After a quick read of the article, written by Michael Balazo, it appears that Drake has a major beef with the city of Guelph.
Some of the song’s lyrics include: “NYC is better, so is LA, If you’re considering Guelph, please stay away, Paris and London got it goin’ on, Never go to Guelph, the city’s a yawn.”
The author of the article quotes Guelph’s Mayor Cam Guthrie, claiming he said, “I just don’t think what he’s [Drake’s] saying is true. Either way, our reputation is in tatters and we don’t know why.”
Perhaps the quote from Mayor Guthrie is the most telling in this story. It sounds nothing like him.
Or perhaps it’s the fact that Drake is supposedly comparing Guelph to LA.
Either way, a closer look at this article will reveal that it’s a work of fiction, or satire.
The article, titled “Ouch! Drake Disses Guelph in New Track Yawnsville” appears on the CBC’s The Punchline, a section that is meant to be humorous. Many social media users have missed that small detail.
When speaking to Guthrie on the phone, he confirmed that CBC tweeted him the article when it was first posted a week ago.
"I knew it was a parody immediately," he confirmed. In the last day the article has gone viral, with nearly 6,000 Facebook shares. "I've received almost that many tweets asking me if it's real," laughed the Mayor. "I thought, uh oh, these people don't know it's a joke."
Guthrie confirmed that he wasn't offended by the article and thought that it was funny. He wasn't bothered that the author quoted him without his consent, since it's meant to be satirical.
"I'm always up for the challenge. Everybody knows I have mad rap skills," he said laughing.
And with that, it's pretty obvious, Guelph wins as the coolest city ever.
Even if the story was true, it is safe to say that our vibrant and active community is far from boring.
Guelph is home to world-renowned festivals including the annual Hillside Festival and the fun Faery Fest.
Many famous artists have called Guelph their home, including Robert Munsch, Ken Danby, Jean Little, and Joni NehRita.
The citizens of Guelph know that this is really a great place to call home.
So, the lesson of the day is don’t believe everything that you read on Facebook.
Ok Drake, you are off the hook.
