Hip-hop figure and media personality Benzino pushed back on Tuesday against viral comparisons to rapper Drake, after a shirtless selfie sparked a wave of online memes placing the two side by side.
Taking to social media on July 1, Benzino, 59, addressed the photo frenzy head-on, accusing blogs of circulating a doctored image of him to draw unnecessary and inaccurate parallels with the Toronto rapper.
"The next time you post a pic of me comparing me to @drake make sure y'all don't use a photoshopped one off the internet," Benzino wrote. "I got a bunch of dope gym pics on here you can use. Keep in mind I'll be 60 in 2 weeks so make it make sense you weirdos."
The image in question compared Benzino's physique to a new mirror selfie posted by Drake, showing the "God's Plan" rapper flaunting well-defined abs.
As fans gushed over Drake's physique, some playfully insisted that his abs seemed fake, now sparking suspicion about his enhancements and, amusingly, a contrasting connection to Benzino's workout-related posts.
Benzino, the former co-owner of The Source magazine and a longtime hip-hop commentator, frequently shares updates on his gym progress and has been vocal about his health journey.
In a 2024 interview, he revealed that returning to fitness after a hiatus had transformed both his body and mindset.
"These last few months I've been hitting the gym like I never had before," he said at the time. "It feels amazing. There's nothing that these younger guys are doing that I can't do, and that alone feels good."
He also credited the culture of hip-hop for helping him stay mentally and physically energized.
"Hip-hop has really kept us young at heart," Benzino said. "Without hip-hop, we probably would be a lot older than we portray to be."
Despite his frustrations with the viral comparison, Benzino appeared to take the controversy in stride, standing by his commitment to health and authenticity.
As of press time, Drake has not responded to the comparisons or the online chatter surrounding his latest selfie.
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