On Feb. 16, Drake dropped his newest music video, “God’s Plan.” The video, which heavily implies that Drake is, in fact, God, has already gone triple platinum, further proving Mr. Graham’s messianic claims. The McGill Tribune Arts & Entertainment team gives their first impressions on the most controversial Drake video since Creative Director Noah Sutton set “Passionfruit” to jazzercise.
Declan Embury: My first reaction is that I have a feeling that the label would be ok with this sweet marketing move.
Gwyneth Boone: Is Drake God here? Is that the point?
Tristan Sparks: Ugh, this is the song that my siblings always listened to in the car this summer.
Ariella Garmaise: No they didn’t, it just came out.
TS: Ok, well it was a different Drake song then.
AG: Tristan, this segment is literally called First Impressions.
DE: Why University of Miami? Does he like their football team or something?
Domenic Casciato: Yeah, I was gonna say, why Miami at all?
Dylan Adamson: You mean why not Toronto?
AG: Because all Torontonians go to Miami during the winter.
DA: Haha, Drake goes to Fort Lauderdale to hand out wads of cash to Toronto seniors.
GB: I’m confused. Is Drake bringing people to Saks Fifth Avenue to buy them things, or is he buying stuff for people already there? I feel like if you’re at Saks Fifth Avenue already then you don’t need Drake to buy you stuff.
DA: I would love to see Drake giving a rich old white lady a wad of cash.
AG: My friend Rachel once saw Drake at the Gap. I don’t know what he’s doing at a Sak’s Fifth Avenue now.
DE: Me and my dad saw Tommy Chong at the Gap.
(The Gap was big for celebrity sightings in 2010).
DA: I feel like no one actually knew the words and they had to practice.
DC: Do you think Drake was dancing out there for a while before the crowd came?
GB: This makes me like Drake less.
DC: As an avid Drake-hater this video makes me like him more.
DA: Oh yeah, I love it.
DC: I feel like we should be thanking Lil Wayne, because it’s his label’s money.
DA: I would feel awful if this was coming out of Lil Wayne’s pocket.
DC: I still don’t get the dancing on tall places thing.
DA: Oh, that’s just cool.
TS: I like that Drake has gotten the feedback that people don’t like his dancing but still continues to dance anyway. That shows character.
DC: Drake’s done this shit before. When he was beefing with Meek Mill there was this school in Philly that Meek Mill always donates to–Drake donated more. And he built a studio at the school, and everyone was like ‘What the fuck?’ It was so students could have rap careers.
Selin Altuntur: Well, I certainly didn’t cry.
DC: I liked it but I don’t think Drake should be thanked.
SA: It’s sort of like you left your parents’ house with 100 of their dollars, and then gave it to a bunch of people, and you’re like “you’re welcome” and take credit for it.
DA: My initial response was like, “Drake why are you filming this, cool, you’re a good person,” but it feels weird as a white person to say, oh this is so performative and phony. But also Drake was never broke.
DC: How many times does Drake talk shit about other people for being broke in his music? How many times does he brag about being on the Forbes list? A lot. It’s weird for someone who engages in classism to brag about spending his label’s money.
SA: A lot of rap music videos are just about having money, cars, and champagne. This is giving other people money, cars, and champagne.
AG: Yeah, like subverting that trope.
SA: It sets an interesting precedent that’s like, yeah, I’m flaunting my wealth, but I’m doing it in a generous way.
SA: I think my biggest problem with this video is that it’s called “God’s Plan” and Drake is literally God.
DE: Overall, definitely not as good as Passionfruit.
DA: It is literally so much better than Passionfruit.
