Operation Drake

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About

Operation Drake is an Internet death hoax orchestrated by members of 4chan to spread a false rumor on YouTube that the Canadian rapper Drake has been killed in a car accident in late November 2015.

Origin

On November 23rd, 2015, an anonymous 4chan user submitted a post to the /b/ (random) board urging viewers to post comments that Drake had died in a car crash to his music videos on YouTube (shown below).

File: 1443244435914 png (372 KB, 901x725) 曲Anonymous 1 1/23/15(Mor) 10 03. 00 No 653371 433 ussm2044-swaes-smas: assz2784-53374042 u65337410g 6SSSア4125 2453374572-S337482 https://www. youtube.com/watchvauxpDa-c-4Mc [Embed OPERATION-DRAKE ITT: We go to Youtube and tell them on Drakes video he died in a car crash. Like eachothers' comments Dislike and report those that deny it and try to call b-------

ITT: We go to YouTube and tell them on Drakes video he died in a car crash. Like each others' comments. Dislike and report those that deny it and try to call bullshit.

Spread

That day, YouTubers began posting comments on Drake's music videos claiming the rapper had died in a car accident. Shortly after, Redditor bidhansth posted a collection of posts about Drake's death to the /r/4chan^[2] subreddit, where it gathered upwards of 5,300 votes (94% upvoted) and 370 comments within 13 hours.

Syxx 3 hours ago Sad when good talent goes to R.LP Drake October 24, 1986-Novenber 22, 2015 Reply . 582 Rosalia Basilio 1 hour ag Is Drake dead?!0 Reply . 56 Shay C (zShayy) 3 hours ago RIiP drake Reply . 419 waste View all 10 replies v View all 28 replies OJUNIOR DELEON 2minutes ago Ayy lamo 1 hour a Yes in a fatal car crash. #rprake DID DRAKE JUST DIE222?7?? Reply , 113 Hide replies Swan Ronson 1 hour ago +Ayy lamo Ya he was in a really bad car crash Reply . 14 4 CCBM 2 hours ago LustyyOG T hour ag0 Ayy lamo yeah car accident Reply 15 RIP Drake His talent was taken from us too soon. Let this be a lesson to always wear your seat belt. Reply , 459

Meanwhile, BuzzFeed^[3] community user JohnWeaverReporting submitted a post titled "Rapper Drake Dies in Fatal Car Accident," which was subsequently removed by BuzzFeed staff. Also on November 23rd, Redditor Kantor48 submitted a post asking "Why does everyone seem to think Drake is dead?" to the /r/OutOfTheLoop^[1] subreddit, to which user Chewy_Lemon cited the 4chan operation. In the coming days, several news sites published articles about the hoax, including HipHopEarly,^[4] MediaMass^[5] and Complex.^[6]