While some assumed the phrase was a Drake original, that’s not the case.
Image via Getty/Marcelo Hernandez
Drake’s recent choice of attire, though in actuality an apparent nod to a California battle rapper, has some listeners seemingly missing the point.
In an update to Instagram over the weekend, the 6 God was seen reclining among an assortment of presumably comfortable pillows and contagiously jovial stuffed animals. For the caption, Drake, who last month contributed to two tracks off Camila Cabello’s C, XOXO album, went with a ponderance on what he described as “the pressure from being on top.”
As swiftly pointed out, and just as quickly misunderstood, the t-shirt worn by the five-time Grammy winner reads, “Rap is a joke.” Yet, despite what you may or may not have seen being posited on your timeline, this slogan, of sorts, is not a Drake original nor is it necessarily a dig from him aimed at rap at large following his historic exchange of disses with Kendrick Lamar.
Instead, it looks to be a nod to Frank Stacks and L-Money, who have released music under the Rap Is a Joke duo moniker for over a decade. Per related social media accounts, the Rap Is a Joke operation, which does indeed include the very same t-shirt Drake was seen wearing in the IG-shared photo in question, is based in the Oakland area. In addition to battle rap, the (seemingly) official Rap Is a Joke IG also includes some music that’s more squarely in the parody lane, as well as a recently shared photo showing Tech N9ne wearing the same t-shirt design.
The shirt is also seen in a video from 2010 featuring Andy Milonakis.
Of course, this is all very in line with what fans have come to expect from Drake, regardless of how it’s interpreted. While the Kendrick back-and-forth more or less came to a close with “Not Like Us,” speculation has remained high over the possibility of something new from Drake being on the horizon. Drizzy himself appeared to tease as much when sharing a happy birthday message for OVO Sound artist and frequent Drake collaborator PARTYNEXTDOOR earlier this month.
