Drake has joined a number of other artists calling for an immediate ceasefire amid the violent war taking place between Israel and Hamas.
Earlier this week, a large group of artists banded together as Artists4Ceasefire to send a lengthy open letter to President Joe Biden and the United States Congress. The letter urges them to take action immediately to end the loss of life in the conflict — a conflict which has killed around 1,400 Israelis and over 7,300 Palestinians since it began on October 7 with an attack by Hamas.
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“We urge your administration, Congress, and all world leaders, to honor all of the lives in the Holy Land and call for and facilitate a ceasefire without delay – an end to the bombing of Gaza, and the safe release of hostages,” the letter reads. “Half of Gaza’s two million residents are children, and more than two thirds are refugees and their descendants being forced to flee their homes. Humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach them.”
It continues: “We believe that the United States can play a vital diplomatic role in ending the suffering and we are adding our voices to those from the US Congress, UNICEF, Doctors without Borders, The International Committee of The Red Cross, and so many others. Saving lives is a moral imperative. To echo UNICEF, “Compassion — and international law — must prevail.”
Drake signs letter calling for Gaza ceasefire after criticism for not speaking up https://t.co/3Yh0bOWXIApic.twitter.com/pxR8GdtDw0
— HipHopDX (@HipHopDX) October 29, 2023
A slew of artists signed the letter, including Drizzy, Jennifer Lopez, Kehlani, Killer Mike, Macklemore and many others. The letter joins wide calls for a ceasefire, including at a demonstration on Friday (October 27) organized by Jewish Voice for Peace that shut down New York City’s Grand Central Station.
Drake’s support comes after he faced criticism for not speaking up sooner about what’s taking place in Gaza.
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After originally calling out Drizzy — and DJ Khaled — on social media, DJ Vlad doubled down on his criticism of both artists during a recent visit to The Breakfast Club.
“You sort of see what’s been happening, when you look at the Gaza-Israel situation. It’s horrific,” he said. “And I put out a statement about that myself. I said, you know, that I feel sorry for all the citizens from Israel and Palestine that are caught up in what their leaders are choosing to do.”
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He continued: “It’s a serious topic. And when I sat back and looked at it, I was like, ‘Drake is the most famous Jewish person on Earth’ … and Khaled is the most famous Palestinian in the world. But neither one of them has said anything about this at all.”
“Drake is doing this whole thing where he’s literally writing paragraphs about Joe Budden because his feelings were hurt about an album review,” Vlad concluded. “So it’s not like they don’t have time. This shit runs deep.”
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Meanwhile, the 6 God’s longtime producer Noah “40” Shebib — who also signed the Artists4Ceasefire letter to President Biden — spoke out against the conflict in Gaza earlier this month.
40 has taken a firm stance against the war that has dominated the global news cycle. In his statement, he spoke against Israeli “colonialism” and advocated for people across the world to “stand with Palestine” in the face of Israel’s heavy bomb attack and looming ground invasion.
“I live in Canada,” he began. “One of the worlds most brutally violent colonial regimes. Still in active genocides against indigenous peoples. It’s hard to speak as I sit here benefiting from colonial violence to the highest degree.
“Believing in both the human rights of Palestinians and the right and need of a Jewish state has meant I have always had friends on both sides. And beyond the physical war, seeing them be pushed into extremism by such acts of violence is distressing.”
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He added: “This is what colonialism looks like. It’s what it’s always looked like. When will this stop? When will life win over death? The world did not come and stand with the Jewish people during the holocaust. Now we watch as the world does not come and stand with Palestine. I’m ashamed and devastated by it all.”
