While Drake and Logic are two artists that often take the lion’s share of criticism because of their split heritage — Drake has one additional “strike” against him: he’s Canadian. Combine that with sitting at the apex of the Hip Hop game and lacking an unspoken street edge and it’s easy to see why he’s a target.
I’m also a Canadian, and like Drake, am a physical amalgamation of two cultures. From that perspective, I understand his frustration when he’s simply written off by his staunchest critics as that “Jewish kid from Toronto.” Though not Jewish, I’ve encountered similar things in my life. I also understand the hesitation to speak too freely on issues that affect the black community in America — as it would definitely put him under an even larger microscope.
Similarities (and maybe even a soft spot) aside for a fellow Canadian who worked his way to the top, I’m not always on board with Drizzy. Case in point, his latest scandal, which temporarily submerged one of my favorite OG Canadian clothing brands into hot water.
Drake’s now-infamous blackface images, which were brought to light by Pusha T when he dropped his tremendous response “The Story Of Adidon,” had a hidden easter egg that some people may have missed: the matching Jim Crow shirt and hoodie by Too Black Guys. The company itself had nothing to do with the shoot, though many who seemingly “connected the dots” began to circulate the narrative that they, in fact, took the images.
A (now-deleted) piece on High Snobiety that featured the collection was being shared by many trying to contextualize the photos as being from the brand’s 2008 lookbook, which was untrue. Too Black Guys have since released a statement.
“The photo in question was not from a Too Black Guys photoshoot,” the brand explained. “However, it did feature clothing from Too Black Guys’ JIM CROW COUTURE/HOUSE OF CROW collection which was released in 2008. The collection featured several graphics that highlighted the painful and dangerous period of the Jim Crow Era.”
TBG felt that releasing a statement was necessary, as it wouldn’t be hard to imagine their involvement. “Too Black Guys has a history of representing the black experience in an unapologetic way,” the statement goes on to note. “Although this was not an image from any of our photoshoots, we feel that Drake was brilliantly illustrating the hypocrisy of the Jim Crow Era.”
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The fact that the comment section crowd was hailing TBG as a racist clothing brand is absurd. As a young teen, I was well aware of the brand, and anyone from that era will attest that it has never played it safe. Too Black Guys (literally founded by a black guy) began in Toronto in 1990 and gained a lot of (quick) notoriety in the industry, famously worn by Mary J. Blige in the “Real Love” video, as well as by Ice Cube. They describe the brand on their website as one that “made you feel like you were wearing a Public Enemy verse or a Spike Lee movie on a shirt.”
As a half-black Canadian myself, currently living in Drake’s hometown, I get it. I think the biggest misconception is that Drizzy’s mixed ethnicity somehow excludes him from the conversation about the struggle living in the world as a person with black heritage has been known to bring.
What outsiders of the biracial experience tend to think is that there’s some privilege that goes along with being half white. Honestly, this may be true if you happen to have light eyes and straight hair. The rest of us (within a specific cohort) had to deal with a lot of shit. Older women were seeing us as the bi-product of black men turning their backs on black women (see Waiting To Exhale), a sampling of black peers treating us as slightly inferior in some sense, and white people lumping us in with that same sect that may consider us not black enough.
Too black for some white crowds, too white for some black crowds. It’s a frustrating place to be.
The more considerable misconception at play is that the black experience in general — never mind the biracial one — has been (historically) non-eventful as the struggles are less relevant north of the border. While this topic warrants multiple novel-length pieces to fully explain, it is fair to say that some of Drake’s biggest detractors have never left their state (beyond potentially traveling to hubs like LA or NYC). Their understanding of the black-Canadian experience and the demographics and socio-economics of Drake’s city may not be based on any context beyond generalizations, comment streams and re-runs of Degrassi.
That being said, I’m not sure Drake made the right call; true, the hypocrisy is real, and (amid the fundamental objection) a large section of the population seemed to applaud Kanye for “going against the grain,” even calling it brave. However in this case, no bueno.
Drizzy couldn’t possibly have considered his career would explode after the release of “Best I Ever Had,” and that perhaps this set of photos would be used out of context as the cover of a diss record nearly a decade later. And — for added insult — without showing the second more dramatic photo, which frankly is the glue that helps him make his point.
There was no expressed intent to mock an “African-American experience,” yet he had to know that regardless of intent, the images would elicit a strong reaction from a significant portion of those who saw them.
While they weren’t involved in the notorious photoshoot, Drake was a longtime friend of the Too Black Guys founders, appearing as not only the lookbook face of their Fall 2007 CHURCH! PIMPS IN THE PULPIT collection, but also their Beautiful Boogeyman Holiday 2008 collection. For the record’s sake, it should be noted that the face of the 2007 holiday collection was Mos Def.
Their recent statement concludes: “The subtleties of Drake, a young black man, mimicking how white men used to mimic and dehumanize black people may be lost in a rap battle, but we should not be distracted from the issues that are still affecting our communities.”
It’s true. Ultimately, explanations don’t matter in a fast-paced, social media-driven beef such as this — and this out-of-context image was just the fuel his biggest haters needed to ride out.
While it likely won’t affect his pockets at all, and probably won’t lose him many fans, it will make it harder for him to ever win over the population of fence-sitters who were waiting for Hip Hop’s shiniest biracial star to drop.
His next step is more important than ever.
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You can totally relate cause your from Canaduh and your mixed do you also have a record deal with Lil Wayne have millions of dollars and are talked about in every music blog and in social media and on have azz so called hip hop music sites? You have a baby with a porn star? Were you in a crappy b-list Canadian t.v show when you were a kid? Do you make up a whole different reality and persona for yourself and change your name from Aubrey to “Drake”(still dont get that one) Are you wearing a sweatshirt with and owl on it at the moment by chance? Is “Started From The Bottom” your “jam”? Is your name Riley? You should change it Francis
Francis? What does this mean? You sound pretty salty about Drake’s success, though…
Salty? Over baby Aubrey pshhh…I can give 2 flying fx about dude
I just think its funny watching all these people do and say anything to try to defend there precious r and b/pop rap “cash cow” we all know that new Aubrey album is droppin soon and you need that click bait money baby.
Its all good playa
We know what time it is
Scorpions out!
Ok, because you wasted time and effort reading and commenting on an article about an artist you don’t about…also…the writer clearly disagreed with him using blackface.
Ok Ummm…. I mean Riley a.k.a Francis
No one cares about your opinon on here
Your just some rap nerd with a laptop getting paid by HipHopDix to sell more ads on the wack azz website
No one gives one Canuck or two Schlitz what you think of Aubrey
Dont make me call J. Prince
Scorpions Out!
Triggered much? “I hate HHDX yet I play in the comment section.” HAHAHAHA
No doubt its the only way Bruh
Someone gotta set these emo rap nerds str8
Dudes all typing essays about Aubrey like trying to analyze why he is such a clown
If they werent on his baby nuuts so hard they would see him like the rest of the Non Aubrey loving world seems him and thats as a fake and a clown and a fraud
Never in the history of hip hop has someone been some fake and just lame besides maybe Vanilla Ice and a few others but 10 years from now dude will be another old azz pop rapper playing fairgrounds with Nelly and Nsync
Scorpions out!
For real! This dude for HHDX wrote a whole damn essay over analyzing Drakes use of black face. GTFOH! Dude fucked up, quit trying so hard to defend him like youre part of his click. You all are like Charlamagne on Jays nuts all day. Acting like Drake pays your bills! Lol
You need to go to Drake Rehab because you are what they call a HATERRRRRR ROFLLLLLLL!!!
It was a desperate attempt at attention seeking.
He did it looking for attention FOR HIMSELF.
Then he was probably immediately told it wasn’t cool and buried it until last week.
The site still hasn’t said a word about the new rich the kid song featuring pusha t.
HHDX, are your finances public? How much are OVO paying you? Serious question.
Pusha T gets LOTS of coverage on the site…
Drake is the biggest name in hip hop. Your disdain for him doesnt change that fact. Therefore he gets a lot of coverage. See thats how entertainment news works- you write about what is the hottest topic of conversation. Criticizing HHDX while still checking in on their site seems a little bit creepy but Im sure itll all work out for you
Congratulations on missing the point. .
In the past week they’ve written countless damage control articles for drake and don’t even cover pusha t’s latest feature at all.
If you think calling for balanced coverage is creepy then I guess things probably won’t work out for you, fool
I didnt miss the point lil buddy… the point was your cheeks were wet from fresh tears because your gf loves drake and only kind of likes you. I feel you man itll be a long summer hearing this light skinned mfer every time you turn on your radio
I didnt miss the point lil buddy… the point was your cheeks were wet from fresh tears because your gf loves drake and only kind of likes you. I feel you man itll be a long summer hearing this light skinned mfer every time you turn on your radio. Smile buddy itll be ok
Scorpions Rule!!!!
I can’t beleive they pay people to write this horseshit
Good point, anonymous comment section person.
Aaaaaaand you read it so monet well spent lol
I think Drake owns this site…..everynewsevery news here is on how to protect black faced Drake. Lol,hiphopdx ,no news on rich Kidd and pusha t new song. I wonder how much Drake pays you guys, its very appalling. Keep sucking Drake’s nuts , HihopHihopdx.
This comment makes you sound like you’re on Pusha’s nuts? “Why aren’t you talking about Push?”
I think Drake owns you too. How many times can you say his name in one comment
real ones know that pusha flipping this was a reach…if pusha was serious about being for the culture with this he would of called out mos def and black thought for doing the exact same thing……if kendrick rocked this as part of his social justice warrior campaign no one would flinch….Jay Z said it best about drake with “Most kings get their heads cut off”
Drake is a canadian that didnt live the black north american experience. THERE IS NO JIM CROW IN CANADA. A lot o f damage control going on.
Canada is in North America, just so you know…
black usa experience
This article didn’t really sound like damage control at all doe.
Yeah. Your use of “doe” shows how smart you are. They had some canadian halfbreed write a shit article explaining why Drake’s Blackface was OK. We’re there Jim Crow laws/act so in canada? I’m waiting. Dumbass
The writer clearly didn’t agree with it…but ok. Also your use of “We’re” shows how smart YOU are.
This site has had MANY articles about Baby not paying artists…. https://hiphopdx.com/editorials/id.2754/title.cashin-out-pt-2-a-brief-history-of-complaints-by-cash-moneys-7-most-disgruntled-artists
Are you Jewish too
This dumbass said Phoenix. Hahahahah
Sick burn bro
Wow!! Hip Hop DX – this is new level desperation. You are doing more damage than helping. Let this die.
Drake knew this pic was wrong as he got the photographer to remove his photos of blackface from the website. I posted the proof but it got deleted by HHDX staff. Lol
Just a note, staff doesn’t delete posts, ever. Certain words, or posts with links are automatically deleted. This isn’t moderated. #nowyouknow
Bitch please
Fake Drake’s a manufactured bitch made pop puppet wearing blackface and hiding behind j Prince and PR press releases.
Hahahahahaha def a Billy or a Tommy hahaha
The article started good and then, you got lost. Drake is a black man, trying to bring light to racism and typecasting. How is this a bad thing? How is this wrong? Did he wear the blackface to be cool? Clearly not. Did he wear it to ridicule blacks? Clearly not.There will be always be a group that never forgives him but these are folks who will never give him a chance because they are racist against light skin , they don’t like a Canadian running hiphop or they think he isn’t hardcore hiphop plain and simple. Spike lee and Beyoncé have both done this BTW much later in their careers – a little controversy and people moved on. It’s absurd how his critics both lambast him for being politically correct and commercial and then, castigate him for making a bold political statement. Let’s face it : drake cant win them over. But who cares.x he doesn’t need to.
Consign. Daytona is my favorite album this year but the whole idea that this is somehow wrong or meant with bad intentions is just absurd.
Your mastery of “black lingo” needs some work for you to pass as a black dude. “Come thru my hood in the whip” “get jacked” and “on mines” stopped being said back when we were wearing Fubu bro… fuck is you? 60 years old or some shit? And if so the fuck is you doing commenting on a hip hop website? We know white dudes wanna be black but bro at least catch your slang up to this century. Also I cosign Drake gets big love from your dude E40 when he comes to northern cali so I hate to pop your white bubble but (DJ Khaled Voice) congratulations.. you’ve played yourself
“The rest of us (within a specific cohort) had to deal with a lot of shit”
You only have to deal with shit because you chose to participate in hip hop culture. Get out of it and empower yourself. You’re the only thing stopping you.
“Empower yourself” hahahaha
Ok, Steve.
Come on, Well then, you don’t need to laugh at someone else’s helplessness. Anyone can actualize. Anyone can be empowered.
Oh, for crying out loud, DX…
Here we go with the tragic mulatto bullshit. This author writes as if most black Americans aren’t “racially mixed” themselves. We are. So why you calling as black and acting as Drake is part of some special club.
Black has always been inclusive term both by force and by choice. Its no harder being “mixed” than it is being a Lupita complexioned sister dealing with the self loathing of black skin especially when it’s packaged in female form. Some of you black people with a white parent really need to get over yourselves. I’m seriously tired of the whining. Some (not all, I have mixed siblings) black people with a white parent differentiate themselves and then seek empathy while reveling in the many privileges that comes from having the light skin they swear is a burden. Then they freaking sit and have the audacity to demand the darkest of us to feel sorry for them. Is it not enough that most times being visibly mixed gets you placed on a pedestal?
Bottom line the blackface picture was wack just because it is. Had it been a darker brother in black face – who carries himself like Drake – the issue would’ve been the same. It’s about HIM being someone who clearly isn’t secure in himself, he flips from patois to thuggishness to grime style but none feel authentic. That has nothing to do with his mama being white. Hip hop history is full of emcees who are as light – if not lighter – than Drake.
Pusha’s point – and why it hit home – is that Drake needs validation because Drake doesn’t connect. His own insecurities drive that. He parades around his Daddy & don’t get him up out of those Steve Harvey suits because HE THINKS it blacks him up. We see through it. It’s a little too extra. He’s phony. And that include the “go head sista trying to get your Masters…I recognize, respect & want you…unlike those other uncouth n****s” mask he wears. Meanwhile he’s going raw in some chick who deliberately oils her ass on Pornhub for some guy to jerk off to. He knocks her up, trashes her character, demands she aborts and then pretends the child doesn’t exist to th world. All of a sudden there are press releases about Christmas visits??? Pusha said it’s about character. In an interview he said all those millions Drake brags about, he doesn’t have to answer to anybody, yet his first born son isn’t within arms reach?!? He’s tucking a baby?!?!
It’s amazing, Black people co-signed this dude, validated him because his mixtapes were fire, fucking reference tapes dropped and we still giving that fool basis when any other brother would’ve been out the running for top emcees. He’s huge, the biggest thing out there, and everybody’s saying the repercussions to his pocket will be minimal despite being bodied by a real emcee. and yet I still have to read some tragic mulatto bullshit about how hard it is for poor widdle Drake. GTFOH
Damn, had to dig up a mixed Canadian to try and explain this away. Lmao, hhdx gets paid for every positive drake article.
Drakes words “The first time I really experienced [racism] was when I got famous and went to America and people would challenge me like I don’t understand how it works or like, ‘Oh, you’re… https://t.co/51jgIfIsIw