Drake Shot Blackface Photo for Clothing Brand to Show Duality of Race

A photo of Drake in blackface has sparked questions after Pusha-T unearthed it as the artwork for his diss track “The Story of Adidon.”

But a new report sheds more light into the story behind the controversial pic. According to The Blast, the shoot was for a Toronto clothing brand called Too Black Guys and their streetwear line Jim Crow Couture.

The company, which prides itself in representing the black experience in an “unapologetic way,” claims that it was taken out of context and is actually part of a two-photo set representing the “powerful duality” on race in art. In one photo, Drake is seen smiling, while the other shows him with a sad look on his face.

Drake is reportedly standing by the message and its intention to highlight the “representation of race and its role in the expectations of artistic expression.”

i wanna discuss this drake blackface + jim crow shirt when we find the time.

ain’t gotta be right now, but eventually we gonna talk about this…. pic.twitter.com/Gk4AA3JdBp

— jarrod. (@createdbyjarrod) May 30, 2018

The photographer, David Leyes, has also released a statement in defense of Drake. “I’m proud to be apart of a strong statement made by a black man about the fucked up culture he is living in,” he said.

Once Pusha posted the artwork on Instagram, the photographer filed a claim and it was removed for a copyright violation. Pusha said it was the first time he had received an infringement notice on the social media platform.

During an interview with “The Breakfast Club,” Push addressed the shoot. “I guess Drake took these pictures a little while ago,” he said. “They said it was his idea, something he wanted to do.”