Pink nail polish is causing a commotion.
Grammy award-winning rapper Drake is making headlines once again, this time for his choice to wear pink nail polish. During his ongoing North American tour, It's All a Blur, which commemorates the last decade of his music career, Drake has been taking fans on a nostalgic journey. However, his recent nail polish debut on Instagram has sparked a conversation about homophobia and toxic masculinity.
On July 3, Drake shared a glimpse of his new manicure on his Instagram story and followed up with behind-the-scenes images from his tour on July 7th. One of the photos showcased Drake wearing large diamond earrings and sporting pink nail polish. In response to this, Lil Yachty, a 25-year-old rapper and friend of Drake, playfully teased him about his earrings in the comments section.
Seizing the opportunity, Drake responded to Lil Yachty, expressing that he was facing criticism for his pink nails. Drake wrote, "GET OUT MY COMMENTS YOU TOLD ME TO PAINT MY NAILS SO I STOP BITING THEM AND NOW THE WORLD IS BEING HOMOPHOBIC FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 'RICH FLEX' … which wasn't that long ago now that I think about it. Wait, is the world homophobic? Smh."
Lil Yachty replied, encouraging Drake and assuring him that people simply don't understand him, writing, "Woo-sah brother, [you're] not supposed to have these episodes in public, it's fine. They just don't get u bro #UDIFFERENTAF!!”
Drake's remarks come in the wake of his song "Rich Flex" with 21 Savage, which garnered attention when fans speculated about flirtatious undertones in the lyrics. Drake addressed the subsequent memes and acknowledged his polarizing presence, telling Revolt, "I understand that after all these years, that I feel like I have a polarizing presence. It is what it is."
Fans have been in defense mode ever since a post by the Shade Room, with users encouraging people to let men and women do whatever they want to their bodies without the chance of bullying.