Yesterday, I found out some very interesting news while surfing the net and getting my pop-culture fill of drama and ratchetness happening to people FAR outside of my tax bracket, and I learned that Drake recently just graduated from high school – at age 25. For some reason I had always assumed that while acting the role of a student on Degrassi, he was also subsequently enrolled in classes on the side, but apparently he dropped out of school to pursue his acting career, which was followed by a massively successful rap career, which left him little no time to focus on his education – until now. What’s funny is that EVERY single blog site that I’ve seen report this story has been filled with a massive amount of comments calling laughing at Drake and calling him an IDIOT – which are simply the actions of judgemental, self-aggrandizing jackasses.
The reason I find this so DISGUSTING is because educational elitism should NOT be enforced on people striving to become more educated no matter WHAT the circumstance is. The FACTS are (right from Drake’s mouth) that his mother was sick and their family was BROKE, so he did what he felt he had to do to make ends meet for their household. Let me stress that I personally DON’T CARE what his reason is, and I DEFINITELY don’t think he needs to come up with a reason good enough to placate a mass populous of anti-inteelctual strangers who will look down on him for anything he does anyways, but the point is he CHOSE to go BACK to school when even by his OWN admission, he didn’t really HAVE to:
“I guess we’ll never know what Harvard gets us/
But seeing my family have it all/
Took the place of that desire for diplomas on the wall.”
But what makes me SICK about this story is the elitism that people attach to their educational achievements as if it makes them somehow intrinsically BETTER people than everyone they’ve accomplished MORE than scholastically. The indignation that some of these DOUCHEBAGS have for Drake and his “sorry-little high school degree it took him 10 years to get” is representative of the mass ignorance and self-righteousness that causes MANY people to resent those with advanced degrees. Whether or not YOU think Drake SHOULD have graduated a lot earlier, the fact is what you think is utterly POINTLESS. Your opinion, your amoral judgement and your condescension only serves to PREVENT people from achieving higher education – and that makes you a worthless c*nt of a human, regardless of the letters after your name.
We ALL have vastly different stories, full of our own varied hardships which can prevent some people from completing school on the timeframe that many others do. These people don’t deserve RIDICULE, they deserve encouragement to keep trying and PRAISE for eventually finishing. And as someone who has spent A LOT of time around people with advanced degrees, this is NOT just an issue about Drake – this BULLSH*T goes on at every level of education, with people at every level of celebrity. I have been in ROOMS with ph.d’s (who assumed I was one of them) who talked down EVERYONE else without them like they are simply F*^KING UP in life, as if even TRYING to get a ph.d is a simple birthright we all reject because of abject laziness. Please miss me with that BS.
You can hate Drake, hate his album, hate his face, and hate his aggressive R&B – but DON’T hate on the ONE positive thing he’s imparted to his fans and haters:
When it comes to advancing your education, it’s always better LATE than NEVER.
This Is Your Conscience
17 Comments, Comment or Ping
lincolnanthonyblades
Ladies & Gentlemen, What Are YOUR Thoughts On Drake Graduating From High School On 25?
Oct 19th, 2012
Smilez_920
I mean at least he went back. A lot of rappers don't have their GED or a degree. That's why they put so much into rap. It was their last hope. I assumed Drake had a high school diploma because most child actors are home schooled. But at 16 it is legal for you to drop out.
Good for him. Now I hope other ppl follow him in this direction who don't have their GED and try to finish. This is actaully very positive . A lot of ppl drop out and are to embarased to try again .
Oct 19th, 2012
mena
I remember when I moved after getting my masters and I was a secretary. It was a blow to my ego since I thought having those extra letters would get me an analyst position right out of grad school. While I worked at my first job, I became pretty cool with the security guard. She had 5 kids and was technically a single mom since the dad wasn't about anything in life. She told me that she wanted to better herself for her kids but couldn't bc she didn't have a high school diploma and had failed the GED once already. I told her that was unacceptable and that I would help her study. For 3 mths we worked together and she took the test and passed.
. That was 6 yrs ago. She is now a GS 11 in the government. She is now in her early 40s.
People need to climb down the degree soap box. If this woman with 5 kids and in her 30s can get a HS diploma, then so can the Drakes and Beyonces of the world. Kudos to him.
Oct 19th, 2012
DBoySlim
The thing that most people forget is that Drake is rich as hell. He doesn't need a degree he choose to get one. Let's be real, most people don't go to school for education they go to school for degrees and jobs. They go to get good jobs that pay them good money and if that's the case then Drake beat us all. He received more financially out of life by not going to school in using his talent than most of us would ever make by going to school and not using ours. As hey college dropout, I see this attitude you speak of very often. most people don't know I did not graduate from college until I tell them. the way I speak and carry myself sometimes give them the thought that I did. This educational elitism has to go. Even if you get a degree sometimes they shit what school you went to. For some people higher education is not a necessary factor for their personal success. I have a friend with high school diploma who sells cars. He makes more money than most people I know with masters degrees.
Oct 19th, 2012
NurseJilly
Good for you Mena! Thats something that changed that woman's life forever.
Oct 19th, 2012
iluvwhoiluv
I say good for Drake. Quite a few people don't even go back, especially if they are making hand over fist in money. It's never too late to learn.
Oct 19th, 2012
lincolnanthonyblades
Completely cosign everything you just wrote!
Oct 19th, 2012
lincolnanthonyblades
Exactly!
Oct 19th, 2012
lincolnanthonyblades
Then you have rappers like 2 Chainz who has a masters degree and effectively pretends he's ignorant
Oct 19th, 2012
lincolnanthonyblades
Agreed.
What's a GS 11?
Oct 19th, 2012
pe.riche.
GS 11 is one of the MANY pay grades in the U.S. Government pay scale for Federal employees. The GS Grade ranges from 1 (the lowest) to 15 (the highest), with 10 steps in each grade. Basically, it's a major accomplishment.
Oct 19th, 2012
pe.riche.
Not only am I glade he went back and earned his diploma, but I am also happy that he is making such a big deal out of it. Maybe all those kids who listen to his music will see that while wanting to be a rapper/actor/celebrity is cool, it's also great to get your education.
Oct 19th, 2012
mena
Stop lying?!? Are you serious???
Oct 19th, 2012
lincolnanthonyblades
Oh wow that's impressive.
Oct 19th, 2012
lincolnanthonyblades
Exactly my point!
Oct 19th, 2012
AwkSci
I understand what you're saying but believe it or not some people do go to school to learn and enhance skills that they may be interested in. Just because college/higher learning doesn't equal a high paying job doesn't mean it's not something worth learning or doing. These days it's tough to find a job even with degrees. The amount of money doesn't degrade the value of being educated in a certain subject.
Oct 23rd, 2012
daboo18
lmao now that is funny or like Rick Ross being a police officer.
Nov 21st, 2012
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