Rapper Drake faces backlash for song 'dissing' Moroccan women in new album 'Her Loss'

Drake’s new album "Her Loss" has caused quite an international stir, rearing heads and climbing the chart beats. However, his line on Moroccan women has triggered a fierce backlash against the self-proclaimed feminist rapper.

In collaboration with Savage 21, Toronto-born Drake released last week a 16-track album, mainly diss tracks, taking a non-subtle-shot at fellow rappers and rivals such as Ye (Kanye West), DRAM, Ice Spice, and controversially, Meghan Thee Stallion.

While the 'beef culture' is no stranger to hip-hop, several Moroccan listeners said Drake has crossed the line with his track, "Jumbotron S*** Poppin."

"Thick Moroccan b****, this my fav', I'ma go on and beat it. (…) Send a girl home, call another, dawg, I'm too slime. She ain't wanna eat it on her first day, it's haram," said the rapper in his third solo track in the newly released album.

The reference to Moroccan women was widely seen as another form of long-standing offensive stereotypes regarding the "hyper-sexualising" Moroccan women.

World stars come to Morocco and are dazzled by Moroccan culture to the point of embracing its codes like @willsmith or @Usher but @Drake prefers gutter language to reflect the dirtiness of his soul. In addition, he talks about "hram" in his "song", wouldn't he be islamophobic ?🤔 pic.twitter.com/IuYqpHFcDP

— Maroc1deFrance (@Maroc1deF) November 6, 2022

When combining sexism & racism you get @Drake’s new song pic.twitter.com/VT7n7rWYpH

— Yasmina ياسمينة (@yasbenslimane) November 5, 2022

"This song disrespects and sexualises Moroccan women because it reinforces a long-standing stereotype, according to which Moroccan women are seen as bitches (…) and sex workers," Yasmina Benslimane, a Moroccan human rights activist and founder of feminist platform politics4her, told The New Arab.

For far too long, the reputation of sex-working haunted Moroccan women in airports and politics and now apparently in art too, explained the Moroccan activist in reference to the "Mehram-gate scandal."

Earlier this year, the "Mehram-gate" scandal erupted as many young Moroccan women came together to share their stories of being denied access to Jordan, a country that does not require a visa for Moroccans because they are under 30 and they were travelling without a male companion (Mehram).

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the trade association representing the world's airlines, a Moroccan woman aged between 16 and 36 needs the prior agreement of the Ministry of the Interior, except in the following cases: "She is accompanied by a husband, father or brother. She is part of an official delegation. She is the daughter of a high-ranking officer."

Jordan's embassy in Rabat said at the time, "It lacks visibility at the moment" on the sexist travelling rule that contradicts the right of movement. 

Moroccan officials have not reacted to the Mahram-gate scandal until the moment.

Many Gulf countries also restrict the entry of Moroccan women under 35.

In a nutshell, Drake's usual way of charming his fan base by dissing women who "broke his heart" has taken a profound sexist, and arguably racist, meaning in this case.

Ironically, on the same album, Drake confessed in his track "on BS" that he is a "feminist," pointing to his call out against the abortion ban in the US. 

However, many argue that Drake's past actions and new-brand lyrics do not line up with this assessment.