New York University film student Chris Cole released this month (May) a fictional short film called If Youre Reading This Its Too Late. The Rancho Cucamonga, California student wrote and directed the film for an open-ended school project.
The story follows an unnamed Drake fanboy and his hypothetical musings to send the 6 God into the next life as a legend. The character believes that If Youre Reading This Its Too Lateis, “Drake’s best work to date, ‘a perfect note to end things on,'” he says in the visual.
Cole says during an exclusive interview with HipHopDX that If Youre Reading This Its Too Late is based on the “absurd” idea that a Drake fan would emulate The Notorious B.I.G.’s thought process on the “You’re Nobody (Til Somebody Kills You)” record and literally act it out.
“It’s almost like you’re nobody ’til somebody kills you,” the film’s main character says in the project. “That’s what Biggie said on Life After Death.”
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“The character is non-reliable in a way,” Cole says. “Obviously it’s not a character in correct headspace, because using the murders of Biggie and Tupac could justify what he’s doing, and that can turn Drake into a legend, but they, as far as we know, weren’t [killed by] crazed fans. So it’s a little out there and a stretch, but I think with the character I created, that is the kind of logic he would have.”
Cole caught the idea for his If Youre Reading This Its Too Late film from Eminem’s “Stan” and Tyler, The Creator’s “Colossus” songs. He believes that since his piece was fan-made, not artist-made, it has a “creepier” feel. “There’s almost like a real factor to it,” he says.
Cole says he was unsure whether or not he liked the Canadian rapper at first, but that he eventually became a fan of the Young Money artist’s music.
Cole says Drake is real because he was able to be himself and break Rap stereotypes by becoming a successful, respected artist despite being from Canada, not being raised poor and by gaining acclaim as an actor first.
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“I think he’s the personification of ‘anything is possible,'” Cole says, “because he proved that a Jewish, Canadian actor can be the realest rapper in the game.”
Cole, a former HipHopDX intern and freelance contributor, referred to Drake by his stage name throughout the entire clip but credited him as Aubrey Graham, his given name, in the credits. “I guess crediting him with his real name is kind of just this little wink to the few people who he may or may not be,” Cole says.
The toughest part for Cole, he says, was balancing the darkness and humor in the film.
Cole, whose project wasn’t graded due to the progressive-improvement format of the class, is looking to write for television and work on music videos, although he’s keeping his options open.
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He is, he says, also looking forward to getting feedback from Drake and OVO.
“I hope they like it,” he says. “I hope they’re not creeped out.”
The film is as follows:
For additional Drake coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
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