In the fifth episode of October's Very Owned, rapper Heems and former Noisey editor Drew Millard join hosts Dan Ozzi and Eric Sundermann to discuss authenticity and identity. The only person who can define Drake's identity is Drake himself, but that won't stop everyone else from trying. The labels are as numerous as they are polarizing: Canadian, American, black, white, rapper, singer, the greatest of all time, a relentless culture vulture. Despite it all, to many, he exists in a unique grey area. While many of his rap contemporaries such as Kanye West and Migos have been criticized widely for various public missteps, Drake has managed to evade similar gaffes by staying firmly in his lane and letting the public draw their own conclusions. In the same way that no news can be good news, Drake's consistent public neutrality and murky identity politics have served to shield him from fault. So far, it's worked for him, but five albums and over a decade in, is neutrality sustainable in a climate of social progressivity?Listen below or on Apple Podcasts.
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