Considering the number of shootings the rap community has weathered in recent weeks, a death hoax couldn’t be more ill timed. But on Saturday night (November 13), someone tweeted a photoshopped Los Angeles Times article with a headline claiming Drake had died and pandemonium ensued.
The hashtag #RIPDrake quickly started making the rounds, causing panic, confusion, fear and, naturally, some outrageous memes. Of course, the Toronto rap star is very much alive and simply the latest victim of an internet death hoax.
https://t.co/wEhnxlzTtf drake we miss you #RIPDrake
— wurzt (@0rnis) November 15, 2020
Several rappers have experienced this phenomenon in the past, some multiple times. Silento, famous for his viral 2015 song “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae),” was killed off in June 2018 following a stabbing at a Los Angeles bar.
His publicist quickly laid the rumor to rest in a statement to HipHopDX that read, “Silento is alive and well and readying to release his new studio album ‘Fresh Outta High School. Unfortunately, Silento’s phone was compromised and the proper actions are being put in place on the perpetrator. “
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Then in 2016, Kanye West was rumored to have been replaced by a clone because the real ‘Ye had passed away. Fans concluded his erratic behavior that year — which included his now-infamous rant about JAY-Z and Beyoncé — didn’t really come from him.
Despite the seriousness of the topic, the memes were hilarious — although some people didn’t find the joke to be funny at all.
Check out some of the reactions below.
me when i seen #RIPDrake trending cus i almost had a fucking heart attack ? pic.twitter.com/mACbqjrmNK
— mufasa (@malaanehaa) November 15, 2020
#RIPDrake drake face when he see this trending pic.twitter.com/q5XeeX8pOw
— Miss Pretty Pussy (@MissPrettyPssy) November 15, 2020
#RIPDrake can’t imagine how his girlfriend feels right now pic.twitter.com/KiOWhfDsFg
— etinishere ? (@etinishere) November 15, 2020
you niggas almost made me lose my shit with this #RIPDrake stuff ? pic.twitter.com/h2RYM9Qcub
— Yoru. (@Yorudiane) November 15, 2020
#RIPDrake This aint funny i thought this was real for sec pic.twitter.com/5EnDeZRA7R
— XXBarbiezXX (@gayzlol) November 15, 2020
Y’all don’t play like that, y’all had me scared for second ?#RIPDrake pic.twitter.com/Lo33o0jb9T
— Aliya? (@toujouraliya) November 15, 2020
WAIT A DAMN SECOND.. WHY IS #RIPDrake TRENDING ON TWITTER?!!? what did y’all do now?? pic.twitter.com/ghrWAC4XBL
— tay (@catboytay) November 15, 2020
The nigga keeping up with whats trending on twitter has lost all hope in humanity in just two weeks #RIPDrake pic.twitter.com/gg7zWXn9Cf
— jack mehoff (@eric90720147) November 15, 2020
heart dropped to the bottom of my ass, stop playin? #RIPDrake pic.twitter.com/19Fcc9pg0z
— nia (@niarene33) November 15, 2020
#RIPDrake will miss you pic.twitter.com/THhhYz8vHh
— gregory shmitz (@gregoryshmitz) November 15, 2020
when i saw #RIPDrake pic.twitter.com/mKOxysScbc
— arthoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooour (@arthour999) November 15, 2020
Y’all are fucking pathetic #RIPDrake pic.twitter.com/s73gvLtKHL
— NICKIXMEGPERIODT (@JamalTHouston) November 15, 2020
Y’all still playing with peoples life after all we been through in 2020? #RIPDrake pic.twitter.com/x12TCBrI5h
— jillian 444 (@Ursentientbeing) November 15, 2020
y’all really bringing bad things to yourself atp especially seeing how 2020 is going why is this trending ?#RIPdrake pic.twitter.com/QoR6kpjJPs
— ????? ☆・゚ (@abeergaberrr) November 15, 2020
MAN DRAKE AINT DEAD STOP PLAYING WITH ME LIKE DAT #RIPDrake pic.twitter.com/4q1rYGjYRb
— CarKeysha (@holographicltt) November 15, 2020
why tf is #RIPDrake trending yall are not funny pic.twitter.com/4go8wgGYgG
— Mark Tan ひ? (@MarkTanTheGOAT) November 15, 2020
Me checking Twitter to make sure that drake is okay #RIPDRAKE pic.twitter.com/8ogHLOZDjE
— Averyx (@Averyx_YT) November 15, 2020
Which one of you bitches started the #RIPdrake trend? I just wanna talk pic.twitter.com/zU2poarXBu
— ??⚕️ (@Blameitontati) November 15, 2020