Back in 2010, Aubrey “Drake” Graham had this to say to Heeb writer Amos Barshad:
“I went to a Jewish school, where nobody understood what it was like to be black and Jewish,” he says. “When kids are young it’s hard for them to understand the make-up of religion and race.”
With the release of his new music video “HYFR” last weekend, in which the rapper celebrates a bottle-poppin’ re-Bar Mitzvah, I thought I’d go on Twitter and see how well understood he is today as a prominent black Jew.
Drake is not black enough for me.. But eminem is :P
— Esraa Al.Mudaiheem♡(@esraa4) April 12, 2012
drake is a Canadian jew. #notarapper
— lp (@theladypaige) April 6, 2012
Y is Drake allowed to say “Nigga”? He’s not black and he’s from Canada for god sake!
— Living Strong (@_iLiveStrong) April 6, 2012
Drake is Black Jew. Drake Sammy Davis III
— CM (@prison_wine) April 10, 2012
Drake is the smartest Black White Jew of all time.RT @Evanescenta: @GodKingOni lmao !
— Edward Andretti. (@GodKingOni) April 12, 2012
#Drake the first nigga to make a video in a church about cursing and shit and I didn’t know he was a Jew though!
— [] BLACK[] POWER (@xMASON4LIFEx) April 12, 2012
Drake is a natural born jew through his dadbut he wanna be one of those fake dirty jews, blame his mama.
— shineJAY,deidra (@ShynJAmero) April 8, 2012
I’m yet to see a black Jew. (Drake doesn’t count)
— Shadi Shatara (@itsonlyshadi) April 11, 2012
Did she forget drake is a Jew? Shalom aleichem my nigga
— KADIDJA (@MadeinDjibouti) April 11, 2012
#ImSickOf people saying the N word even though they’re clearly not black… Take Drake for example
— Olu Fadipe (@shadowoolu) April 12, 2012
soooo i saw the HYFR vid and this nigga drake is really a Jew! =( guess
— Riyadh Khabeer (@urbesknightmare) April 12, 2012
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About the Author
Jonathan Poritsky is Heeb's Arts Editor and Lead Film Critic. You can read more of his work at the candler blog.
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5 comments
lazer
Apr 13, 2012
i actually think this is the extreme extension of even saner critiques like shoals’s which scrutinizes a black jew much, much more closely than the hundreds of white jews who also engage in playing with their judaism in their art. in the debate surrounding drake’s video, nearly everyone is guilty of placing him under the microscope like some rare black and jewish specimen.
Ruby
Apr 13, 2012
A Black man of Jewish decent is my dream guy (extra points if he’s a doctor), hot for Lenny Kravitz
Elizabeth Weitz
Apr 13, 2012
If only he were gay, then he could go for the trifecta of public loathing…reach for the stars Drake!
Alex
Apr 13, 2012
Skip Twitter. If you want a smattering of confusion, antisemitism, and racial ignorance, go straight to the youtube comments.
YxK
Apr 30, 2012
What does religion have to do with him being Black or vice versa? I’m so sick of simpletons who feel it’s their job to say who goes in what box. Everyone needs to calm their tits and not tweet every stupid thought they have.