The feud between Drake and Pusha T escalated last night (May 29) when Pusha dropped “The Story of Adidon,” a track in response to Drake’s “Duppy Freestyle,” which accused Drake of fathering an illegitimate child and zeroing in on his producer’s multiple sclerosis. The headline caused a stir, as it unearthed a photo of Drake in blackface, an art cover that was used.
Some have called for outright “canceling” of the rapper, believing that it’s taken out of context from a series of photos that deal with racism in an artistic manner. Understandably, this has caused a frenzy on Twitter with many expressing disbelief about the photo.
Please stop referring to this picture as “artwork”…I’m not an internet baby, I don’t edit images…this is a REAL picture…these are his truths, see for yourself https://t.co/gd6vRS3HM8 pic.twitter.com/2el58HEZ8F
— King Push (@PUSHA_T) May 30, 2018
Up until now, we have comprehensive knowledge regarding the photograph, however, as of the current press time, Drake has not provided any response regarding this occurrence of wearing blackface. The situation is still unresolved.
The source of the photo.
Photos with similar art and a powerful duality of representation and race, along with another photo that is not being widely circulated, can also be viewed on the Own Very October Blogspot account.
The origin of Drake’s “Blackface” stuff is from a Toronto line called “Too Black Guys” and looks to be from 2008 https://t.co/FFXa63PsLv
— Justin Davis #PatekTeeth (@OGJOHNNY5) May 30, 2018
The photographer.
David Leyes, the photographer who took the photo, said that the “idea” captured by Drake’s cited “concept” is also depicted in the screenshots. He proudly stated that it is a strong statement made about the messed up culture we live in, without any explanation or inversion.
Photographer David Leyes says the blackface photo shoot was Drake’s idea. (via @whiteyforprez) pic.twitter.com/ljllNzOweI
— Complex Music (@ComplexMusic) May 30, 2018
And the photographer. Y’all move pic.twitter.com/au67DtZfUA
— F.L.O.W. (@flow349) May 30, 2018
The company’s objectives.
As per the website of Too Black Guys, the objective was to “visually depict the black encounter in a fearless manner.”
The company replies.
Adrian Aitcheson, the founder of Guys Black Too, released a statement on Wednesday night, explaining that Drake was not a part of the photo shoot for Guys Black Too, but he was wearing the brand in the pictures, as reported by The New York Times’ Joe Coscarelli in a tweet.
Published in 2008, the compilation showcased various visuals that emphasized the distressing and risky era of the Jim Crow Era. Nonetheless, it included apparel from Too Black Guys’ JIM CROW COUTURE/HOUSE OF CROW compilation. The specific picture under consideration did not originate from a Too Black Guys photoshoot.
Although this image from our photoshoots does not depict Drake as a longtime friend of Jim Crow era hypocrisy, it brilliantly illustrates the unapologetic way in which Guys Black Too represents a history of black experience.
The problems continue to impact our communities, but we must not lose sight of the nuances in Drake’s performance. As a young black man, he skillfully portrays the historical mimicry and dehumanization that white men used to engage in during rap battles.
Drake talks.
Finally, on Wednesday, Drake entered the fray, posting an Instagram Story in which he brushed off the controversy and shared his side of the tale. The photos, which were told to be meaningful for a project, portrayed how African Americans were wrongfully represented in entertainment.
We were attempting to use our voice to bring awareness to the issues we dealt with all the time at black actors auditions. According to Elsadig Mazin and our fellow Degrassi actor, Drizzy, we were not trying to make a point that the struggle for black actors had not changed much. This was not to always raise our frustrations and highlight the fact that we don’t always get a fair chance in the industry.