Canadian rapper and singer Drake has recently come out on his social media to criticise the media for its obsession with negativity and its poisoning of the youth with its rhetoric.
The For All the Dogs lyricist has insisted that the media exacerbates shortfalls made by young MCs and highlights the importance of redemption and second chances for all in the public eye.
Taking to Instagram on January 16th, the ‘God’s Plan’ artist uploaded a clip of retired College football coach Nick Saban giving a speech about offering young people time to recover. The original speech was given a decade ago following a game played by the University of Alabama team.
Speaking at a press conference, Saban stated, “When somebody does something wrong, everybody wants to know how you’re going to punish the guy. Guy makes a mistake, but where do you want him to be? You want him to be in the street, or do you want him to be here, graduating?”
He continued, “I feel strong about this now — really strong — about all the criticism out there of every guy that’s 19-years-old that makes a mistake, and you all kill him. And some people won’t stand up for him, so my question to you is: where do you want him to be? Do you want to condemn them till a life sentence, or do you want the guy to have his children going to Princeton?”
Drake (real name Aubrey Graham) added his own words under the clip, commenting, “Journalistic world cashing out on negativity and discouraging the youth from finding their way more now than ever… the noise is all calculated keep pushing forward.”
Gossip blogs and hip-hop media outlets such as The Shade Room and TMZ have been extremely unforgiving to young people in the past, and even certain podcasters have found themselves guilty of what Graham is trying to address now. You can see the clip below.