In 2023, it’s hard to believe that the Drake Views meme was once all the rage. It seemed like for a few months in 2016, everywhere you looked online there was a new iteration of the meme, featuring the rapper Drake sitting atop iconic landmarks or in unexpected locations. But what exactly was the Drake Views meme, and why did it capture the internet’s attention so thoroughly?
What Was the Drake Views Meme?
The Drake Views meme started with the release of Drake’s album Views in April 2016. The album cover featured Drake sitting atop Toronto’s CN Tower, looking pensive and introspective. Almost immediately, people started photoshopping Drake into other locations, creating a meme that quickly went viral.
The meme was simple but effective: take the image of Drake sitting on the tower and place it in other settings, whether real or fictional. Some of the most popular iterations of the meme included Drake sitting atop the White House, on a rollercoaster, and even on the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones.
Why Did the Drake Views Meme Take Off?
So why did the Drake Views meme capture the internet’s attention so thoroughly? For one thing, it was a perfect storm of a popular rapper, a memorable album cover, and a simple but infinitely adaptable image. But beyond that, the meme was a reflection of a larger trend in internet culture – the tendency to remix and recontextualize existing images and ideas.
As one commentator put it at the time, “The Drake Views meme is the perfect representation of how we consume culture in 2016 – we take something that’s already out there, put our own spin on it, and send it back out into the world.”
Reactions to the Drake Views Meme
As with any viral phenomenon, the Drake Views meme elicited a wide range of reactions from people who encountered it online. Some found the meme hilarious and endlessly entertaining, while others were quick to dismiss it as yet another example of internet culture’s shallowness and lack of substance.
For his part, Drake seemed to take the meme in stride, even going so far as to reference it during his opening monologue on Saturday Night Live in May 2016. “As you know, I released an album called Views,” he said. “And then, to be honest, I didn’t really understand the internet or the Drake Views meme.”
A Look Back at the Legacy of the Drake Views Meme
So where does the Drake Views meme stand today, in 2023? While it’s no longer the ubiquitous presence it once was, the meme still holds a special place in the hearts of many internet users who fondly remember the summer of 2016. And while the internet has moved on to other memes and viral sensations, the Drake Views meme remains a testament to the power of remix culture and the enduring appeal of a good image.
Comments from People Who Remember the Drake Views Meme
“I remember spending hours scrolling through the #drakeviews hashtag on Twitter, laughing at all the ridiculous places people had put him.” – @mememaster69
“Honestly, I thought the Drake Views meme was kind of dumb. But I couldn’t deny that it was everywhere.” – @oldfogey32
“I’ll never forget the first time I saw the Drake Views meme. I laughed so hard I almost fell out of my chair.” – @memequeen88
“The Drake Views meme was a turning point for internet culture. It showed that even something as simple as a single image could capture the world’s attention and take on a life of its own.” – @internetphilosopher
