Drake Explains The Photo Of Him In Blackface

Yesterday (May 29), Pusha-T released his second diss record of Drake in less than one week. The latest song, “The Story Of Adidon” included verbal attacks on Drake’s father, mother, producer Noah “40” Shebib, as well as an alleged child fathered by Drake and that child’s mother. The song, recorded over the No I.D.-produced instrumental of JAY-Z’s “The Story Of O.J.” also included an older photo of Drake (taken by David Leyes) that features Drake painted in blackface and wearing what appears to be a t-shirt with a Jim Crow character.

Calling into The Breakfast Club this morning (May 30), Pusha-T unpacked “The Story Of Adidon” and the artwork. There, he expressed concerns over the image, and suggested that he was aware of the photo ahead of recording DAYTONA closer, “Infrared.”

Pusha-T Accuses Drake Of Fathering A Child He Abandoned (Audio)

Drake has released a clarifying statement of the photo as an Instagram story (screenshot below). Drizzy denies rumors that the photograph was from his recording career or a clothing brand shoot. Instead, the actor-turned-music superstar says it was a 2007 photo that related to an acting project. “[It] was about young Black actors struggling to get roles, being stereotyped and typecast. The photos represented how African Americans were once wrongfully portrayed in entertainment.” He adds that he and a close friend/Sudanese actor Mazin Elsadig were “using our voice to bring awareness to the issues we dealt with all the time as Black actors at auditions.”

2007 marks Drake’s final year as a cast member on the television series Degrassi. He had also appeared in roles for TV shows including Soul Food, Blue Murder, Instant Star, and others. That year, Drake released his second mixtape, Comeback Season.

At present, the MC/singer has yet to respond to Pusha-T’s accusations that Drake denied fathering a child, reportedly named Adonis, that he has now used as the namesake to a partnership with apparel brand Adidas.

Pusha-T Takes Off The Gloves & Makes His Beef With Drake A Family Feud (Audio)

Drake is expected to release an album, Scorpion, in June. Since Friday’s (May 25) scathing “Duppy Freestyle,” Drake has not addressed Pusha-T publicly. Over the weekend, the MC dropped single, “I’m Upset.”