Drake and YOLO: Rapper Takes Credit for Acronym, Wants Share of Profits
Canadian rapper Drake recently called out US department stores Walmart and Macy's for retailing various merchandise emblazoned with the acronym YOLO, during a rant on social networking site Instagram.
The 26-year-old, who undoubtedly helped make the widely used acronym YOLO (You Only Live Once) popular, suggested that the retail giants were profiting off of him. He demanded that they either stop selling such merchandise or cut him a share of the profits, although it is unclear whether he has trademarked the term.
In one picture which was shared with his followers on Christmas Eve, Drake shows various baseball caps emblazoned with YOLO being sold for $12 a pair at Walgreen's. "Walgreens…you gotta either chill or cut the check," he wrote in the photo caption as reported by Gawker.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Another photo shows a T-shirt featuring children's characters Charlie Brown and Snoopy and it reads "YOLO is my motto." Drake's message to Macy's read "Macy's...same goes for you."
The acronym became popular and urbanized in 2011 after it appeared in Drakes hit song "The Motto," which features the lyrics "Now she want a photo, you already know, though/ You only live once: that's the motto n----, YOLO." He had also used the term on twitter in October 2011, "You only live once...YOLO" he tweeted along side picture of himself on a balcony overlooking a city.
Despite Drake's claims to coining to term, it is believed that realty star Adam Mesh from NBC's hit reality TV show "Average Joe" first introduced YOLO to popular culture in 2004. At the time Mesh created a YOLO clothing line and he recently expressed his disappointment in the acronym's current use.
"When I created the word it was meant as inspiration to live life to the fullest. Disappointed in current use. I have moved on," Mesh tweeted in October.
