University of Miami becomes star of new Drake video

19 Feb 2018

Hip hop superstar Drake has made the University of Miami (UM) the centrepiece of his new video for the hit single “God’s Plan”.

The film clip depicts Drake going around Miami donating money to schools and people with disadvantage. “The budget for this video was $996,631.90,” it opens. “We gave it all away. Don’t tell the label…”

In a post on Instagram during shooting, Drake described the video as “The most important thing I have ever done in my career”. The single “God’s Plan” has sat at number one on the Billboard 100 for almost a month.

Sporting a Hurricanes hoodie, several scenes show the Canadian rapper dancing atop the Donna E. Shalala Student Center, which the school built in 2013.

“Forever grateful to be part of this video,” tweeted the University of Miami’s official account. “Thank you Drake.”

The Frost School of Music at UM also received a $10,000 donation for its Donna E. Shalala MusicReach Program, which promotes music education to people from disadvantaged communities.

“I’ll tell you one thing,” Drake said as quoted by a press release from UM. “I’ve been to a lot of places in the world. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a more turnt school than this. I wish you all the best in life, a lot of love, a lot of happiness for you, your friends and your family.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BfUE9oHjc3B/?taken-by=champagnepapi

Drake gifted a US$50,000 check for scholarship for South Carolina student Destiny James to attend UM and study public health.

“He said, ‘I’ve read a lot about you,’” James told university newspaper The Miami Hurricane. “I’ve heard your story and all the things you’ve been through and all the hard work you’ve been putting in, so I want to give you $50,000 to pay for your tuition.”

UM President Julio Frenk congratulated James for the scholarship, writing on Twitter that her inspiring life story “represents the very best” of the university.

DRAKE SHOOTING GODS PLAN MUSIC VIDEO AT MIAMI HIGH, LIFES CRAZY MAN @OfficialJoelF @Drake @miamiseniorhigh pic.twitter.com/6ohD8bipNh

— E (@TheRealEdgy) February 5, 2018

Miami Senior High School was also included in the video and became the beneficiary of a $25,000 donation, “for incentives for the afterschool program which we’re really excited about,” said Drake.

Thank you @Drake for supporting public education @MDCPS & @miamiseniorhigh.#ArtsInOurSchools pic.twitter.com/dOib9EV9YG

— Alberto M. Carvalho (@LAUSDSup) February 5, 2018

Women and children at Lotus House Women’s Shelter in Miami were given $50,000 worth of toys and Target vouchers.

He also visited a supermarket in a lower socioeconomic neighbourhood and covered the grocery bills of local shoppers.

https://twitter.com/girlposts/status/965198223689310208

While he once dropped out of high school and has rapped: “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,” Drake definitely values education.

He is a diehard fan of the University of Kentucky’s Wildcats Basketball team and visited Drake University in 2016 after a long social media campaign from its students to bring him there.