'Drake is worried that his waterfall is too loud." That is how a feature on the Canadian hip-hop star in the new issue of Rolling Stone magazine begins, and who among us would not commiserate with the mansion-dwelling fellow's concerns.
But if the waterfall was loud, so was the public outcry following Drake's trio of tweets on Thursday. After the untimely death last week of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rolling Stone swapped a planned Drake cover to feature Hoffman instead.
Drake's reaction to the swap was petulant, tweeting that he was "disgusted" his cover was taken from him, adding that the press was "evil." Response to the rapper was swift and harsh. "It's a fascinating display when out of touch stars throw public tantrums cause they can't have all the hi-fives they need to get by," tweeted Norwegian singer-songwriter Sondre Lerche. Added the Halifax Chronicle Herald's Paul McLeod, "Tired of being loved and critically acclaimed, Drake goes after dead Philip Seymour Hoffman."
The Nothing Was The Same rapper eventually deleted two of his offending tweets and posted a half-contrite apology on his October's Very Own blog "to everybody who took my cover comments the wrong way." The damage was done, however; Drake's started-from-the-bottom modesty is as crafted as the immaculately manicured lawn at his mansion, and he's suddenly being seen as a pouting, out-of-touch millionaire.
Drake was not alone in his childish attitude toward the media this week. After seven-time Juno-nominated singer Kathleen Edwards posted a Facebook message expressing doubt as to her future – "I'm really sorry but I'm pretty sure I don't want to make music anymore" – online media outlets reported her missive. Then the songstress, with Cronkite-level authority, set the press straight in a subsequent post: "This is NOT a news story … sheesh. must be a slow day in the entertainment reel."
Social media is media, and for the ham-fisted handling of their own accounts these whining musicians have only themselves to blame. In Rolling Stone, Drake declares that one of his goals is to have the "biggest residential pool on the planet." It's probably best that he avoid the deep end.
Brad Wheeler