayed in entertainment,” he said, Good Morning America reported in 2018.
“Drake’s career is in so much disarray that he has to throw shots at our ancestors, HIS ANCESTORS, for controversy. He’s such a loser,” tweeted nija.
“Drake referencing slavery in his new song just doesn’t sit right with me,” Phillip André tweeted.
“Drake is a foreigner, it’s in their nature to disrespect Black Americans,” tweeter a user named Nas.
The song’s cover photo is also a point of contention. The photo is one of actress Halle Berry being slimed at the 2012 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards. Berry has called Drake out over him using it. According to Berry, he asked her and she denied his request. He still went ahead and used the pic, E! News reported.
Rapper Drake talks to people after watching an NBA basketball Western Conference Play-In game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors, May 19, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
