Hip-hop’s dangerous bet on the gambling industry
thefader.comEarlier this month, Drake posted a black-and-white video to his Instagram Reels, set to the contemplative strains of Wiz Khalifa’s “See You Again.” But instead of a heartfelt salute to Paul Walker, Drake repurposed the ballad to pay tribute to something else: gambling.
As Charlie Puth croons and piano keys twinkle in memory of Vin Diesel’s fallen bestie, we see clips from the past year of Drake risking millions of dollars on virtual roulette, anxiously ripping a hookah at his kitchen counter as he stares intently at his computer screen and roleplays his own private Uncut Gems.
The caption? “It’s been a long time without a big win…” and the tag for Australian crypto-betting platform Stake, which launched an official partnership with Drake last year.
Sports betting and casinos are hardly new territory for rappers who have money to play with, but the gambling industry has increasingly turned to hip-hop to acquire legitimacy, using rappers and sometimes rap music itself as a way to lure possible marks.
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