Drake Compares Himself To Hitler In New Song

Oh, Aubrey! Image by Getty Images

By Jenny Singer January 24, 2018

The ongoing debate about whether or not it is okay to compare Hitler and the Nazi regime to current news events just took a surprising turn. Now, American Jews feel forced to ask: Is it okay to compare Hitler to the 31-year-old Canadian Jewish rapper Drake?

As Genius wisely points out, the artist’s surprise single, “God’s Plan,” which dropped on Friday, contains the first-person lyric, “Violatin’ the Treatise of Versailles.” The Treaty of Versailles marked the end of World War I, and the person who violated it on multiple occasions, ending reparation payments and remilitarizing Germany, was Adolf Hitler. By saying that he is, poetically, doing the same, Drake (perhaps inadvertently) compares himself to Hitler. Take a look at the lyric in context:

Stencil/Pencil/Hitler reference? Image by Rap Genius Screenshot

This is a really good reminder that all of us, even triple-certified platinum rappers, should review our AP European history notes from time to time. Though you’ve gotta love a delayed Jewish teen rebellion that manages to quote Corinthians, elevate football and self-compare to Hitler in the space of just a few lines.

Jenny Singer is a writer for the Forward. You can reach her at Singer@forward.com or on Twitter, @jeanvaljenny

Jenny Singer is a student in the MFA Nonfiction Writing Program at the University of Iowa, a former staff writer at Glamour, and a former writer and editor at the Forward.

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